Francis Cummins heaped praise on his players yesterday and spoke of his hope for positive news on the club’s ownership front after the Bulls beat London Broncos 25-12.

In their first match after being docked six points and seeing Nick Scruton become the third player to leave since the club entered administration, the Bulls ran out worthy winners.

Cummins is now hoping a buyer for the club can be found and that his team wipe out their points penalty by beating Hull FC on Friday.

The head coach said: “I’ve said it before, these lads are champions, after all the stuff they’ve had to put up with.

“Just when you think you’re getting somewhere then something else happens. But we found a way and I said to them at the end ‘we got the win and we could be less than a week away from getting back to even points’.

“We’re not sat in the same office as the administrator but it does sound like there is some potential.

“But I’m not privy to those conversations, it’s behind closed doors. Maybe Dr Koukash has got a couple of brothers who might want to buy the club.”

Cummins said he could not blame Scruton for leaving and admits the Bulls remain vulnerable to more players being sold by the administrator.

He said: “Nick was a mess when he came to tell me what he was going to do.

“We were in that situation again; two days before a game and one of our players isn’t going to be there.

“Other clubs can do whatever they want because we’re in this situation and it’s a worry.

“The concern is that if I wanted to buy this club and there are no assets, then what’s left to buy?

“But while we’ve got those players in and we can add a few more then I believe in them.

“It’s dog eat dog and we’ve got relegation this year but I’m not going to burn my emotions up on stuff like that and carry any hatred.

“My concern is the lads in the dressing room and the young lads below them.”

Scruton said after signing a one-year deal at Wakefield: “A lot of the Bradford fans won’t believe it but yesterday was one of the worst days of my life, it genuinely was.

“I’ve had six years and they’ve not all been good years, we’ve had ups and downs but I have loved every minute of my time at Bradford Bulls.

“It was a sad day yesterday for me to decide that the best decision for me and my family was to leave and come to Wakefield.”

Luke George looks certain to miss Friday’s trip to Hull after being knocked out during the first and replaced by Elliot Kear.

The Bulls’ Academy side beat London 38-30 at home on Saturday.