There was a friendly with a difference at Horsfall last Friday, as West Bowling took on Bradford Bulls’ reserves.

It was an important run out for Bowling, who had suffered a damaging Challenge Cup second round defeat to Hammersmith Hills Hoists.

Not only were they bundled out of the competition earlier than expected, impacting their pre-season plans ahead of their return to the National Conference League Premier Division, but Daniel Halmshaw and Liam Coe were both sent off in that feisty affair down in Chiswick.

The pair were both charged with punching offences by the Rugby Football League.

Half back Coe’s was slightly less serious according to the sport’s governing body, so he still picked up a three-game ban, while hooker Halmshaw was punished twice as severely, meaning six matches on the sidelines for him.

Fortunately, the pair will be able to whittle down those bans slightly with a couple of pre-season games, with Coe only set to miss the league opener against York Acorn as a result.

As for Halmshaw, he will have a longer wait, and instead his younger brother Archie got the chance to shine against Bulls’ next generation on Friday night instead.

One pair of relatives were in action together though, as key first-team player Oliver Bartle was joined in the squad by his teenage younger brother Ruby.

Even more interestingly, two siblings were facing off, with Bowling’s Kieron Baker on the opposite side to Bradford’s Macall Baker.

And speaking of siblings, Mackenzie Scurr lined up for the Bulls on Friday night, with the youngster hoping to one day follow in the footsteps of his older brother Ebon, a first-team regular at prop for the Odsal outfit.

Aside from it being a real family affair at Horsfall, the game itself turned out to be a rather good one, with Bowling coming out on top with a 36-22 victory.