Bulls slayed by Warriors

What a let-down. That is the only way to sum up the Bulls' performance last night after they were run ragged by a Warriors side showing championship rather than relegation form.

Their boss Brian Noble has now presided over nine victories in ten outings, the sort of menacing run that used to see him charge Bradford into Grand Finals.

Now, doing it in Wigan colours, it means the world's most famous club is almost certainly saved from the drop, but that won't interest disappointed Bulls fans this morning.

The script went all Noble's way as he and fellow former Bulls favourite Stuart Fielden ended up victorious in their first meeting since leaving the champions.

The game was as good as over at half-time after Wigan had ruthlessly exposed the Bulls to race 22-0 clear.

When Mick Withers gifted Michael Dobson his second try just seconds after the break, and the Aussie slotted the simple kick, it definitely was and Noble could start to relax after a tense week where he had tried to avoid the limelight surrounding this hyped-up fixture.

The Bulls had planned to kick straight at Fielden from the hooter in a bid to dish out an early big hit on their former team-mate and set the tone.

They got the first bit right but Fielden - regularly booed by the visiting support - bumped off Terry Newton as he returned the ball and it needed three men to finally put him down.

It was a sign of things to come. Fielden and fellow front-row enforcer Iafeta Paleaaesina muscled their way forward all night, attracting multiple defenders into their path and leaving gaping holes elsewhere for the likes of livewire Mickey Higham and Danny Orr to exploit.

Bradford's tactic to rough up Fielden backfired. Everyone knows he always rises to the big occasions and it didn't get much bigger than tackling his former club knowing a Wigan win could cement their Super League status.

Bradford have enjoyed the benefits of that - remember the World Club Challenge? - but last night they felt its force as the world's best prop started living up to his billing once more.

And in effecting that first tackle, Newton suffered a dead leg, meaning instead of nullifying the opponent's major strike weapon they riled him up and wiped out their own.

In contrast, hooker Higham had a field day and his trademark breaks in the opening period had a massive bearing on the contest.

A quick play-of-the-ball from Fielden created the first chance, Higham lapping up and sprinting clear combining with Bryan Fletcher before Marcus Bai dragged Dobson down inches short.

Newton put Lesley Vainikolo charging through down the left centre channel as the game got off at a frenetic pace, Chris Ashton ensuring the big Tongan didn't romp all the way.

Bulls are famed for their brutal approach down the middle but they were beaten at their own game last night.

Being a Noble team, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Paleaaesina bustled his way through the middle on halfway to launch a spectacular five-man move that ended with Ashton going over for the first try.

The giant Kiwi prop was a real handful while Aussie second-rower Fletcher offered some brain as well as brawn with his clever passes.

One such delivery sent Orr pacing through, the stand-off holding his nerve to draw Withers and send Dobson over for delirious Wigan's third touchdown.

In between, Higham had splintered the Bulls defence again from deep, punishing slow markers with a typical dart from dummy half, Ashton providing the link for Pat Richards to finish.

Bulls did enjoy plenty of possession in dangerous areas but a completion rate of just 50 per cent showed what they did with that ball. When they were pressing hard, the final delivery would inevitably let them down, highlighted when Paul Deacon's pass was intercepted by Richards, who sprinted 90 metres to grab Wigan's fourth touchdown on 37 minutes.

They were handed a gift from the restart though when Fielden let the ball bounce dead between his legs - only for Brad Meyers to drop the resultant drop-out.

It was one of those nights. When Bradford got a much-needed penalty to relieve some pressure, Withers knocked on as Iestyn Harris tried to go wide on the first tackle.

Deacon sliced through the Wigan line with a neat step but then lost control of the ball with no one near him. The list goes on.

Wigan defended relatively well and that has been the foundation on which Noble has built the club's revival.

The Great Britain boss knows how to shut opponents out but they were helped by some poor decision-making and execution from the visitors.

In the second half, after Dobson got that gift, the Bulls did mount plenty more pressure, which was no mean feat given by now both Newton and Jamie Langley were crocked on the sidelines.

Being two forwards light should have seen the champions wilt but Wigan's ill-discipline - they were on the wrong end of a 9-3 penalty count - handed their opponents some incentive.

Karl Pryce made an impressive break down the right to set up Withers, who Wigan are expected to announce next week will be joining them for 2007.

Wayne Godwin hit back for the hosts but then Lynch ba'rged over off Deacon's inside ball to earn a deserved score before Pryce intercepted to stroll in for another Bulls try.

However, Wigan had the final word with Dobson's hat-trick score.

It's not often you hear Wigan fans cheering when the scoreboard flashes that neighbours St Helens have won but when that victory is against Wakefield - their relegation rivals - all the arch-rivalry goes out of the window.

Just as those fans launched into a rendition of "We're staying up" Dobson snatched a Iestyn Harris kick and ran in from 40 metres to complete a memorable night for the Cherry and Whites.

The Bulls need to sort themselves out quickly for the play-offs.

l Keith Senior provided the inspiration as Leeds Rhinos celebrated the opening of their new stand in style with victory against Warrington.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn officially opened Headingley's £7million Carnegie Stand prior to kick-off - but Senior's second-half hat-trick ensured he took centre stage in a 54-16 win.

Meanwhile, St Helens all but secured top spot with a hard-fought 34-12 win over relegation-battlers Wakefield.

The Challenge Cup winners met fierce resistance from a Wildcats side fighting for survival but eventually saw them off with crucial second-half tries from Ade Gardner - who grabbed two - and Leon Pryce.