BRADFORD Bulls head coach John Kear tore into his side after an unimpressive 22-0 win over non-league side Underbank Rangers in the Challenge Cup fourth round, labelling the attitude of his players as “arrogant”.

He said it was only experienced players like George Flanagan which prevented a humiliating defeat, and hinted that heads might roll ahead of the upcoming Championship clash at Oldham Roughyeds on March 1.

He was keen to praise Underbank too though, saying they were “very, very good indeed” and that they had earned the moral victory.

Pulling no punches, Kear said: “The players turned up scratchy and their whole attitude towards the game was a bit arrogant, which has annoyed me.

“I thought it was loose preparation and a loose performance by all involved. (They’ve let themselves down) definitely. You only have to look at how they played.

“If you look at how they (the players) did in the first two games and then watch that game, this was sub-standard.

“We just looked terrible. We had about four sets on their line but we just looked toothless and clueless.

“Our decision-making was poor, our attitude and application was poor, but the two plus points are that we’ve won, so we’re in the next round, and the other one is we’ve kept them to nil.

“Apart from that, there’s a lot of hard work and reviewing of the game that needs to go on, individually and as a group, as it has worried me a little.”

He added: “I’ve given the young players in our team loads of compliments but I’ll tell you today, if it hadn’t been for the experienced players, we would have been out.

“It’s because they came here thinking they were much better than the opposition and they wouldn’t have to work hard to come over the top of them.

“It’s a real salutary lesson. I also told them, games like this, you don’t often play yourself into the team, but my word you can play yourself out, and that may be the case with one or two individuals for next week.”

Praising the opposition, Kear said: “I don’t want to take anything away from Underbank, I thought they were very, very good indeed.

“They played really well, I think they completed their first 11 sets or something until a kick went out on the full and we managed to get a bit of breathing space.

“They deserve respect. Coming fifth in the conference division, which they were in after two quick promotions, and after seeing off West Wales and Lock Lane (earlier in the competition).

“When I read that they’d knocked out Lock Lane, who obviously I know quite a bit about being a Cas(tleford) lad, I knew full well these were no mugs and they certainly played like no mugs.

“The moral victory is theirs, no doubt about that.”