Disillusioned Steve McNamara admits the Bulls’ horror capitulation in Perpignan is the worst defeat of his reign at Odsal.

The stunned coach was furious after his side pathetically threw away a 26-0 lead to get knocked out of the Carnegie Challenge Cup by Catalans Dragons yesterday.

They lost 40-38 after spectacularly falling to pieces and, although he refused to criticise the players, McNamara admitted: “It’s probably as much as we’ve ever hurt right at this moment in time. We blew the game at the end.

“It was really poor for the last 35 minutes. We’d controlled everything really well right up to then.”

Having shipped three tries in nine minutes to lose out at Castleford last week, Bradford were even more disappointing in France following an awful second-half performance.

McNamara said: “I’d hoped we would have learned some lessons from last week but we didn’t apply them here.”

Out of the cup and with just one Super League win in seven games this year, the boss will be under immense pressure again.

They entertain champions Leeds Rhinos on Good Friday but McNamara insists he can turn around his under-performing squad.

“It’s my job to make the team better and to improve things,” he said.

“It’s my job to make sure the players are okay and ready for then. We haven’t got long but that’s what we’ll do.”

After tries from Paul Sykes, Rikki Sheriffe, Matt Cook, Chris Nero and Steve Menzies, the Bulls looked in total command and destined for the fifth round.

But their proud record of having never lost in Perpignan was blown to pieces following Catalans’ amazing comeback.

Bradford were all over the place as their previously water-tight defence opened up at will under little pressure.

Dave Halley’s late try saw them get back to within two points but it was too late to rescue the game.

Bradford had done that with last-gasp Halley effort at Stade Gilbert Brutus just a fortnight earlier in Super League and elated Catalans boss Kevin Walters admitted: “That was playing on my mind.

“With four minutes to go, and they’d got back to 40-38, I thought it can’t happen again.

“But we held on and I’m delighted for our boys after what was an amazing comeback."