Ahhh Van! Painful defeat as Odsal old boy’s tries hurt Bradford Bulls

As Francis Cummins’ defeated players applauded the Bradford supporters shortly after the final whistle, the stadium had long since started emptying.

Following a seventh loss in eight Super League matches, it was little wonder.

As those fans filed out of the ground, much of the hope and belief surrounding the Bulls’ play-off hopes went with them.

With Hull KR and St Helens winning over the weekend, yesterday’s loss was a hugely damaging blow to Bradford’s hopes of reaching the play-offs for the first time in five years.

The Bulls were utterly dominant for much of the first half and threw the ball about with the kind of flair that Cummins is keen to make their hallmark.

Nick Scruton was particularly impressive, laying the platform with some excellent barnstorming runs which led to tries for Adam Sidlow, Keith Lulia and James Donaldson.

But they gradually veered away from the gameplan and Widnes punished them ruthlessly, with a superbly-taken brace of late tries from former Bradford winger Patrick Ah Van proving decisive.

While Ah Van’s scriptwriter was left to take a bow, Cummins was left seething.

He accused his players of being dishonest and letting each other down.

Strong stuff.

To add insult to injury, Michael Platt was left nursing a broken nose.

There were a few bruised egos to go with it in the home dressing room after this sorry defeat.

It is far too early to write off the Bulls this season but, with Warrington next up again at home on Sunday, it will take a huge effort to make the play-offs now.

Fifty-one days had passed since the Bulls’ last outing at the Provident Stadium.

Much has happened since that 42-22 defeat to Leeds; a Challenge Cup exit at London, an Eighties concert featuring Rick Astley, a dip in form which has seen the Bulls fall out of the top eight and the sale of Elliott Whitehead to Catalan Dragons.

While the Bulls had enjoyed the benefit of a weekend off during the international break, Widnes had been in action against Leeds at Headingley six days earlier.

And it showed in the opening exchanges.

Cummins was missing Jamie Langley, Jarrod Sammut and Chev Walker through injury yesterday but Adrian Purtell and Manase Manuokafoa were fit to return.

Purtell had sustained a rib injury in the Magic Weekend defeat to Huddersfield on May 26 and Manuokafoa had not played since suffering a fractured thumb during the Bulls’ last home outing against Leeds.

The Tonga international prop began on the bench, with Scruton and Sidlow the two starting front-rowers.

Purtell came back in at right-centre, with Matty Blythe pushed into the second row.

The Bulls began strongly and led in the sixth minute when Sidlow opened the scoring.

Scruton almost barrelled over the line from close range from Matt Diskin’s short pass but was held up just short of the line.

Nevertheless, the Bulls recycled the ball quickly and worked it to Sidlow, who showed some neat footwork and impressive pace to gallop through a clutch of Widnes defenders to score.

Luke Gale’s routine conversion put the Bulls 6-0 up and they quickly went in search of a second try, with Diskin orchestrating affairs impressively at acting half.

The Bulls were further rewarded in the 16th minute when Gale found Danny Addy to his left and his brilliant offload sent Lulia over the line from close range.

Gale added the extras and the Bulls overflowed with self-belief.

Neat, quick offloads were the order of the day as Gale began to dictate the game with his artful handling and clever kicking.

Midway through the first half, he flighted a high, hanging kick into the left corner, putting Jack Owens under pressure with Platt breathing down his neck.

Platt’s challenge on Owens earned the Bulls another goal-line drop-out but, in the 21st minute, Widnes struck out of nowhere when Rhys Hanbury collected possession 20 metres out.

He showed impressive pace to glide past several leaden-footed Bradford defenders and scamper over the line, leaving Diskin on his backside en-route to the line.

Owens failed to convert and the Bulls quickly hit back when Scruton embarked on another formidable run, making around 40 metres before his progress was halted.

The Bulls kept the move flowing and some quick hands involving Addy and Gale led to Donaldson crossing from close range, much to his and his team-mates’ delight.

Hanbury required treatment after feeling the effects of Scruton’s brute force and Widnes introduced former Bulls prop Phil Joseph, who almost crashed over with his first touch.

Diskin and Scruton were replaced by Heath L’Estrange and Ben Evans but there was no denying that Joseph was keen to stamp his mark on proceedings.

He perhaps felt he had a point to prove after Cummins decided against offering him a new deal after just one injury-hit campaign as a Bradford player.

He certainly made his presence felt upon his introduction yesterday and went close again to forcing his way over the line.

Widnes forced a drop-out on the stroke of half-time and skipper Kevin Brown’s short pass saw Stefan Marsh cross the line moments before the hooter sounded.

Owens converted to cut the Bulls’ lead to eight points at the break and Cummins’ men were caught cold again three minutes after the restart when Matty Blythe missed a tackle and Gareth Hock’s short pass sent Hanbury over the line unopposed.

Owens converted to make it 18-16 but the Bulls hit back with two tries in three minutes.

First, Purtell’s astute offload found Elliot Kear in the right corner and he showed outstanding dexterity to ground the ball for a try which Gale could not convert.

Soon after, Kearney broke inside the left channel and found Platt, who brilliantly drew Owens before powering clear for a superb score which Gale improved.

Yet Widnes simply refused to go away and scored again with 22 minutes remaining when Hanbury turned provider to send Marsh over for his second inside the left channel.

Owens could not convert but Widnes kept asking questions of the Bulls and they struck with 14 minutes remaining when Ah Van caught Gale’s high kick in the left corner and raced 95 metres to score.

Owens converted to cut Bradford’s lead to two points and Ah Van struck an even more telling blow in the 70th minute when Brown and Hanbury combined to send him over in the left corner for another exquisite finish.

Game over, if not quite the season.