Rover and out as Bradford Bulls kiss play-off hopes goodbye (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Rover and out as Bradford Bulls kiss play-off hopes goodbye

7:40am Monday 15th August 2011 in Match Reports By Connor Murphy, Bradford Bulls Reporter

Bradford Bulls 8 Hull KR 34

This was not the best advert for the Bulls’ new pledge scheme.

On the day the club launched their season-ticket plan for 2012, the team did little to help the marketing push.

As far as arguments go, it was particularly unpersuasive.

Needing a win to give keep faint hope of a play-off place alive, the Bulls instead served up the latest in a long line of disappointments.

Despite leading 8-6 at half-time, Mick Potter’s side never seemed entirely convinced of their own ability. A winning position was within their grasp but, once faced with adversity, the players seemed resigned to their grim fate.

After missing out on the play-offs in each of the past two seasons, everyone expected more. On the back of the successful Pledge 10,000 initiative, Potter’s arrival and an off-season overhaul, expectations were raised further.

But that hope has since proved false.

Too often grave mistakes have been made and chances spurned and this was another case in point.

A solid first-half shift had laid the platform and, although Hull KR’s dangerous half-back duo, Blake Green and Michael Dobson, had seen plenty of ball, their threat had been completely nullified.

But when the Bulls conceded just before the break, heads immediately dropped. Another two tries followed swiftly after the interval and confidence was left shattered.

Even when Bradford did manage to establish field position, poor decision-making ensured they did nothing with it. As the season slipped away, nobody seemed able to do anything but watch.

An early opportunity presented itself when Shaun Briscoe spilled Marc Herbert’s kick inside his own in-goal area and Elliott Whitehead took down Peter Fox to force a drop-out.

And the Bulls very nearly took full advantage. Patrick Ah Van was halted just short as he went for the right corner and the quick-thinking Whitehead spotted a gap from dummy half, burrowing his way over the line.

The fans’ response suggested it was a try but once the video referee had a closer look, it was deemed the Bulls centre had knocked on while attempting to ground the ball.

Hull KR launched an immediate counter-raid and Sam Latus found space down the flank, only to be tackled into touch by the covering Herbert.

Eventually, Bradford drew first blood, albeit in a somewhat unconvincing manner.

Having struggled to find a way through the Rovers defence, they settled for a penalty and the two points kicked by Ah Van.

Brett Kearney produced a superb tackle at full stretch to prevent Fox making a break and all seemed well in the garden when the Bulls extended their lead towards the end of the first quarter.

Swift ball from dummy half allowed Michael Platt to burst clear down the left channel, showing an impressive turn of pace.

The centre timed his pass to perfection, drawing his defender and spinning the ball wide to Herbert, who had just enough pace to reach the corner and touch down. Ah Van’s conversion made it 8-0 and seemingly put his side on course for a good afternoon’s work.

Unfortunately, things aren’t always as they seem.

Bradford failed to properly take advantage of their opportunities and even when Whitehead raised spirits with a huge hit on Dobson, confidence seemed in short supply.

Similarly, Kearney’s kick just lacked the necessary precision to put Gareth Raynor away on the left and the visitors soon cut the gap.

Benefiting from Bradford’s poor discipline, Rovers quickly made their way downfield and Ben Galea provided the finishing touch in clinical fashion.

Cutting a good line, he took a short ball from Dobson and sliced straight through the defence to touch down before Dobson added the conversion.

Still, all was not lost and the Bulls led by two points going into the break. Unfortunately, that advantage didn’t last long once play had restarted.

Within two minutes, the visitors surged in front, Green taking the pass from dummy half, spotting a gap and making the break.

Scott Murrell charged through in support and took the pass to dive over the try-line, Dobson adding the conversion.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the Bulls defence was breached again just four minutes later when an attacking position was spurned in the most dramatic fashion.

Herbert’s kick bounced wickedly, evading the grasp of Ian Sibbit, and Nick Scruton could only watch in horror as Kris Welham scooped up the loose ball and burst downfield.

Fearing he may not make it himself, Welham fed Fox and the winger comfortably sped away from Ah Van to score, Dobson converting.

The Bulls went in search of a response but their best opportunity went begging when Platt threw a wild flick-pass out of bounds as Raynor looked poised to take advantage of an overlap.

Instead, Rovers re-asserted their dominance.

Dobson had a try ruled out when he pushed Kearney while attempting to touch down a kick from Green but the visitors got their reward within minutes.

Jake Webster made a powerful burst down the right and the defence completely failed to get to grips with both him and Green.

Eventually, Green got the ball away to Josh Hodgson and the young hooker put through a grubber and won the chase himself to ground the ball, Dobson adding the extras.

Fans quickly started filing out of Odsal and they were given even more reason to do so six minutes before the end.

Dobson’s well-timed ball put Welham through a hole between Ah Van and Ben Jeffries, allowing him the easiest of tries.

With the game wrapped up, Hull KR finished with a flourish, their sixth try another combination of good attacking play and equally poor defence.

Green pulled out his trademark show and go, dropping the shoulder to dart past Olivier Elima and score. Dobson’s conversion ended another forgettable afternoon at Odsal.

A frustrated Potter said: “I would imagine our chances (of making the play-offs) are over. We need a lot of things to go our way.

“We just have to go out next week and play. Whatever happens, happens.

“I was bouncing off the walls in the coaching box with some of the options we came up with. We were just poor.”