Giants far too strong for Bulls in Lawrence testimonial

HUDDERSFIELD'S Super League class told as they inflicted the first defeat of pre-season on Bulls in a one-sided encounter.

The testimonial for Giants stalwart Michael Lawrence for 14 years of service at the club was Bradford's second game in under 24 hours following their Yorkshire Cup semi-final win over Dewsbury.

Having split their squad, Bulls fielded a competitive line-up but they were no match for the hosts.

Yet John Kear's side took the lead after three minutes when Dane Chisholm scored an interception try from his own 10-metre line and the Aussie also converted.

But the Giants were level inside the quarter-of-an-hour mark when youngster Alix Stephenson was unable to deal with a kick forward and Jordan Turner capitalised before converting himself.

A grubber kick then caused problems in the Bulls defence and Sebastine Ikahihifo took advantage to score, with Turner adding the extras.

The Giants made it 16 points in 12 minutes when England winger Jermaine McGillvary stormed over and former Bull Alex Mellor added a fourth try when he capitalised on a Bradford error.

Another ex-Bull, Lee Gaskell, then kicked a high bomb which Stephenson couldn't deal with and Gaskell went over to underline Huddersfield's dominance down the lefthand side.

Darnell McIntosh missed an easy conversion attempt but it wasn't long before the hosts were over again as Gaskell made Chisholm pay for a missed tackle to cross again, his kick for the extras making it 30-6.

But Bulls would have the last word of the half as Chisholm made amends with a kick to David Foggin-Johnston, who went over for their second try.

Chisholm made a fine 25-metre conversion from the touchline to send the Bulls in at half-time 30-12 down.

Gaskell claimed his hat-trick early in the second period before Louis Senior ended a great move for the Giants' eighth try.

The match became scrappy as Huddersfield conceded five straight penalties and Jon Luke Kirby was sinbinned for the hosts.

Jake Webster went over for Bulls but the try was ruled out for an infringement.

Bradford were put on a team warning as the game's momentum continued to stall, with youngster Matty Storton then given a yellow card for a swinging arm.

An offload from McIntosh to Innes Senior saw him score a first Huddersfield try down the right-hand edge before Benjamin Tibbs added the hosts' tenth try.

McIntosh touched down for the final score before Izaac Farrell converted.

It was a tough afternoon for the Bulls, for whom Sam Hallas put in a hard-working shift, but they were able to give several of their under-19 squad a taste of first-team action in the second half.

Bulls: Stephenson, Foggin-Johnston, Webster, Gibson, Butterworth, Chisholm, Lilley, Magrin, Hallas (Sam), Foster, Garside, Storton, Milton. Interchange: Doyle, O'Hanlon, McGill, Lightowler, Green, Gallagher, Smith, Scurr, Littlewood, Culling.

Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh, Senior, Wardle, Turner, McGilvary, Gaskell, Frawley, Matagi, O'Brien, Ikahihifo, Murphy, Mellor, Lawrence. Interchange: Leeming, English, Roberts, Kirby, Russell, Farrell, Senior, Tibbs, Flynn, Whitmore, Copley, Hallas (Lucas).

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