Kear still wants more from table-topping Bulls

JOHN Kear rated the Bulls a solid seven out of 10 in his mid-season analysis when he sat the squad down this week.

The experienced coach is far too long in the tooth to be getting carried away just because his side head the League One pack at this stage.

His mantra has remained the same from week one – there is plenty of work to be done and still room for improvement.

But the light at the end of the tunnel will grow brighter with each win.

And the Bulls shone in the glorious Odsal sunshine yesterday to register their ninth straight success by completing the double over Doncaster.

Kear reckons the 32-6 win at the Keepmoat in round eight is one of their best performances up to now.

He will certainly have been happy with the clinical manner in which they ultimately dispatched a team who until the last month had been seen as a promotion rival.

Top scorer Ethan Ryan helped himself to four tries taking his tally in League One to 17. And Dane Chisholm was in simply imperious form, showing why he is head and shoulders above this level when on his game.

The home faithful basking in the heatwave had been warmed up by the World Cup pre-match.

Around 1,200 fans took advantage of the club’s big screen to arrive early and watch England put Panama to the sword.

The crowd of 4,060 was only 500 down on the Super League attendance at Wakefield and Widnes – and they enjoyed what they saw.

But there was a sense of perspective to mark Armed Forces Day as severely-wounded serviceman Ben Parkinson, who is from Doncaster, delivered the pre-match ball.

Elliot Minchella was missing from the Bulls ranks as part of the RFL’s concussion protocol but Callum Bustin made a welcome return after two games out with a shoulder injury.

It was a landmark day for club captain Lee Smith, who reached 250 career appearances. But it was over before it started for the most senior member of the dressing room.

He lasted only 11 minutes before having to be helped from the field.

But that was still time to have a hand in the opening try after good work from Chisholm, supplying the pass to send Ryan diving full stretch to score in the corner just 90 seconds in.

It was the worst possible start for Doncaster who have tailed off recently after setting the pace early season with the Bulls and York. They arrived on the back of a flat 34-6 loss at Workington, their third defeat in four games.

Coach Richard Horne was looking for a strong response – and he got it when Doncaster made it count from their first foray into Bradford territory. Jordie Hedges scrambled over from close range but, like Chisholm just before, was unable to convert.

Smith had to be helped off the field after 11 minutes and Pickersgill got a clout fielding an awkward bouncing kick.

There was little between the sides before another wonderful piece of finishing from Ryan restored the Bulls lead. Chisholm flighted a kick to the corner and the winger rose almost serenely above Sam Doherty to claim his second try.

The hosts quickly struck again as Steve Crossley rumbled his way in like a traction engine despite the close attention of three red shirts.

But Doncaster once more found a reply, a slick move on their left creating the gap for Papua New Guinea international Jason Tali to turn on the afterburners and burst in.

The Bulls had their hands full after a marauding run from Lewis Bienek took Doncaster 60 metres down the field and created another scoring opportunity. Jez Litten was held on his back as the home defence just about managed to keep the door shut.

The eight-point difference between the two teams didn’t really tell the story of an intriguing first half. It was short of drama but you couldn’t really take your eyes off the action.

Chisholm opted for a tried and trusted approach to the Doncaster line after the away side’s purple patch. The Aussie directed two more crossfield kicks towards the ever-willing Ryan but one proved too deep, the other a foot or so too high.

But they struck a crucial blow right on the hooter with a superb try out of nothing. Matty Garside’s pass sent in Pickersgill for a mazy run from just inside the 40-metre line, Chisholm’s kick giving the Bulls a handy 14-point cushion going into half-time.

The Bulls were pressed into an early goalline drop-out after the turnaround but Dalton Grant scooped up a dropped ball to end the danger. Joe Keyes forced another error from a kick as Doncaster drew a blank.

Now it was the home side’s turn to build pressure. Chisholm’s grubber was smuggled behind as the visitors had to kick out from their own posts.

And having created the opportunity, the scrum half signed off with a mazy run from 10 metres to bamboozle the defence and score under the posts.

Once more the Bulls had shown a clinical touch from the same field positions that Doncaster had failed to take advantage of themselves.

An attempted 40/20 from Hedges spun back into play as it headed towards touch. Nearly but not quite seemed to sum up Doncaster’s day.

They needed a stroke of inspiration – and got it on the hour point as Cameron Scott burst through a gap from halfway and raced in unopposed. Hedges’ first goal – at the third attempt – cut the Bulls lead to 14 points.

But any comeback thoughts were swiftly snuffed out as the Bulls struck twice in as many minutes.

Steve Crossley’s offload, supported by Joe Keyes, set up James Laithwaite to the right of the posts. Then Pickersgill scampered through a tiring Doncaster cover virtually untouched for his second try.

The contest was done but not the Bulls – and definitely not Ryan, who claimed his hat-trick with their third score in six minutes.

It was a carbon copy of his second, Chisholm’s radar finding the corner with his kick and Ryan’s athletic leap doing the rest to land just inside the post.

Bustin marked his return by barging over to bring up the half century as the Bulls continued to run riot in the closing stages. It was the fifth home game in a row they had topped the 50-point mark.

And Ryan still had time to dive over for his fourth in the corner before the hooter as Doncaster wilted in the heat.

BULLS: Pickersgill 7, Grant 6, Gibson 6, Smith 6, Ryan 9, Keyes 8, Chisholm 9, Crossley 8, Halafihi 8, Bustin 7, Garside 8, Laithwaite 7, Wood 7. Interchange: Hallas 7, Johnson 8, Peltier 7, Kirk 7.

DONCASTER: Owen 6, Doherty 6, Cameron Scott 7, Tali 8, Sanderson 7, Hedges 7, Miller 7, Spiers 7, Kesik 7, Boyle 6, Lane 6, England 6, Martin 5. Interchange: Bienek 7, Litten 7, Muranka 7, Connor Scott 6.