It's all gone to Pot as Bradford Bulls ripped to shreds by St Helens

Next year, Potter’s job as Bradford coach will be to plot a once-proud club’s recovery but, while still at Saints, he was only to happy to force them further into the mire.

The only solace the travelling fans could take in defeat is the hope their new boss can bring a touch of magic with him to Odsal.

Saints were disciplined, methodical and entertaining in cruising to a huge win, leaving their opponents absolutely powerless to act.

Bulls acting head coach Lee St Hilaire had talked up the potential strike power returning trio Brett Kearney, Jason Crookes and Nick Scruton could bring to his faltering team prior to the game but all that was meaningless if they had no ball.

It wasn’t Bradford’s worst defeat in Super League – Saints had already beaten them 66-4 back in 2005 – but it came very close.

The Bulls looked overmatched right from the off.

Mistakes crept into their game straight away and a couple of penalties conceded in quick succession gave St Helens a chance to pile on the pressure.

They appeared to have scored within the opening two minutes when Jamie Foster burst through to touch down Kyle Eastmond’s kick to the corner, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

As it turned out, it barely mattered.

A minute later Saints got their breakthrough, a neat interchange between Jonny Lomax and Francis Meli allowing Ade Gardner to break down the left.

Having started the move, Lomax pushed through in support and then supplied the scoring pass for Gardner, although Foster was unable to convert.

More misery quickly followed.

A well worked move saw Jon Wilkin combine with James Graham before James Roby crashed through a gap off the short ball to score, Foster adding the extras.

As regular as buses, another Saints try followed with bleak inevitability. Roby linked with Eastmond and the England half-back’s inside ball allowed Wilkin to cut through on a smart angled run to score. Foster converted once more.

There was absolutely no respite as the Bulls struggled to even get their hands on the ball for any kind of extended spell, a point that was only emphasised when Crookes knocked on while attempting to gather a kick in front of his own posts.

Saints quickly shifted the ball right, Eastmond, Paul Wellens and Matt Gidley all involved in sending Foster in at the right corner.

Defensive indecisiveness was ruthlessly exposed time and again but no more so than for the hosts’ fifth try, several players dallying when Gidley chipped over the top. Eventually, Lomax resonded, plucking the ball out of the air and passing in one motion to hand Roby the easiest of tries, converted by Foster.

Having been trapped inside their own half throughout the first half hour, the Bulls enjoyed a relative purple patch when territory and possession appeared as if it could yield reward.

But a lack of craft and a failure to respect the ball bit them on the backside. Overusing the one-man drive, Bradford never troubled the disciplined Saints defence and when it looked like they might, Andy Lynch’s needless off-load was snapped up by Eastmond.

The Bulls threat capably dealt with, St Helens struck again on the stroke of half-time to establish a 32-0 lead at the break.

Central to much of what his side had done on attack, Eastmond finally found himself on the end of the move, ducking under attempted tackles from Jamie Langley and Dave Halley and diving for the whitewash, Foster adding the extras.

Seeking a quick response, the Bulls looked to have found it when Kearney dummied and headed through a gap. Unable to go himself he looked to pass to Steve Menzies but, typical of Bradford’s luck, the pass was telegraphed by Gidley.

Gidley released Meli and, although the centre’s initial break was halted on the Bulls’ 30-metre line, Saints weren’t to be denied and Matty Ashurst raced in at the corner, Foster once more converting.

More potential danger was averted when Menzies intercepted Eastmond’s looping pass after a flowing move.

But danger wasn’t avoided for long and Eastmond made amends by hoisting up a kick that went right down Halley’s throat.

The full back couldn’t keep hold of the ball and Tony Puletua picked up to drive over the try-line and become his side’s ninth different scorer. Foster’s kick brought up the half century of points.

Wilkin became the first St Helens player to score more than once when he drove over from close range, Foster converting, but the hosts didn’t have it all their own way during the final ten minutes.

Kearney threatened with a grubber kick that just trickled over the dead ball line and the Bulls finally got off the mark with eight minutes remaining.

Heath L’Estrange came scampering away from dummy half with real purpose for the first time, attacked the line and released Paul Sykes with an angled pass. Defenders were sucked in and Sykes found Rikki Sheriffe with enough space and time to touch down in the corner.

Three minutes later a second followed. Another encouraging move saw Kearney combine with Sykes before Mike Worrincy powered through on a good running line to touch down.

Sykes converted both to add the slightest bit of respectability to the scoreline.

Still, Saints had the final say when Gidley produced a superb one-handed offload to send in Foster.