JOHN Kear reckons points difference could play a big part in the League One promotion race.

The Bulls coach was pleased with his side’s 52-6 win over Coventry at Odsal yesterday as they bounced back from their opening defeat of the season.

They remain locked at the top on five wins with Doncaster and York, who both also claimed hefty victories.

York beat London Skolars 66-6 while the division-leading Dons cruised to a 60-0 win over Hemel Stags.

After watching the Bulls rack up ten tries, Kear admits that every point could count.

He said: “When you play against a team from the lower end, you’ve got to put them to the sword.

“That’s no disrespect to Coventry because I thought they did a great job.

“But points difference at the top might be very important as the season unfolds.

“When you get your opportunities against the lower-ranked clubs, you’ve really got to take them.

“You have to be ruthless and disciplined in that way – and you’ve done pretty well to get ten tries against any professional rugby team.”

Loan signing Jy Hitchcox, Liam Johnson and George Flanagan claimed two tries each with further scores from Ashley Gibson, Ethan Ryan, Joe Keyes and Elliot Minchella.

Kear felt his side had responded in the right way from the shock of their opening defeat at Workington the week before.

He added: “There was a good reaction to that because obviously last week we were very disappointed.

“We felt we threw the game away at the latter end after being six points up with four minutes to go.

“But that’s gone. We’ve got to learn from that and I think the application, the focus and the intensity of yesterday was a reflection of just that.

“Hopefully they’ll carry that on, not just in the Challenge Cup next week but the league games to follow.

“Everybody is beginning to realise now it isn’t Bradford Bulls and the rest.

“It’s a very competitive league with teams like York, Oldham, Hunslet, Workington, Whitehaven, Newcastle, Keighley and Doncaster. They are all going to be difficult games.

“It’s a tough league and we’re amongst it – and we’re doing pretty well at the minute.

“I thought we were a bit dusty in some areas and our error count in the first half was too high.

“But I also thought we played some well-disciplined rugby league. We found points, we set the shape up and we executed very well – there were some good tries.

“On top of that, I felt we defended well, so all-in-all it’s a happy coach with a happy team.”

Dane Chisholm limped off towards the end with a slight hamstring injury. But he is already suspended for the Challenge Cup fifth-round visit to Warrington on Saturday.

Kear said: “Dane’s tweaked his hamstring. Obviously he can’t play next week, so if he was going to do that, it was as good a time as any.

“It’s nothing to worry about but it will give somebody else an opportunity at half back.”