One step forward, two steps back for Bradford Bulls

There were plenty of positives in the Bulls’ derby defeat but ultimately, there was plenty of disappointment as Mick Potter’s men once more demonstrated their inability to hold onto a lead as they slumped to a third successive defeat.

So, while Mick Potter’s side took a step forward following the previous week’s defeat at Salford, they still seem unsure whether they’re heading in the right direction.

The passion and enthusiasm of the players was undeniable but, despite Bradford’s best efforts, Leeds always appeared to have that little bit more.

Kevin Sinfield was a major reason for that, the experienced playmaker using all his experience and nous to grab the game by the scruff of the neck at a crucial stage.

But even allowing for the Rhinos’ skipper’s brilliance, the Bulls should still feel aggrieved they didn’t win.

Too often indiscipline crept into their game and too often encouraging positions were spurned. Defeat leaves them with just four wins from their opening 11 games and the season is quickly slipping away. Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now.

That something appeared to be there in the opening stages of a thrilling derby, watched by an impressive crowd of 19,275.

Gone was the uncertainty, the indecisiveness of the previous week’s performance at Salford. The Bulls didn’t do anything spectacular but the fact they did nothing daft was good enough.

Still, following a couple of solid sets, a moment of indiscipline blew the match wide open when a penalty was conceded in Leeds territory and only a poor final-tackle option prevented the hosts from conceding.

Instead of looking for a team-mate to put boot to ball, Ryan Hall had eyes only for the try-line and was held up by two tacklers, his decision met by an audible sigh of relief.

One mini crisis averted, Bradford turned the solid into the spectacular.

Working their way downfield on the back of a penalty, the platform was set and Marc Herbert planted a spectacular crossfield kick right on Hall’s head.

Patrick Ah Van spotted his opening, jumped, juggled and eventually planted the ball in the Rhinos’ in-goal to spark a rapturous reception.

Volume levels were cranked even higher just minutes later.

Again gaining field position from a penalty, the battering rams made good metres and Michael Platt almost split the defence charging onto a flat pass from Heath L’Estrange.

But, on the very next play, L’Estrange spun the ball out of dummy half and Andy Lynch combined power with dexterity to beat the tackle and stretch over the goal-line.

Ah Van’s conversion made it 10-0 with ten minutes on the clock but there was no chance to get carried away.

Despite their recent struggles, Leeds are no easy-beats, far from it.

Their response was full of tenacity and enthusiasm and only a rare handling error from Sinfield, dropping the ball inside the Bulls’ 20-metre line, prevented them from scoring before the end of the opening quarter.

But Bradford refused to roll over in the face of their rivals’ revival and came within a whisker of extending their lead even further.

Herbert dinked another inviting kick out right but Elliott Whitehead unfortunately knocked it forward before Platt touched down the loose ball.

That escape seemed to re-energise the Rhinos and, within two minutes, they got themselves off the mark.

Handed a penalty to aid their charge downfield, the visitors initially found their every effort repelled by the superb try-line defence before Paul McShane somehow squeezed beneath a pile of bodies to score, Sinfield adding the extras.

Momentum favoured Leeds and four minutes before the break, they were level.

The Bulls surrendered possession through a loose pass from L’Estrange on halfway and were simply unable to hold out.

That said, the try-scoring pass was dubious at best, Brent Webb sending it a good yard forward so Jamie Jones-Buchanan could dive in at the corner and twist to touch down after being flipped on his back in the tackle.

With scores level and so much at stake, Bradford did the sensible thing when Ben Cross broke off the mark to concede a penalty two minutes before the break.

Ah Van kicked the two and the tense nature of the game manifested itself in a minor scrap on the stroke of half-time, McShane, Olivier Elima and Chev Walker all getting involved in a bit of extras.

But the Bulls managed to keep their cool, just about, and made the perfect start to the second half.

Camped deep in enemy territory, at first they seemed stuck for ideas, Herbert taking contact when there were better options outside.

Yet they persevered and suddenly it all opened up, Kearney, Herbert and Hargreaves all involved before Elima barged straight through a weak tackle to score.

Ah Van missed the conversion and if that wasn’t costly enough, a double dose of disappointment quickly followed.

A touch of indiscipline proved costly, L’Estrange putting a high shot on Rob Burrow, and the Rhinos’ diminutive scrum half combined with Webb to send Keith Senior through a gap out left.

Sinfield’s conversion evened the scores and there was a sense of inevitability when Leeds surged ahead three minutes later.

A clever offload from Carl Ablett created the space for Hall to break 30 metres and, although Kearney made a superb covering tackle, the Bradford defence was unable to recover quick enough.

Sinfield spotted space on the flank and a long, cut-out pass provided Hall with a simple finish before his kick opened up a six-point lead.

But the Bulls weren’t done either.

Elima was caught by a high shot from Webb as he tried to break – an offence that possibly merited a sin-binning – but picked himself up to claim his second try of the night. Herbert supplied the assist with a quality delayed pass to send the big Frenchman over from close range, Ah Van converting.

Leeds weren’t to be denied though, even if there was more than a touch of good fortune about their late burst.

Jones-Buchanan appeared to barge Kearney as the pair challenged to claim a kick but referee Thierry Alibert was unmoved and instead penalised Bradford when Ah Van committed a similar offence on the initial culprit.

Sinfield kicked the penalty and Danny Buderus crept through from dummy half two minutes from time to crown the Rhinos’ triumph.