Battling Bradford Bulls hold their own but can't contain Hull KR

IT WAS never going to be easy for the Bulls in their Kingstone Press Championship opener.

Having been liquidated and reborn in the space of a month ahead of the new campaign, arriving for this first clash with a competitive, fully-prepared side was an almighty challenge in itself.

Facing the favourites to lead the way in the division made it all the more tricky.

Despite that, for half an hour the battling Bulls held their own against last season's Super League outfit. In fact, Geoff Toovey's men even had the audacity to take a surprise lead.

It was only after that surprisingly competitive opening that the Bulls began to be overwhelmed and the floodgates started to open.

Even then, the Bradford outfit continued to attack and had the last word with Iliess Macani's excellent try in the closing moments.

Encouraging signs indeed ahead of the 'more winnable' matches that lay ahead.

It was an emotionally-charged afternoon at the Lightstream Stadium – or Craven Park, in old money. Hull KR president and legend Colin Hutton's passing last week ensured that.

The Bulls' rebirth and Rovers' relegation from Super League last season added to that feel around the ground ahead of kick-off as tributes were paid to Hutton from both sets of fans.

Jordan Lilley was one of the more interesting names on the Bulls' team-sheet ahead of kick-off, with his three fellow Leeds Rhinos loanees – Sam Hallas, Joshua Jordan-Roberts and Mikolaj Oledzki – all on the bench after penning one-month deals last week.

Once the action began on the pitch, the Bulls were under immediate pressure and it looked like being a long afternoon for the visitors.

However, the Bulls' spirit and determination shone through in the opening ten minutes.

Not content with just holding out, they headed up the other end of the field, allowing Liam Kirk to dive over the whitewash and open the scoring.

Oscar Thomas slotted the extras, providing hope that a major opening-day shock could be on the cards, and stunning the home crowd. Yet that was not to be – and not even close in the final reckoning.

In fact, the early score appeared to spark the hosts into life and within five minutes they were level, Andrew Heffernan slicing through the away defence to dive over. Jamie Ellis was on target for his kick and it was as you were.

The Bulls continued to hold their own as the encounter reached its 20-minute mark but more pressure on their own line saw Nick Scruton break through to give the hosts the lead for the first time. Again, Ellis did his job and Rovers held a 12-6 advantage.

When Scruton and Ellis repeated the trick moments later, the writing was on the wall for the Bulls – and the score had quickly stretched out to 18-6 in Rovers' favour.

Again, though, the Bulls were not lying down just yet and when Lilley's superb grubber kick was touched down by Ross Oakes, and Thomas added the extras, Rovers were just a score ahead.

Macani clutched a high kick and fell over the line – and the travelling Bradford support thought they were right in it.

However, a drop-out was the ruling and KR made the most of that call as almost immediately they raced up the other end, with James Donaldson struggling over the line from close range.

Ellis made it 24-12 with the kick and there was still time for the home side to add another try when Ryan Shaw and Thomas Minns exchanged passes, allowing the latter to touch down.

Ellis stroked over two more points right on the break and the Bulls were 18 points in arrears heading into the changing rooms to regroup.

That became 24 points' difference early in the second period as KR started on the front foot and clearly determined to kill off their visitors.

The influential Ellis set up the try with a quick pass to send James Greenwood over, before slotting the extras. The Robins were pulling away and for the first time the inexperienced Bulls looked under the cosh.

It did not take long for KR to add another, with that man Ellis again at the heart of it – collecting Adam Quinlan's pass to ease over the whitewash before slotting home from in front of the posts.

The Bulls showed their resilience with some decent spells in Robins territory but their pressure was short-lived as KR broke upfield with speed and power.

Quinlan was the man to finish the move off this time, gliding in at the corner, and Ellis did the business again to maintain his 100 per cent record with the boot.

The Bulls and their travelling support needed a boost as the game neared its final 15 minutes – and Ethan Ryan was the man to deliver it.

The Bulls youngster impressed many fans and fellow pros alike with his appearances last season and his superb interception and charge three-quarters of the length of the field will certainly not have harmed that burgeoning reputation.

An excellent kick from Thomas deservedly brought full reward for that score and the difference was back to 'just' 30 points.

It was a bright moment on a tough afternoon but head coach to-be Toovey remained unimpressed in the stands, demanding more from his young line-up.

The Australian would not have been happy moments later when Ellis called the shots again, paving the way for Heffernan to add his second try of the afternoon.

It was all too easy as the Bulls' tired legs could not prevent him changing through before Ellis added the extras to make it 54-18 – much to the delight of a bumper 8,000-plus crowd on Humberside.

Interestingly, that figure comfortably topped the attendance for KR's 'Million Pound Game' last season.

Back to the action. At the other end, James Bentley almost made the most of Ryan's determination to win the ball, being held up over the line and denied a fourth Bulls try.

The score was not long in coming though as Lilley surged clear of the home defence before feeding inside to Macani on his shoulder to dive over.

Thomas' extras ensured the Bulls had the final word, although it required some dogged defence from the away side to ensure that was the case before time ran out with KR camped on the Bulls' line.

That minor victory was deserved after a fine battling effort from the new-look Bulls – a side with an average age of little more than 21 and a dearth of Championship experience.

An away game against the pre-season favourites was never going to define the Bulls' 2017 season. Much more will be known about their survival chances after their next encounter – promoted Rochdale's trip to Odsal on Sunday.

The Hornet's 46-0 opening triumph over Dewsbury will certainly give Toovey and his team plenty of food for thought this week, however.