LEIGH Beattie admitted there could be “no excuses” after Bulls failed to reach zero points last night.

After dismantling Sheffield in the previous match, his Bradford side were in confident mood they could claim victory over neighbours Halifax and gain the victory which would have wiped out their 12-point penalty following liquidation before the start of the season.

But Fax spoiled the party with a 22-12 win to maintain their Indian sign over Bulls, who they have now beaten five times in their last six encounters.

Acting coach Beattie said: “It’s very frustrating. There were too many errors that cost us and there can be no excuses.

“We’re all hurting – we were trying to knock those two points off but we’ve just got to stay positive and move on to Monday (when Bulls visit Featherstone).”

The match turned out to be an attritional affair, with play being concentrated down the middle. Odsal had suffered a deluge shortly before kick-off but Beattie refused to blame weather conditions.

He said: “We went down the ‘guts’ too much and that cost us a bit.

“It was a little bit wet and a slippery surface but there are no excuses in that department. We’ve just got to be more consistent.”

“The team is being mixed and matched and there are people in and out too much so we don’t get that consistency and that cost us.”

Beattie accepted that key loan players, who were recalled by their parent clubs for the Easter double header, were missed.

He said: “We lost that go-forward from Dan Murray and we also missed Jordan Lilley but they are the circumstances we are in and we just have to deal with that.”

Bulls were also unable to play Dane Chisholm who returned to the club on Thursday from Sheffield, only for the Eagles to claim he was still under contract with them.

It remains unclear if the half-back will be able to feature at Featherstone as the RFL investigate the dispute.