Keighley Cougars 28, Bradford Bulls 12
A rookie Bulls team slipped to defeat at the hands of a virtually full-strength Cougars outfit in tonight's pre-season friendly at Cougar Park.
Bradford's young guns, under the guidance of Under-20s coach Stu Barrow, showed impressive spirit to overturn Keighley's early 10-0 lead to assume a 12-10 advantage at the break.
Jason Demetriou's star-studded side, featuring former Super League stars such as Semi Tadulala, Richie Barnett, Sam Obst and Michael Korkidas, were rewarded for their early dominance with tries from Tadulala and Danny Lawton.
Yet the Bulls, who had only four first-team players on show in Shaun Ainscough, Kyle Briggs, Liam McAvoy and Danny Addy, fashioned a hugely encouraging response.
They hit back through prop Johnny Payne and led at the break when Briggs scored and then converted a fine individual try.
Cougars' class and experience told after the break when Barnett scored twice in the left corner before Gavin Duffy and new signing Matt Parata took their try tally to six, although Bradford were in no way disgraced.
Barrow could take plenty of positives from the performances of the likes of scrum half Callum Windley, hooker Connor Spencer and prop McAvoy.
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