Woeful Bradford Bulls are left Red-faced after rout

Embarrassing, inept and unacceptable are probably closer to the mark but whatever way you look at it, the Bulls have some serious soul-searching to do.

The time for excuses has passed and patience is only a virtue when there is the glimmer of something at the end of the tunnel.

Based on this evidence, Bradford are faced with a long, thankless journey through the gloom of another failed Super League season – unless something changes.

Most frustrating is the fact these players should aspire to more.

Undoubtedly, they have the ability. Unquestionably, they have the passion and desire. But right now, something isn’t clicking and each individual must make a concerted effort to cut out the errors, make the right decisions and finally realise potential.

After the previous week’s disappointing defeat at Hull FC, Mick Potter was bold in making the changes he felt would bring the necessary improvement.

Kyle Briggs, Olivier Elima, Craig Kopczak, Heath L’Estrange and Gareth Raynor were all promoted to the starting line-up, with James Donaldson, Bryn Hargreaves and Matt Diskin dropping to the bench, while Shad Royston and Ian Sibbit missed out completely.

But the changes failed to have the desired effect.

While Daniel Holdsworth ran the show for the Reds, the Bulls appeared rudderless for long spells, even though Marc Herbert provided plenty of effort and the odd moment of individual class.

Early on, there had been no indication of what was to come.

Ray Cashmere lost the ball with the very first hit-up of the game and the Bulls went to work from a scrum on the City Reds’ 20-metre line.

Briggs and Herbert prodded and probed, the latter halted just short of the try-line after spinning out of a couple of tackles.

It looked as if the visitors would have to bide their time until L’Estrange put Andy Lynch in a taxi on the last tackle and the prop crashed over with just 90 seconds on the clock.

Enjoying the lion’s share of possession and territory, Bradford should have racked up a few more points within the opening ten minutes but didn’t make the most of their chances.

A drop-out was forced when a good chase on Herbert’s grubber forced Stefan Ratchford back inside his own in-goal.

But, rather than crank up the pressure, the Bulls turned the release valve, Elliott Whitehead and Shaun Ainscough both failing to field the kick inside their own half.

Sensing Bradford’s own frailties, Salford suddenly switched on to the task at hand, dragged forward by skipper Daniel Holdsworth.

Danger could have been averted when Mark Henry needlessly threw away possession on the right flank but when Briggs fumbled the loose ball, the writing was on the wall.

Ratchford forced a drop-out with an opportunistic kick-and-chase and the City Reds capitalised on their big chance, moving the ball out left where Holdsworth poked his nose through the line to touch down and add the conversion.

Rocked by that blow, the Bulls staggered around utterly punch drunk for the remainder of the half.

Paul Sykes put the restart out on the full and, although James Child was typically whistle happy, the visitors offered plenty of excuse for penalties to be dished out.

Having enjoyed luck on the left, Salford switched their point of attack and raided down the right, Holdsworth putting Henry in with a beautiful cut-out ball before kicking another impeccable conversion.

Holdsworth also had a hand in his side’s third try, his angled ball equalled by a perfectly-timed pass from Luke Patten that put Ashley Gibson past Briggs and through the gap.

Again, Holdsworth was on target with the extras and his impressive display of control and accuracy provided a stark contrast to the Bulls’ lack of creativity or composure.

Their struggles were encapsulated by a moment late in the first half when Briggs hoisted up an awful kick that barely travelled five metres.

Salford batted the ball back in Bradford’s direction but Briggs almost made a complete hash of collecting the loose ball and, when he finally did, the stand-off raced forward only to send a long pass whizzing past Raynor and into touch.

Typically, Salford just piled on the pain.

A couple of decent passes from Holdsworth and Matty Smith sent Patten away on the angle, Jodie Broughton lying in wait on the overlap to apply the finishing touch. Holdsworth’s kick opened the gap to 18 at the interval.

Already looking dead and buried, the Bulls showed faint signs of life after bursting out of the traps in the second half.

A high shot by Iafeta Paleaaesina gave them the impetus and Matt Diskin provided a touch of class, running with power and purpose to bounce off a tackle and release Herbert on the angle.

Spotting his chance, the Aussie scrum half sliced straight through the defence and stepped on the gas to score in the corner.

Another quick score would have put Bradford right back in it but they were cruelly denied that chance when Bryn Hargreaves had a try ruled out for a forward pass from Herbert.

Flat? Maybe. Forward? Very unlikely.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back and Salford soon ran riot.

A lovely offload from Stephen Wild allowed Holdsworth to bounce off a tackle and provide Matty Smith with the scoring pass to get the hosts back on track. Holdsworth’s conversion made it 30-10.

Gibson grabbed his second of the game after some swift interplay with Henry down the right flank and then completed his hat-trick by capitalising on the combination of Smith, Holdsworth and Patten.

A mistake by Tom Olbison, losing the ball in a tackle from Patten, allowed Holdsworth to put through the kick for his side’s eighth try, Ratchford beating Ainscough in the chase to touch down.

Yet more slack defending allowed Henry to score his second of the game and Holdsworth converted both to bring up the half century.

There was a brief moment of respite, Herbert picking off a loose pass from Marc Sneyd to race through from 20 metres before adding the conversion himself.

But Luke Adamson completed the rout right on the final hooter, Holdsworth taking his tally to 20 points.