Wide boys stake their claim as Bradford Bulls see off young Castleford Tigers

JAMES Clare and Omari Caro did not even make the bench, never mind the starting line-up, when the Bulls faced Wakefield in last season’s Million Pound Game.

Tonight the wingers staked a claim for a place in Jimmy Lowes’ plans for 2016 with quickfire tries inside the opening ten minutes.

Clare, a Castleford lad who made his name at Wheldon Road and grew up supporting the club, touched down in the left corner inside the second minute.

Caro then finished off a pass from Oscar Thomas on the opposite flank soon after as the Bulls went 10-0 up against a youthful Castleford side.

That should have been the signal for Bradford to kick on but Castleford steadied themselves in impressive fashion.

Greg Minikin’s try shortly before half-time cut the Bulls’ lead to six points but the hosts confirmed their superiority with second-half tries from academy products Alex Mellor, Luke Hooley and Liam Kirk.

The future appears bright for the Bulls with the likes of Brandon Pickersgill, Joe Lumb, James Bentley and Ollie Bartle all coming off the bench.

Lowes fielded a relatively strong starting line-up ahead of next Sunday’s Championship opener at home to Featherstone, with trialist Rhys Jacks starting the match at scrum half and Dan Caprice coming on to play right wing in the second half.

The Bulls made the perfect start after Castleford kicked out on the full from the kick-off, earning the hosts a penalty which Danny Addy used to good effect.

The subsequent field position led to a period of pressure on the visitors’ line which culminated in Adam O’Brien chipping a left-footed kick to the corner.

Clare was on hand to collect possession and ground the ball against the club he joined the Bulls from last year.

Addy converted to put Bradford 6-0 up and a second try did not take long to arrive.

Addy made a fine break from O’Brien’s astute offload and Jacks then went close inside Castleford’s 20-metre line.

Jacks’ progress was halted but Thomas was on hand to support play and send Caro over in the right corner.

This time Addy could not convert but at 10-0 up with less than ten minutes played, the Bulls appeared set for an easy night at the office.

Yet Castleford’s young side steadied themselves in highly impressive fashion and began to play the game in Bradford’s half.

On-loan Wigan youngster Ryan Hampshire combined well with Tom Holmes in the halves and Minikin was full of running in the right channel.

Castleford went close when Thomas failed to deal with a kick and the Bulls were forced to drop out.

Jacks, desperate to earn a contract, then impishly grubbered the ball behind the Tigers’ defence and came agonisingly close to touching it down.

He was denied as the Bulls, who brought on young centre Jonathan Walker, Dan Fleming, Mellor and Bentley, struggled to penetrate a Castleford side who grew as the half wore on.

Suitably inspired, the Tigers struck shortly before half-time when Minikin supported Hampshire’s half-break inside the right channel and scampered around Thomas for a fine score.

Hampshire could not convert to leave the Bulls 10-4 ahead at the break but the game grew scrappy after the restart.

Lumb came on to replace O’Brien at hooker and steadily the pendulum swung back in Bradford’s favour.

They scored in the 51st minute when a period of sustained pressure led to Addy’s fine pass sending Mellor bustling over the line.

Addy improved the score to make it 16-4 and the Bulls scored again shortly before the hour when Hooley touched down in the left corner.

Castleford scored after a Bulls attack came to nothing and they advanced upfield before Sheehan touched down in the right corner.

Kirk then barged over with nine minutes remaining before Castleford lost forward Ryan Boyle to a yellow card in the 74th minute after a high shot on Kirk.

Castleford full back suffered a dislocated kneecap in the closing stages, which brought the game to an end.

Bulls: Thomas, Clare, Ryan, Blythe, Caro, Jacks, Addy, Lauaki, O’Brien, Kavanagh, Olbison, Ferguson, Pitts.

Interchange: Halafihi, Pickersgill, Caprice, Walshaw, Hooley, Lumb, Bartle, Mellor, Walker, Fleming, Haggerty, Bentley, Kirk.

Castleford: Robson, Sheehan, Gill, Minikin, Hitchcox, Hampshire, Holmes, Springer, O’Neill, Maher, Cookm Westerman, Boyle.

Interchange: Fitzsimmons, Douglas, Dixon, Diskin, Johnson, Adamson.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).