MATT Garside feels that the left-hand side of the pitch could help Bradford Bulls keep right on track for glory this season in League One.

Seven of their nine tries in the 50-12 victory against North Wales Crusaders at Odsal on Saturday came on the left, but the 27-year-old, who won two man of the match awards, has revealed that it has been a slow burner when it has come to gelling on that side of the pitch.

Second-row forward Garside, who grabbed two of the tries to take his seasonal tally to seven in 14 matches, admitted: "Ethan Ryan (winger) and I play well together and we are comfortable and work a lot on things in training on that left edge with 'Chis' and Smithy.

"But we were a slow burner at first and it was a bit frustrating.

"However, things are slowly starting to come together and hopefully good things will come from that side."

Garside, who said that referee Jonathan Roberts was right to deny him his hat-trick try because Ryan passed the ball off the floor, appreciated the 13-day 'rest' between trouncing Hemel Stags and defeating Crusaders.

The teacher, who is at his fifth club, said: "It was nice to be refreshed after having the previous weekend off following the flogging of the week before in training.

"It was good to get the body right and it was nice to be back in front of those Bradford fans and put in a good team performance against North Wales and beat them by that margin."

Garside is not only loving his time with the Bulls, but also the challenge of being a full-time teacher.

He explained: "I was teaching in London but I came back up north for pre-season and worked during the day before doing the hard yards in the dark and cold at Tong at night.

"It is quite hard work, and by the end of the week I am tired, but I was relaxed for Saturday's game, and I am loving my job and loving playing for the boys at Bradford, and the facilities at Tong are great.

"My aim is just to keep working hard week in and week out with the boys and hopefully we will be where we need to be at the end of the season and that is back in the Championship."

The next step on the road seems sure to be a tester, however, as the Bulls are at Whitehaven on Sunday.

Garside said: "It is always tough at Whitehaven, Workington or Barrow.

"We have already been beaten at Workington, and we have to be really focused this week in training and have a really good week's prep and go up there confident.

"We didn't perform to our best at Workington and it is a learning curve but we'll take the positives from that display and try and put that right."