Bradford Bulls 82 West Wales Raiders 6

THE Bulls breezed into the fourth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup with a 15-try demolition of West Wales Raiders.

Man of the match Elliot Minchella helped to ensure that it was a miserable seasonal competitive debut for the visitors with five of the tries.

But it was also heartening for the Bulls to give Dane Chisholm some game-time as he entered the match in the 49th minute.

The Raiders only had two spells of real pressure but did not score until the 78th minute via Welsh international Steve Parry.

Chisholm was on the bench alongside Callum Bustin and the hosts gave Brandon Pickersgill the scrum-half berth, with Minchella moving to the second row.

The Raiders started nervously and fumbled soon after the kick-off but the hosts could not prosper as winger Dalton Grant was pushed into touch on the right.

Yet the escape was only temporary as, from the next Bulls attack, Joe Keyes passed to second-row Liam Johnson, who crashed over for a try, with Keyes adding an easy goal.

West Wales did not help themselves by conceding back-to-back penalties and Keyes sent in Steve Crossley for the Bulls' second try on eight minutes.

That was simple enough for Keyes to knock over wearing his carpet slippers (if he has any).

As if things were not going badly enough for the visitors, they lost their joint-captain, 20-year-old Conner Parker from Aberdare, who was helped off the field injured.

He was replaced by Harry Boots, who had no time to even break sweat before Ethan Ryan went over on the left.

After two easy pots at goal, Keyes had a much more difficult one close to the touchline and did not strike the ball properly as it spiralled like a demented Catherine wheel to the left of the posts.

Pickersgill's diagonal kick then trapped the visitors behind their line, forcing the game's first goal-line drop-out.

West Wales finally threatened the Bulls line and Boots was held up over the whitewash.

A grubber kick was then blocked and a penalty took the Bulls to halfway.

The Raiders finally enjoyed a spell in the Bulls 20 without being able to get on scoreboard but that pressure was ruined by back-to-back penalties – and Gregg McNally made them pay with his first try in a competitive match for the Bulls.

Keyes curled in the goal from a little nearer the posts than the one that he missed.

Minchella then ran in the Bulls' fifth try in the 25th minute after being put through a large hole on halfway, with Keyes tagging on the goal.

Then came the moment of the first half, a superb individual try by McNally after the full back was almost ankle-tapped near his own line before breaking through the middle.

He then went on a diagonal line to the left-hand corner flag, with James Smith giving chase in vain. Keyes hooked his latest goal attempt.

West Wales almost went in for a first try in the Bulls' right-hand corner via Kurtis Haile – but the Bulls went straight down the other end and scored via Minchella, who stumbled into the tackle but still touched down.

Keyes kicked this goal but his clever kick to the right-hand corner was collected by Grant, who went over but not without putting a foot in touch.

Tempers frayed early in the second half as there was a melee, which resulted in a penalty to the visitors, as well as referee Nick Woodward having a word with Bulls skipper Lee Smith.

There was a big cheer as Chisholm entered the fray and Bustin went over for a try seconds later.

Keyes added the goal and then dummied his way through the line to put over the supporting Liam Johnson, with Keyes' goal bringing up the half-century.

Minchella then bagged his hat-trick try, leaving Keyes with another easy goal.

It was a procession now as the Bulls were scoring almost at will.

Minchella had the taste for the whitewash and grabbed his fourth, giving Keyes another simple kick.

Four tries in nine minutes became five in 12 as Ashley Gibson got on the end of a searing Keyes incursion and a lobbed pass by McNally.

By now the sun was shining into the press box but there was no disguising Chisholm's class as he went over over for a try at pace, with Keyes adding the goal.

The Bulls seemed to be closing in on a century as Minchella capitalised on a neat Chisholm break.

Keyes landed the goal – but boos rang out as West Wales finally got on the scoreboard via Parry with four minutes left.

Yet that was more for referee Woodward awarding it, rather than any ill feeling towards the visitors.

Fraser Stroud added the goal but the Bulls inevitably had the last word with a try in the right-hand corner by Gibson just before the hooter.