JIMMY Lowes gave his players an interval roasting as the Bulls hit back from a first-half horror show he branded "unacceptable" to beat Halifax 32-19.

In the first league meeting between the rivals since 2003, the visitors led 13-2 at the end of an awful first half for Lowes' men.

But three tries in quick succession after the restart for Danny Williams, Jay Pitts and Lee Gaskell put Bradford in control before Adam Henry and Ryan Shaw completed an impressive fightback.

Head coach Lowes said: "We were very poor first in the first half and it was unacceptable. We've set bigger standards than that and we're a better team than we showed in the first half.

"We were rubbish – in every aspect of that first half we were poor. Everything we had talked about doing we didn't do and there were some tough words said at half-time, not just by me but by the players.

"The players knew themselves that was unacceptable – but I thought we were very good in the second half and we dominated it. We showed character and what a good side they can be."

Lowes made a triple substitution at the break and it quickly paid off as the Bulls steamrollered their local rivals.

The Bradford boss said: "I had to shake the team up, and I did, but I'm not afraid to do that. It upset one or two players but I'm sound with that."

Shaw kicked six goals from as many attempts and also touched down late on to give him a 16-point haul.

Lowes said: "I just don't think Ryan feels pressure – he's like a kid playing in the playground at times.

"He can hear the crowd and last week there were people saying some cheeky stuff to it. But he was laughing and giggling because it just doesn't affect him.

"Having said that, I don't think he realises the potential he has got."

Lowes said that Adam O'Brien was "getting better and better every week" and was one of the few players exempt from criticism during the opening 40 minutes.

Attention now turns to Monday's trip to Dewsbury as Lowes assesses a number of players who took knocks last night.

He said: "We've got some busted bodies in there and we'll be forced to make some changes. Tom Olbison came off with a bang to the head and Dale Ferguson took a bang to the ribs.

"Jean-Philippe Baile is having trouble with his hamstring, which is a shame because we haven't seen his full potential yet."