Same place, same line-up but totally different result as Bulls players make amends (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Same place, same line-up but totally different result as Bulls players make amends

7:50am Saturday 20th February 2010 in

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Bulls 41 Castleford 22

It was not so much a reply but a bold statement of intent.

The Bulls banished bad feeling from Odsal with a vastly improved display to sweep aside Castleford.

Just five days ago, they didn’t even seem to have this in them, slumping miserably to a 38-6 home defeat at the hands of a rampant St Helens.

But all along, they maintained their belief in what they are building and in the talents of these players. This was their pay-off.

Head coach Steve McNamara delivered a strong message in keeping faith with exactly the same team that had lost so heavily to St Helens less than a week ago.

Believing the players deserved their chance to make amends, his decision appeared completely justified in the opening stages.

Unlike much of the sloppy, often haphazard, play shown against Saints, the Bulls started patiently and positively, content to bide their time and complete sets.

That kind of controlled play was exactly what they needed and it paid dividends far sooner than anyone could have imagined.

Handed a penalty on their own 40-metre line, the Bulls drove forward incisively and with purpose, both Andy Lynch and Nick Scruton making good yards early in the set.

With the platform laid, Matt Orford attacked the line and his short ball sent Scruton blasting through a gap before spinning out of tackles to dive gratefully over the whitewash.

Orford’s successful kick completed an ideal start with just four minutes on the clock.

Confidence rediscovered, it quickly got a lot better for the Bulls.

A powerful break from Jamie Langley epitomised the newfound attacking verve before Orford gave a timely reminder of his undoubted class.

A pinpoint crossfield kick was claimed and off-loaded in one dazzling motion by his fellow countryman Steve Menzies, giving Rikki Sheriffe an easy finish in the corner.

Another successful Orford kick ensured full advantage was taken.

It appeared Bradford had a runaway success on their hands. Not so.

Helped by some inconsistent refereeing from Thierry Alibert, the Tigers crept downfield to put pressure on the Bulls’ try-line.

Initially their efforts were repelled, Ryan Hudson held up over the line as Bradford worked well for each other on defence.

But they couldn’t hold out and, when Rangi Chase’s hanging crossfield kick was lost in the air by Sheriffe, England centre Michael Shenton pounced to spot the ball down. Joe Westerman’s kick ensured the deficit was halved.

Needing a quick score to regain their previously unstoppable momentum, the Bulls proved that was only a minor bump in the road.

Glenn Hall’s introduction from the bench provided the desired impact, the big Aussie carrying the ball up hard to consistently earn his side yards.

Utilising that go-forward, Lynch drove just short of the line before a beautifully disguised pass out of dummy half from Heath L’Estrange sent in Elliott Whitehead, Orford improving.

But the Bulls’ huge improvement in attack was truly epitomised by their fourth try.

Seemingly unshackled and playing without fear, they attacked from inside their own half. Paul Sykes picked up the inside ball from Menzies and played a superb offload out of the tackle to Kearney, the stand-off racing through a gaping hole in the Cas line to score from 40 metres.

Orford maintained his perfect record from the tee to make it 24-6.

At that stage there had been barely any sign of the unforced handling errors that had caused so many problems in the previous two games – that was until Hall knocked on straight from the restart.

It was a slip-up Bradford could have done without, coming just seven minutes before the break, and the Tigers made them pay.

Former Bulls centre James Evans was gang-tackled out of bounds as he headed for the line but Cas benefited from the recent rule change that has made such tackles a huge grey area, and were awarded a penalty by Alibert.

A stunning tackle from Sykes prevented an almost certain try in the left corner but Craig Huby’s clever kick quickly switched play right, allowing Richard Owen to creep in behind Stuart Reardon and touch down. Westerman added the extras.

Unshaken, McNamara’s side regrouped and another positive set of six ensured they had the final say of the half. Successive dummy-half breaks from Wayne Godwin, Reardon and Kearney took Bradford into the Cas 20, where Orford slotted a coolly-taken drop goal.

Keen not to lose the upper hand, the Bulls burst out of the blocks in the second half and could easily have extended their lead within three minutes.

Kearney combined with Orford once more to break impressively but as the ball went wide, Sheriffe ran out of room on the touchline.

Cas attempted to respond but an injury to Owen completely winded them, the young winger stretchered off with a broken leg.

Instead, the Bulls merely continued their charge and another strong break from Langley soon had them on the front foot.

Orford’s cut-out pass spread play wide and Sykes’ clever grubber was hacked in-field by Sheriffe, just as the ball threatened to roll into touch, allowing Halley enough time and space to score, Orford improving.

And six minutes later they struck again, Orford sending in Kearney with a superbly delayed pass before adding the conversion.

Steve Snitch took a pass from Ryan McGoldrick to score and Ryan Hudson struck almost immediately after, capitalising on a clever kick from Westerman, but it couldn’t take the gloss off the Bulls’ impressive performance.

Kearney burst through off a pass from Orford and Sykes scored off the short ball to add a significant exclamation mark.