4:10pm Wednesday 1st July 2009
By Bill Marshall
The first team might not have had any joy after their pulsating encounter at Headingley but the Bulls Reserves and Academy completed a weekend double over Leeds Rhinos.
A try and four goals from stand-off Kieran Hyde helped the Bulls Reserves to a 24-20 victory at Headingley.
The Bulls included Michael Platt and Wayne Godwin, who was playing his first game for 15 weeks after suffering a broken leg at Wigan in March.
After an opening stalemate, the Bulls took the lead through Hyde but Leeds levelled minutes later, only for Vinny Finigan to snatch the lead back for the visitors after great work from Platt.
A Hyde penalty increased the Bulls lead and Godwin’s try gave the Bulls an 18-6 advantage at the break.
Steve Crossley forced his way over, showing great determination and strength, and with Hyde’s goal they led 24-6 after 55 minutes.
The Rhinos started an unlikely fightback when Kallum Watkins crossed and they put the Bulls under considerable pressure with two more tries and a conversion but the visitors held out for a memorable victory.
Bulls: Michael Platt; Vinny Finnigan, Duane Straugheir, Karl Wroe, Jessjo Sheriffe; Kieran Hyde, Jon Horton; Steve Crossley, Wayne Godwin, Jode Sheriffe, Eddie Kilroy, Chris Clarke, Jack Ely. Subs. Colton Wray, Chris Holroyde, Jamie Shepherd, Rick Barr.
Two tries in five minutes from loose forward James Donaldson helped an edgy Bulls Academy to complete their double over the Rhinos with a 44-30 win at Grattan Stadium.
Neither side could hold onto the ball in the first 25 minutes before Leeds, against the run of play, bagged a converted try.
The Bulls hit back immediately when, after running the ball on the sixth tackle, Tom Olbison broke through some powder-puff tackling but crossed too far out for the conversion.
However, the Bulls lost the ball early in the next set and Leeds capitalised with another converted try.
Two tries in six minutes though gave the Bulls a half-time lead. Firstly Rob Hawthorne went in for a try, converted by Joe Wardle, and then Liam Mackay crossed.
Hooker Rob Senior became involved in a fight on the half-time whistle which resulted in him and Leeds full back Jimmy Watson being sent to the sin bin.
In the second half, the Bulls were in a more determined mood and scored a try through Wardle, and the first of Donaldson’s two tries meant they extended their advantage to 26-12.
Donaldson’s turn of speed and magic feet opening the way for the try, and he repeated the trick a few minutes later after the Rhinos had scored a try from a dropped ball and a penalty.
At 32-18, it looked all over for the Rhinos but they fought back and scored back-to-back tries to make the score 32-30 to the Bulls.
With the Rhinos in inspired mood, a great tackle from Wardle prevented Jamel Chisholm getting the ball down in the corner, and Leeds were made to pay dearly for their failure.
The Bulls played out the next set and kicked, and as Leeds looked for a way through, scrum half Liam Kay intercepted and strolled over, with Donaldson adding the extras.
Right on the stroke of full-time, Kyle Williamson picked up a dropped pass and raced a way for a 40-metre try to give the Bulls a deserved if somewhat edgy victory.
Bulls: Ben Hellewell; Kyle Williamson, Liam McKay, Rob Hawthorne, Matt Harding; Joe Wardle, Liam Kay; George Burgess, Adam O’Brien, Tom Lillycrop, Danny Addy, Tom Olbison, James Donaldson. Subs. Gareth Hynes, Jake Senior, Lewis Reed, Tom Burgess.
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