Bradford 36 Hull 22: Lynch quick off the mark to stop Bulls' drift into ignominy
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Your support makes all the difference.Yesterday's win meant Bradford avoided the unwelcome record of four consecutive defeats in Super League, something they have not suffered in the era of summer rugby.
Bradford went ahead in the fourth minute when Andy Lynch crashed over to score. Moments later, the Bulls doubled their advantage, when Hull knocked on, and Dave Halley reacted quickest, to put Paul Sykes in for an unopposed try. In gale force conditions, Iestyn Harris converted both tries.
The early Bull's superiority continued when Semi Tadulala scored in the 14th minute with a a walk-in score at the corner, to pull the Bulls 16 points clear.
Hull coach Richard Agar admitted that the 16-point start had proved the difference at the end. "We were just a fraction off, but ultimately [the 16 points] came back to cost us," he said.
Hull were gifted an opportunity to get on to the scoreboard when Michael Platt failed to gather Willie Manu's kick, and Danny Houghton picked up the spilled ball and scored.
But it was Bradford who were generally more comfortable with the conditions, and they scored next when Terry Newton found the unmarked Shontayne Hape.
Hull remained in the contest and when Kirk Yeaman scored at the corner, and the visitors trailed by only eight points at the break.
Hull had early opportunities in the second half, but Bradford's Tadulala scored the half's opening try when he broke a Jodie Broughton tackle to ground the ball. The game seemed beyond Hull when Bradford scored again on their next attack. Platt made a terrific break from 40 metres out, and offloaded to Terry Newton who scored.
Willie Manu's try gave Hull fans a flicker of hope, but Bradford still looked safe until a pass by replacement Craig Kopczak was taken by Yeaman, who intercepted, and the Hull centre ran in an easy score. Briefly, the visitors sniffed a chance, but with five minutes to go Matt Cook got the score for Bradford, a try, that finally assured a much needed home victory.
Bradford: Platt; Halley, Sykes, Hape, Tadulala; Harris, Jeffries; Vagana, Newton, Lynch, Solomona, Burgess, Langley. Substitutes: Kopczak, Finnigan, Cook, Evans.
Hull: Hall; Sing, Yeaman, Broughton, Briscoe; Washbrook, Berrigan; Dowes, Houghton, Carvell, Manu, Radford, Tickle. Substitutes: Thackray, Dale, Burnett, Wheeldon.
Referee: I Smith (Oldham).
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