Bulls impress before rot sets in

As the Bulls fell asleep in the last ten minutes to throw away another game, they obviously missed that extra hour’s kip more than their opponents.

And if they carry on doing this, it’s going to be a long, long summer for all the wrong reasons.

Bradford had been so bright and alert. Even Castleford boss Terry Matterson thought this was the Bulls’ best game of the season and, save for those frantic last ten minutes – “disastrous” in the eyes of Steve McNamara – he was right.

The visitors were in complete control at 26-10 after 70 minutes and destined to build on the positives of last week’s first win of the season in Perpignan.

They created some wonderful tries, attacked with verve and purpose and then defended manfully when Cas applied the pressure after the break.

But then it all fell apart. After Dave Halley’s 68th-minute touchdown, the Bulls allowed the ball to bounce into touch from the restart and they barely saw it again.

Cas seized the opportunity and, urged on by a vociferous crowd, began the mother of all comebacks.

Mitchell Sargent was held just short after barrelling towards the posts but the ball was shifted wide, Dean Widders fended Paul Deacon and found a back-pass to Kirk Dixon, who squeezed in at the corner.

He slotted from the touchline to make it 26-16 and in the restart set an exquisite midfield chip over from Brent Sherwin found the Bulls dozing once more.

No one reacted apart from Tigers full back Ryan McGoldrick and he gathered to send the excellent Michael Shenton haring to the whitewash.

Dixon did the rest to make it 26-22 and the young centre, switched back to the wing after an injury to Michael Wainwright, almost got over again soon after before being bundled into the corner flag by Deacon and Michael Platt.

It didn’t matter. Cas had one more shot and Rangi Chase dummied and danced his way over from close range to send the home fans wild with just one minute remaining on the clock.

Dixon, who had struggled with his boot early this season, held his nerve to put his side in front.

Injury time seemed to drag on for ages and the Bulls almost dug themselves out of the mire when Chris Nero broke through. But Ryan Hudson hauled him down and then Halley stepped into touch later on.

Cas spilled from the scrum to give Bradford another lifeline but Andy Lynch forced an off-load that Deacon just couldn’t take under the posts.

The game should have been over long before though. The Bulls looked in complete control at 16-6 nearing the end of the first half.

After Dixon missed a second-minute penalty, they grabbed the first try with a really well-worked effort.

Deacon’s fine long pass gave Glenn Morrison room to manoeuvre down the left, he slipped Nero away and former Tiger Platt – outstanding all afternoon – supported on the inside to go over against his old club.

Deacon added the extras and, although Cas responded through a Shenton effort which Dixon improved, it did not deter the visitors.

Rikki Sheriffe stepped in well to deny Shenton a second and then Platt expertly mopped up a Sherwin kick to thwart further pressure before they charged downfield for a 22nd-minute try.

It was another sharply constructed touchdown. The Bulls ran some clever angles behind the ruck as Deacon went wide to Platt and good use of dummy runners saw the overlap created with Nero again delivering the final pass, this time to Tadulala.

Deacon slotted the extras and did likewise when Andy Lynch forced his way over off a more conventional source; Terry Newton’s flat cut-out pass under the posts.

Newton was buzzing around dummy half and proving a great link, with Deacon and Jeffries enjoying the rewards.

The half-back pair mixed things up well with their options, the side adopting some new plays which caused Cas problems.

But skipper Deacon was then clattered by a huge Shenton tackle and had to be led from the field dazed and bloodied.

The 35th-minute incident was put on report after Shenton charged out of the line to flatten the scrum half but it simply looked like a well-timed hit.

You sensed losing their main playmaker could prompt a Bradford downfall, especially when soon after Dixon finished off good work by Sherwin, Chase and McGoldrick. He missed the conversion but at 16-10, Cas entered the sheds buoyed.

However, Bradford – with Steve Menzies effortlessly slotting into the halves and Jeffries taking greater control – reorganised well without their captain and got the all-important first try of the second period.

Jeffries opened Cas up with a pass that Jamie Langley rampaged on to, blasting defenders out of his way from 30 metres out.

The England World Cup man then kept his composure to draw the last man and send Morrison diving over.

Sykes missed the conversion but did slot a penalty after McGoldrick had lashed out at Platt following the full back’s quality long-range break.

Bradford, who amazingly used just one replacement in the opening 50 minutes, were then forced to defend for a large period.

Tadulala conceded a drop-out, while Jeffries had to desperately chase back to haul down Widders.

Deacon recovered enough to come back on after 54 minutes and promptly produced a 40/20, only to see his team-mates spill on the second tackle, but they did extend their lead soon after.

Deacon and Jeffries fed Newton, who sent out a brilliant long pass to Halley and he scored with his first touch after coming on.

Halley had been the hero in France and looked like capping a fine victory here too. But then the Bulls messed up the restart and ten minutes of mayhem saw them mess up another win.

Attendance: 9,185