Bradford Bulls snatch late point against Halifax Panthers

Bradford dominated the opening exchanges of this Betfred Championship clash to establish an eight-point lead, before Fax roared back to lead 12-8 at the break.

Though Bulls nipped back in front just after half-time, two tries in five minutes for the visitors looked to be decisive.

But a converted try with 10 minutes to go gave Bulls hope, and when the superb James Segeyaro kicked through and was wiped out by a high tackle from Adam Tangata, Patton stepped up to secure the draw with just 64 seconds left.

A buzzing and bruised Dec Patton was the hero at the death. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

It keeps the hosts two points clear of their deadly rivals, and just one off the top four.

Bulls had the first couple of chances, coming closest when David Foggin-Johnston spectacularly dived over in the corner.

But Kieran Gill’s assist was clearly forward, and Halifax were able to breathe again with a scrum.

Keven Appo then bulldozed his way to a metre short, and after the ball was worked back to Jordan Lilley, he found Joe Arundel with a perfectly weighted pass. The former Halifax centre breezed past his man and ran in from close range to score in the corner.

Patton drilled the conversion over the posts from near the touchline to put Bulls 6-0 up.

Joe Arundel celebrates his early try with Jordan Lilley, on what turned out to be a rollercoaster afternoon. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Jordan Baldwinson was then tackled off the ball needlessly 15 metres from his own line and Patton clattered over a simple penalty to extend his side’s lead.

After Patton and Lilley were slightly unlucky to be penalised for a high tackle and illegal ball strip respectively in successive sets, the Panthers took advantage of their fortune.

They worked it to the inside right, and after the ball was played to Matty Gee, he spun out of a tackle brilliantly and stretched out to just plonk the ball over the line.

Louis Jouffret crashed the kick over the posts to put Fax just two behind and with the visitors coming into the game, and Bulls getting sloppy with their penalty concessions, the visitors took the lead two minutes before the break.

A stunning catch from behind him by new boy Ben Crooks kept the move alive, and the visitors worked the ball wide right.

Saltonstall was the man over and he scampered across to touch down nearer the posts, allowing Jouffret a simple conversion for 12-8.

Fax dominated the early exchanges of the second half, but Bulls held out before retaking the lead.

Ben Blackmore retrieved a poor pass, and Bradford worked the ball inside.

Segeyaro picked out the onrushing Fenton Rogers, who crashed over the line, as Patton slotted over the simple conversion to put Bulls 14-12 up.

Fenton Rogers forces his way over to ensure Bulls got their noses back in front just after the break. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

The home side thought they had increased their lead, as Brad England waltzed past a couple of soft tackles to score, but Ebon Scurr was penalised for obstructing the Fax defence.

Then it was Bradford’s turn to survive, as a needless offload from Lilley saw the ball fall loose.

Lachlan Walmsley flew down the left, before a brilliant saving tackle from the returning Michael Lawrence on James Woodburn-Hall prevented the score.

But Fax did take the lead just before the hour mark, after some poor defending by Bulls on their own line.

David Foggin-Johnston made a great tackle on Crooks, but had no support in the aftermath, allowing Jouffret to scoot over far too easily on the last tackle.

He converted his own try to make it 18-14 to Fax.

After Gill was penalised for offside after getting an in-goal area touch on Patton’s mishandled grubber through, Halifax took advantage of the narrow escape.

With 15 minutes left, Walmsley beat Blackmore in the air to a teasing kick. The Halifax winger did superbly to catch the ball and spin over in the corner as he was falling.

Jouffret missed a tough kick from the touchline but that put the visitors more than a score in front.

Bulls hit back though. They worked the ball from left to right, and Segeyaro’s pass was perfect for Brad England, who burst through and slid over to score.

And after Tangata’s brain fade in the final 90 seconds, a nerveless Patton stepped up to secure a share of the spoils.

Jordan Lilley salutes the passionate Odsal crowd at the end of a dramatic encounter yesterday. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

BULLS: Holmes, Blackmore, Arundel, Gill, Foggin-Johnston, Patton, Lilley, Baldwinson, Flanagan Sr, Lawrence, Butler, Thompson, Appo.

Interchanges: England, Scurr, Rogers, Segeyaro. 18th man: Matongo.

HALIFAX: Woodburn-Hall, Walmsley, Crooks, Tibbs, Saltonstall, Jouffret, Wood, Calcott, Moore, Murray, Kavanagh, Gee, Larroyer.

Interchanges: O’Brien, Tangata, Lannon, McComb. 18th man: Fleming.

BULLS MAN OF THE MATCH: James Segeyaro.