Bulls 44, Oldham 12

IT WAS always likely that thoughts at Odsal would drift onto games elsewhere, with scorelines at The Shay and Mount Pleasant just as important to the Bulls as their own result against Oldham.

For Rohan Smith and his men, though, focus on this penultimate weekend of the regular Championship season had to be on nothing but seeing off former Bulls favourite Scott Naylor and his Roughyeds to keep alive hopes of leapfrogging Halifax or Batley and squeezing into the Qualifiers, regardless of their rivals' results.

Indeed, they could have done with another wholly professional performance like last week's against Whitehaven, especially a repeat of that blistering first half.

That did not materialise, as Naylor's men gamely clung on, but the second half did turn into a something of a romp as the Bulls duly did their job – especially for Omari Caro.

The winger had sat out the previous week's rout but led this one with five tries – including the first four of the Bulls' five second-half scores without reply.

Two of them could not have been easier but the other three were crackers and sent the Bulls on their way to a comfortable victory and into the top four courtesy of those results elsewhere.

Batley beat top-four certainties London Broncos to all but seal their place in the quartet but Halifax lost 24-20 at home to Featherstone – meaning it all now comes down to the final weekend when Smith's men, now fourth, must go to a Rovers side on the same points tally and get a result.

Caro had been one of four changes to the 17 that thrashed Haven 64-18. His inclusion saw James Clare move inside to centre, while Dale Ferguson was back in the second-row after six weeks on the sidelines and fellow packmen Tom Olbison and Epa Lauaki came onto the bench. Steve Crossley started at prop, having been a replacement the previous week. Matty Blythe, Ben Kavanagh, Alex Mellor and Jay Pitts made way.

Young gun Ethan Ryan, a hat-trick hero against Whitehaven, marked his new two-year contract by keeping his place on the other wing – and scoring a late try.

Oldham wasted a solid opening set by conceding back-to-back tries and nearly paid the price as Dane Chisholm, the Bulls' shining star on debut against Haven, showed similar exciting form straight away and almost dummied in.

Back came the Roughyeds, though, aided too by two penalties, showing good variation to force a dropout. Bradford nevertheless survived the early pressure, that goalline defence being one of the marked improvements in recent weeks.

Two mistakes by Oldham prop Joe Burke helped Bradford get on top, firstly a high tackle on Chisholm and then a knock-on when trying to offload while being driven backwards.

With the game in the visitors' half, Kris Welham handed off Lewis Palfrey with such force the Oldham half-back fell onto his behind and then drove to the whitewash for a 13th-minute opener, Danny Addy converting.

James Clare was held up over the whitewash but it was not long before the second try arrived.

Stuart Howarth switched the line of attack back to Clare's right flank and, with Oldham winger Jamel Chisholm drawn in, Clare gave Caro the chance to touch down by the flag.

A smart kick and chase trapped Jamel Chisholm, the former Leeds Academy paceman, in-goal as the Bulls tried to turn the screw, only to knock-on attempting a needless offload in the next tackle. That signalled Oldham's riposte, aided by another penalty.

Naylor was never an easy-beat in his playing days at Odsal and his team are made in his mould, as they showed here, notwithstanding the final scoreline.

Among the favourites for relegation 12 months after they finally won promotion from the third tier, the part-timers had fought to victory in their previous three matches to steer away from the drop zone.

They were big underdogs here as well but, despite being second best, hung on in there, in the first period at least, and got their reward.

Replacement hooker Kenny Hughes went close, then – as the Roughyeds kept testing the Bulls close to the rucks – Hughes' short pass gave fellow sub Jack Blagbrough an easy finish, Palfrey goaling.

Back came the Bulls, though, Lewis Charnock going so close with an arcing run before half-back partner Chisholm's grubber was knocked dead by namesake Jamel.

A penalty followed and, not unlike Welham against Palfrey, Kurt Haggerty simply ran over Sam Gee down the same flank to increase the lead.

Four minutes and one penalty later, Howarth's short ball had sub Joe Philbin spinning in down the inside-right. Chisholm, however, somehow screwed the easy conversion wide.

Things were not going the Aussie's way, unlike last time out, and it was his loose pass into touch that then left the Roughyeds off the hook – and soon hitting back thanks to a Kieren Moss howler.

The full back fumbled Dave Hewitt's kick under this posts, handing Michael Ward an easy try and Palfrey a simple goal.

The 18-12 interval scoreline did not reflect the Bulls' general dominance, missed conversions playing a part – they goaled only four of nine tries all game.

They nevertheless got the perfect start to the second period – with one of the tries of the season.

Dane Chisholm was the trigger, with a solo break down centrefield and an offload when it seemed the chance had gone. Howarth then sent a long pinpoint chip over towards the right flag where Caro, flying up the wing, caught it on the full for a wonderful finish.

Whatever Smith had said at half-time, his team were immediately full of purpose, Moss having a further try ruled out as Ryan's knockdown from a Chisholm kick was forward.

Like in the first half, Oldham fought back. Howarth's challenge on kicker Palfrey was deemed late and, from the penalty, Hughes was held up over the try-line.

However, the game was gone after the Bulls' sixth and seventh tries, Caro's third and fourth, in a three-minute salvo before the hour mark.

Charnock kicked, Jamel Chisholm dropped it on his own line – albeit under pressure from Clare, who had looked offside – and Caro put it down.

If that finish was easy, his next was easier. Welham created the chance with a great run out of defence, taken on by Chisholm. He pinned his ears back, only to be caught by a great cover tackle from his speedy namesake.

However, with the Oldham left-winger now way over on the opposite flank, half-back Chisholm kicked over to the right where Caro had enough empty field to open a farm, never mind get the ball and touch down.

Caro's day got even better. Addy broke away and then sent a superb long pass to the winger, who looked trapped but cut inside Jamel Chisholm and strode home.

Ryan had the last word. The long-striding winger chased a long kick downfield and hacked on just as Adam Clay dived onto the ball. No-one else was near as he touched down, Charnock adding his third conversion of five attempts.

Attendance: 4235