WHEN you have been beaten at home by Dewsbury, you simply have to win at basement outfit Workington.

That is the challenge facing Rohan Smith this weekend as the Bulls seek to bounce back from Sunday's Odsal humiliation.

Whatever way you look at it, losing to the Rams is not good.

Yes, Glenn Morrison's men are a well-organised and well-motivated side who generally punch above their weight in an increasingly competitive Championship.

But this is Bradford Bulls, for goodness' sake.

A club who not so long ago dominated not only Super League but also claimed three World Club Challenge titles during that golden era.

They should not be getting dumped out of the Challenge Cup by a bunch of part-timers or losing to that same team again in league combat in their new coach's first home game in charge.

That was the indignity heaped on Bradford at a sun-kissed Odsal on Sunday.

Yes, two defeats in the space of three months against little Dewsbury.

In between those two losses, the Bulls have also been humbled against Halifax, Sheffield, London and Leigh.

They lie sixth in the table and a place in the top four at the end of the 23 regular rounds is far from assured.

Now really is the time for Bradford to stand up and be counted if they are to have any hope whatsoever of being promoted to Super League.

It is fair to say that the Bulls have looked a million miles off for much of this year.

But a couple of wins could make the picture a lot brighter.

New signing Kieren Moss is set to establish himself in the side and hopefully on-loan St Helens half-back Lewis Charnock can transform the picture further.

Reflecting on the Dewsbury loss, second-rower Tom Olbison said: "It was very disappointing.

"Fair play to Dewsbury because they came at us, they played the conditions well and came away with a good win.

"I thought our goal-line defence was good but at some point it was always going to crack with the amount of ball we were giving away early on in sets, myself included there.

"We were just giving them too much cheap ball."

Bradford finished second in the Championship last season at the end of the regular 23 rounds.

That earned them four home games in the Qualifiers against Sheffield, Salford, Widnes and Halifax.

This year, their best hope of making the Qualifiers appears to be with a third or fourth placed finish.

That would see them play only three home games and four away matches in the middle eights, making the prospect of promotion significantly more difficult.

London Broncos currently lie eight points ahead of Bradford, although the Bulls have a game in hand on their rivals.

Asked if he thought a place in the top two was now beyond his side, Olbison said: "You never say never and we've got to have that attitude now, I think.

"We've got to push on in training and put right a few wrongs and really go for it.

"Ultimately, we need to make the top four and hopefully, if we get in there, try and pick up some form going into that. We need to hit the ground running."

There is not much more margin for error as the Bulls bid to book their top-four spot ahead of the Qualifiers.

"I think we need to do it for ourselves now," declared Olbison.

"We had the close loss against Leigh at the Summer Bash and then we lost to Dewsbury, so it's more about our pride than anything else.

"If we put a few things right that we did wrong against Dewsbury, then we can kick on from there."

Olbison revealed he was still undecided about his plans for next season with his contract due to expire at the end of 2016.

"I honestly don't know where I'll be next year," added the homegrown second-rower.