Bulls 48, Crusaders 24

If you are only as good as your last game, then many Odsal patrons might now go into their winter recess with muted smiles on their faces.

In no way does finishing your home programme with a 48-24 victory over Crusaders completely wipe away the often painful memories of so much that has gone before during Super League XVI – the struggling Welsh side have, after all, endured an even more traumatic season than Bradford.

Iestyn Harris’ side, second from bottom of the table only on points difference from Wakefield, are soon to be disbanded as the Wrexham-based club look to reform in the Co-operative Championship next season.

But an eight-try display to take to Wakefield on Friday is a large step in the right direction for a hitherto steadily sliding Bulls side who had lost their last three games and won just once in six.

The return from long-term injury of Kyle Briggs, Shaun Ainscough and, to a lesser extent, Chev Walker freshened up a side which had taken a battering recently, both on the field and from the terraces.

Mick Potter pointed out that the combination of Briggs, back from a damaged wrist and in for broken hand victim Marc Herbert, made a not inconsiderable contribution to several of the Bulls tries, while Ainscough – sure to be equally ‘ring rusty’ after four months – marshaled his wing well throughout.

Great Britain prop Walker came off the bench and played over 40 minutes either side of the break and, apart from expected soreness from his injured ankle, left no reason to believe that he might not start at Wakefield.

Factor in a gutsy performance from 18-year-old Adam O’Brien, playing on with blood pouring from a broken nose, a 20-point tally from Widnes-bound Patrick Ah Van on his final outing for the Bulls at Odsal and a host of other industrious, if maybe not faultless, performances and Potter had every reason to wear a much more satisfied look on his face.

Potter’s side made a lively start and, helped forward by an early penalty for off-side, Andy Lynch went close.

Danny Addy lifted home hopes with an opportune scoot from dummy half which gave Bulls more early momentum and Ben Jeffries capitalised by ghosting through a gap, virtually untouched, with Olivier Elima up quickly on his shoulder to take the pass round full back to score.

The promising opening petered out and Crusaders’ first spell of pressure was triggered by Ainscough losing control deep in his own half.

The visitors were further helped by a penalty, when winger Elliot Kear was taken out late after kicking ahead – Lloyd White scoring from the resulting set after Brett Kearney and Addy were unable to hold the Crusaders’ scrum half.

The Welsh side were handicapped by the loss of back-rower Hep Cahill after just 16 minutes.

Bulls went ahead again midway through the half when a Kearney kick was not mopped up by the visitors and, after regaining possession, Addy put Elima over.

Again the visitors responded swiftly with a fine quick-handling move around the left of the home defence, finished off when Tony Martin sent former Bulls favourite Stuart Reardon across the whitewash, although Clinton Schifcofske missed the subsequent kick to leave the Bulls two points clear.

The seemingly omnipresent Kearney then rose majestically to pluck a pin-point Jeffries kick out of the air and score under the posts, with Ah Van’s third conversion of the afternoon stretching the gap to eight points.

Big Sam Burgess got within inches with his first touch after coming off the bench but the Bulls failed to make further inroads.

Three minutes before the break, Crusaders substitute Ben Flower was sin-binned for obstructing Ainscough as the Bulls wingman attempted to affect a quick restart after catching the ball in-goal.

Craig Kopczak crossed seconds later but the final pass from Burgess was deemed forward, so the 12-man Welsh side survived until half-time.

Within 90 seconds of the restart, Bradford made the extra man count as Kopczak again dived over from close range – this time to the officials’ satisfaction, Ah Van continuing his 100 per cent display with the boot with another relatively easy conversion.

A Briggs missed pass then picked out Ainscough perfectly and gave the ex-Wigan man his sixth try in just ten appearances during an injury-ravaged season.

Again Ah Van was on target, this time from a far more difficult angle, and suddenly the Odsal outfit were 30-10 ahead and cantering.

As Crusaders then pressed to try and reduce the deficit, Ah Van gathered a loose ball and ran 75 metres into the corner, his inability to get nearer the posts not preventing a wonderful touchline conversion.

The men from the Racecourse Ground did hit back on the hour after the Bulls failed to deal with a high kick to the corner and Peter Lupton pounced on the loose ball.

Ainscough almost gathered a Jeffries kick to the corner. Moments later Kopczak came within inches and, on the next play, skipper Andy Lynch crashed over from close range.

Reardon once more reminded Bradford fans what a fine finisher he was by grabbing another consolation in the corner for Crusaders.

Martin almost reduced the deficit further, running round last line of defence Kearney following a break from midfield, only for the Australian full back to recover and just do enough to force Martin’s inside pass to go to ground.

Bradford rounded off a more than satisfactory final home game when Kearney raced through to dive onto a well-weighted Briggs kick, with Ah Van completing his work at Odsal with his eighth goal from eight attempts.

Martin, undeterred by being thwarted minutes earlier, grabbed the last score for the visitors on the final hooter and Schifcofske’s usually reliable boot added only a second conversion after an afternoon of kicks from difficult angles.

Attendance: 12,988