BRADFORD Bulls may be top of Betfred League One after their 30-12 home win over Oldham, but coach John Kear was more concerned with how his team bounced back after what he called an indifferent display against Hunslet last weekend.

He said of a match against a team who had only lost once beforehand and conceded just five tries in as many matches: "We knew this was going to be really tough.

"We have identified Oldham as a genuine rival to what we want to achieve and we had obviously identified their outstanding defence as problematic, which was the reason we kept the scoreboard rattling with the two points.

"One reason was to try and buy us some space on the scoreline and two to frustrate them so that they knew that every time that we went down there we would try and come away with something.

"I was delighted with the response of the players after an indifferent performance against Hunslet that they came up with a really good performance against Oldham."

The visitors were on the wrong end of the penalty count, and Kear revealed: "If I showed you our tip sheet, it says they are a team that give a lot of penalties away and that in part helps the defence because they regroup and then they send the captain Paul Crook to discuss things with the referee so they get some oxygen in their lungs so they can defend.

"We were aware of that and that is the reason that we took the two points.

"It was exactly what we prepared for and the players executed what we prepared for really well."

Kear was also excited by his team's defence and their attacking potential when pitches get better.

He said: "Defensively we were sound and there were some great tries that excite you.

"The pitch was poor after kids had been on playing games.

"We need a firm pitch and you saw the potential of a really good team when you saw the (Dane) Chisholm try when (Gregg) McNally returned the ball.

"It was a really good rugby league was that."

The Bulls are next in action in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup on Monday at Hunslet (2pm), but they will be without half-back Joe Keyes.

Kear admitted: "Joe Keyes failed a head test, and the protocol is eight days so there is no way that Joe will play on Monday, but he should be okay for Workington the following Sunday because we will just follow the return-to-play protocol.

"With Keyes being out, Brandon Pickersgill is short odds (to play on Monday) and we will have a look at the others."

Two-try winger Dalton Grant could also be an absentee due to a hamstring problem.