Moran flies in to stun Bradford
Bradford 12 London Broncos
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Your support makes all the difference.Dennis Moran completed a remarkable week as London Broncos maintained their reputation as good travellers with a stunning victory which halted Bradford's ambition of returning to the top of Super League and leaving the regulars at "Fortress Odsal" somewhat shell shocked.
The Australian scored a hat-trick in last week's win at Wakefield before flying back home for a family funeral and only returned hours before kick-off yesterday. But he showed no sign of fatigue as he scored three more tries and set up another to give the Londoners their first-ever win in Bradford and halt the Bulls' run of 13 successive wins in cup and league since February.
The London Broncos coach Tony Rea said: "It's been a great day for us for any number of reasons. It was a superb performance." Of Moran, he said: "We always expected him to be back in time, but we weren't sure until he walked through the dressing room door after catching the shuttle from London to Leeds following his flight back from Australia."
Although still without a win at home this season the Broncos have won on their travels at Hull, Wigan, Huddersfield and Wakefield, and Bradford were reeling as early as the fourth minute when Moran, Super League's leading try-scorer last season, touched down a precise kick to the line by scrum-half Chris Thorman who converted.
The Broncos continued to find huge gaps in Bradford's usually formidable defence and piled on the pressure, benefiting from several handling errors. After 19 minutes the Broncos crossed again when Moran, normally a half-back, but operating at full-back, engineered a try for Matt Toshack to set up a 10-0 lead.
The Bulls were looking a shadow of the side that trounced league leaders Leeds nine days previously and Moran crossed for his second try after good work by Jim Dymock and Tommy Gallagher. Thorman's goal restored the 10-point gap, but right on the interval Bradford came again with a try for Rob Parker and Deacon's goal made it 12-16 at the interval.
Deacon was carried off injured soon after the resumption and Bradford fell further behind as Moran gathered another tricky kick from Thorman to complete his hat-trick.
Bradford tried desperately to find some sort of rhythm, but it was London who continued to create more chances.
The Bradford coach Brian Noble said: "Full credit to London and Dennis Moran. He was the difference in the end. I thought he was great, on the evidence of his performance I think we should send one or two of our players back to Australia for the week."
Bradford: Paul; Vaikona, Naylor, Hape, Vainikolo; Pratt, Deacon; Vagana, Lowes, Gartner, Radford, Peacock, Forshaw. Substitutes used: Pryce, Langley, Parker, Anderson.
London: Moran; Sykes, Martin, Roy, Hall; Purdham, Thorman; Bawden, Budworth, Retchless, Peden, Toshack, Dymock. Substitutes used: Kennedy, Marshall, Stephenson, Gallagher.
Referee: R Connolly (Wigan).
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