Bradford Bulls comfortably beaten by Widnes Vikings at Odsal

THIS was certainly no game fit for a king, as Bulls and Widnes played out a flat final-day encounter at Odsal.

In the end, the Vikings were always the better side this afternoon, and deservedly won 23-10, condemning the Bulls to a ninth-place Championship finish.

Skipper Steve Crossley went over for a try on his final appearance before leaving the Bulls, and after the game, he told the T&A he would have preferred to stay, before admitting that there were certain aspects of the club he was unhappy with.

Crossley’s personal discontent, which will be revealed in full later this week, has been mirrored by the fans this season, and once again they witnessed another defeat at Odsal.

Bulls have only won four times at home this season, and they rarely looked like making it five this weekend.

The first score went to the visitors. After Matty Fozard and Owen Farnworth nearly got over for the Vikings, in the end they moved the ball from left to right, with Joe Edge squeezing over despite the efforts of Kieran Gill.

Edge took the conversion himself, and his gorgeous kick curled just inside the posts to make it 6-0 to Widnes.

Bulls were handed a route back into the match when their winger David Foggin-Johnston was taken out in the air after claiming a high kick.

That meant a yellow card for Widnes winger Ollie Brookes, but as has been so often the case at Odsal this season, Bulls struggled to make anything count in attack against 12 men.

They were even perhaps fortunate not to see Sam Hallas sin-binned following an infringement at the ruck and then a scrap in back play.

Sam Hallas was perhaps fortunate his hot temper cost him no more than a talking to this afternoon. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Though Bulls were grateful to have 13 men on the field, they still conceded the next score.

After a six again for Widnes, Brad England conceded a penalty, dead straight 40 metres out.

Edge decided to go for goal, not a bad idea with Widnes a man down, and he blasted the straight kick over the posts for 8-0.

Ironically, Bulls looked more of a threat once Brookes returned to the field, and they soon scored a lovely try.

Tom Doyle was held up over the line moments earlier but the hosts didn’t panic.

After England was floored by a monster tackle, the ball came to young half-back Jacob Hookem, who dabbed a kick through to the right corner.

Matty Dawson-Jones raced on to it and just touched it down before the ball went dead, before Elliot Kear’s tricky conversion attempt from the touchline flashed just wide.

Widnes second-row Shane Grady then looked to have stretched out to touch down, but the referee ruled he didn't have control, and it was deemed to be a knock-on.

Hookem forced an error on the left just before the break, with a Widnes score looking likely otherwise, as the sides went into the break with the visitors holding a four-point advantage.

It was a low-scoring game, and Bulls' top try-scorer this season, Kieran Gill, was unable to make his usual breakthrough. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Bulls set the tone for the second half when David Gibbons slammed the kick-off straight out of play.

Adam Lawton almost crossed from the resulting set, but Widnes soon had their second try anyway.

Clever hands from half-back Matty Smith saw him pick the perfect pass. The ball came to second-row Olly Davies, and he stormed through to go over on the left.

Edge’s kick from the left touchline was excellent, straight through the centre of the posts, and that put Widnes 14-4 up.

A yellow card for Lawton for dissent meant Bradford were a man up once again, but like in the first half, they failed to take advantage.

And with Lawton back on the field 10 minutes later, Bulls were caught out completely by Fozard.

The hooker picked the ball up from the base of a ruck, fooling the defence with quick hands and feet before diving over to score.

Edge, who had been flawless with his kicking from the tee, looked to have a simple one, but he stumbled before his conversion attempt and missed the target.

The Bulls fans had little to cheer once again at Odsal. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Widnes’ fourth try arrived when Brookes charged in from the right wing to collect the ball, his sheer power and momentum enough to see him crash over the line to score.

Smith replaced Edge with the kicking tee, but he missed too, his attempt clipping the outside of the post.

Crossley produced a neat spin before crashing over the line to score in his final game for the club, and Kear’s conversion kept Bulls clinging on at two scores down.

But Widnes slowed the game down expertly, before Smith showed his experience, drifting into space for a simple drop goal to take the visitors 13 points clear and end the contest once and for all.

BULLS: Kear, Dawson-Jones, Burton, Gill, Foggin-Johnston, Hookem, Gibbons, Scurr, Doyle, Crossley, England, Murphy, Hallas.

Interchanges: Wallace, Green, Baldwinson, Hoyle.

WIDNES: Fleming, Brookes, Edge, Roberts, Holroyd, Craven, Smith, Johnson, Fozard, Farnworth, Grady, Davies, Field.

Interchanges: Lyons, Bent, Doro, Lawton.

BULLS MAN OF THE MATCH: JACOB HOOKEM.