Crusaders 26 Bradford Bulls 30

 Job done and, as the old adage goes, a win’s a win.

If the Bulls were seeking perfection they fell some way short but, in satisfying the urgent need for two points, they were easily up to the task.

That task could have been completed with far less fuss were it not for a string of basic errors – slip-ups that allowed Crusaders to cut a 30-10 deficit to a mere four points by the final hooter – but Mick Potter’s Bradford have at least broken their Super League duck.

The fact it was achieved in the continued absence of their two first-choice halves made it all the more satisfying.

Aided by hooking duo Heath L’Estrange and Matt Diskin, Brett Kearney finally grew into his role as playmaker-in-chief, combining the usual attacking spark with a more measured, inclusive approach, evident from the very first set.

His accurate kick to touch capped a solid start, instantly securing territory and calming any lingering nerves from the previous week’s defeat to Wigan.

But, faced by a Crusaders side that showed an impressive willingness to move the ball at pace, containing the opposition was a different matter altogether.

A couple of early attacks from the hosts promised plenty, yet loose handling proved to be the Bulls’ best friend, the ball finding only turf when Stuart Reardon had space out wide and again as Ryan O’Hara attempted to break down the middle.

Instead, Bradford were the first to make possession pay, capitalising on the spark provided by debutant Shaun Ainscough.

Taking a pass from Michael Platt on his own 30-metre line, the lightning fast winger blasted down the outside, making 40 metres before he was eventually tracked down by the covering defence.

Working field position down the middle, Danny Addy poked his nose through a tackle to secure quick play-the-ball and Heath L’Estrange attacked the line before finding Bryn Hargreaves with the inside ball.

There appeared no way through the goal-line defence but Hargreaves produced a well-timed short ball to send Andy Lynch bursting over, Patrick Ah Van adding the extras.

But too often the Bulls appeared to go from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Both Gareth Raynor and Ainscough produced great work to field testing kicks within their own in-goal, yet each time possession was surrendered from the 20-metre restart.

The latter of the two errors proved to be particularly costly, Ainscough dropping the ball after L’Estrange had taken the tap.

Crusaders probed left and right but eventually went straight down the middle, Michael Witt stepping left before ducking back inside to beat L’Estrange and touch down.

Clinton Schifcofske kicked the conversion to level the scores and again put his boot to good use soon after as the Bulls were given a serious fright.

Chipping over the defensive line, the livewire full back collected himself and looked to put Adam Peek into acres of open field ahead. Luckily, the Aussie prop knocked on at the worst possible moment.

Sensing his side were losing control, Potter made a vital decision at just the right time, introducing wily old hooker Matt Diskin.

It was not that L’Estrange had performed badly – quite the opposite – but the former Leeds stalwart proved an excellent counterpoint, expertly coaxing his team around the park.

That platform was used to do some serious damage, Addy executing a well-rehearsed play to perfection.

Switching play from right to left, his inside ball picked out the support run from Shad Royston, the former Halifax full back spinning out of a tackle to score his first Super League try.

Ah Van’s goal opened the gap to six before the Bulls added further comfort to the scoreline four minutes before the interval.

Infected by a sense of urgency only the last tackle can provide, they produced an incredible sequence of off-the-cuff football that thrilled and scared in equal measure.

Kearney’s kick sparked the madness, the Aussie stand-off improvising to send the ball spinning wide with the outside of his boot.

Elliott Whitehead claimed the high ball and helped it on to Ainscough, who launched a desperate pass in the direction of Addy when his path to the line was bloked.

Addy, in turn, produced a sublime offload for Platt and the Bulls centre burst towards the line, drawing the defence before flicking a perfectly-timed pass to Royston.

Frayed nerves were finally calmed when Ainscough popped up to take the decisive pass from Royston, twisting to claim his first Bulls try – and one he’ll never forget. Ah Van converted for an 18-6 half-time lead.

The second half started in ideal fashion, Diskin sensing his opportunity within a minute of the restart to barge over the line from dummy half, Ah Van adding the extras.

But, having established a position of utter dominance, the Bulls did their best to allow Crusaders back into it.

The hosts enjoyed their fair share of luck, Witt’s kick bouncing kindly for the Aussie stand-off to regather but Peter Lupton sent a superb looping pass wide to Gareth Thomas and the powerful centre ran over Ainscough to score.

Jarrod Sammut was held up short as pressure built on the visitors’ line and Whitehead was left breathing a sigh of relief when his loose offload went unpunished, Lincoln Withers knocking on to spoil a promising spell.

Crusaders were not exempt from errors either and a howler from Thomas presented a neatly giftwrapped opportunity.

The former Welsh rugby union star lost possession in a tackle from L’Estrange and the Bulls hooker pounced, quickly scooping up the ball to scoot over from close range, Ah Van maintaining his 100 per cent record with the boot.

It appeared to be game over at 30-10 but a string of cheap penalties, combined with Crusaders’ attacking endeavour, set up a barnstorming finish.

Sammut stepped through the defence to touch down ten minutes from time, Schifcofske’s kick reducing the gap to 14, before L’Estrange limped off with an ankle injury to further sap Bradford’s resources, already depleted by Chev Walker’s early withdrawal.

Video referee Ben Thaler played his part in the chaos, strangely utilising the ‘benefit of the doubt’ rule to award Schifcofske a try when he was almost certainly held up by stern defence, but Crusaders ultimately ran out of time.

Tony Martin scored out wide after good work from Jason Chan, Schifcofske converting, but the hooter sounded not a moment too soon for the Bulls.