Bradford Bulls thump Dewsbury Rams after fine last half-hour

Bradford knew a victory would put them on the brink of qualifying for the Betfred Championship play-offs and they could not have had a much better opportunity for the two points, hosting a Dewsbury side who had lost 20 of their 21 league games going into the fixture.

Bulls unsurprisingly started on the front foot and only a superb last-ditch tackle by Jack Billington stopped Jayden Okunbor going over in the right corner from Tom Holmes' pass.

But soon Dewsbury had a big overlap on the left as they hunted a shock lead, only to be denied by a trademark piece of defending from Okunbor, who thumped into Calum Turner as he looked to offload and send Perry Whiteley in at the corner.

The Rams then put a lovely move together down the short side and looked to be in five metres out on the right, with Bulls lucky that Lewis Carr dropped the ball forwards on the run.

Bradford cleared their heads and went in front shortly after, as Okunbor got them going.

He leapt like a salmon to claim Lee Gaskell's towering high kick, which left full back Turner out of action.

The winger flicked it to John Davies on his left, he fed Gaskell, and the half back found Dan Smith, allowing the prop to stroll in from 10 metres out.

Jordan Lilley converted with ease on his 200th career appearance, as Bulls moved into a 6-0 lead.

It was a special night for Jordan Lilley, and he went on to mark it in style. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

But Dewsbury were not going anywhere, with Jacob Hookem denied on the line after a scoop and go, then Marcus Walker being brought down centimetres short.

And with Bulls struggling to create, just like against Doncaster five days prior, it took a moment of magic from Tom Holmes to allow the hosts to double their lead.

He scooped up a grubber five metres in front of his own line and then burst away down the right.

The full back ran the length of the field, outpacing the Dewsbury defence, and cut inside at the last to give Lilley a slightly easier conversion attempt, which was nailed for 12-0.

That allowed Bradford to breathe easier in the second half, and they went further in front eight minutes after the break.

Franklin Pele got fed 10 metres or so out and despite four or five Dewsbury defenders converging to stop him, they did not come close to doing so, and he barged through like a tank, before falling over the line to score.

With their straps now hit, Bradford quickly increased their advantage.

Ebon Scurr came agonisingly close to bursting through a gap to score, only to be tugged back desperately five metres out.

Ebon Scurr was denied once close in, but he was soon back for more, as Bulls put relentless pressure on the Dewsbury line after the break. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

The reprieve was only temporary, as Tyran Ott scooped up off the back of that and flew over the whitewash.

Lilley converted both efforts neatly from the inside left channel to keep up his perfect record, making the score 24-0.

Pele then lit up the night with a stunning try that showcased both his power and skill.

Lilley popped the ball to him with nothing on 20 metres out, but he produced a sensational run, cutting across to the left, leaving Dewsbury bodies scattered all over the floor and jinking through to score.

That assist for Lilley was backed up by another good conversion from him, putting Bradford into the thirties.

And after his former team-mate Matt Garside was well held up, Lilley was soon in the action again, as he was tackled but dragged himself forward to 10 metres out.

He then worked the ball to Dan Smith, who popped a pass up for Scurr, and the homegrown forward went over to score on his return after a couple of months out.

Lilley’s conversion swerved over the posts beautifully, putting Bradford 36-0 ahead.

Dewsbury had had Paul Sykes sent to the sin-bin for dissent moments before that score, so it was no surprise the Bulls continued to press home their increasing advantage.

Sam Hallas’ great defensive work led to the next score, as he forced a Dewsbury error about 15 metres out.

Bradford used the subsequent scrum effectively, which led to Holmes running at the line before feeding centre Romain Franco, with the Frenchman crashing over in the corner for a try on debut.

Lilley swung over a superb kick from the left touchline, but his next attempt was far easier, and came less than a minute later.

Carr attempted to knock the kick off back to another Dewsbury player, but he could only watch in horror as the ball bounced up perfectly for hungry Frenchman Franco, who stormed through from halfway before cutting inside to score by the posts.

It was an evening to remember for Romain Franco (centre) who scored two tries in as many minutes on his Bulls debut. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

After landing perhaps the quickest debut brace in history, Franco’s team-mate Lilley was on hand to knock over the extras to put Bradford 48-0 in front.

And Bradford hit their half-century with the last play of the game.

The superb Pele used his power to hold off the tackling defenders, before managing to offload to Keven Appo for Bulls’ ninth score.

A needless melee followed in the in-goal area, with referee Ryan Cox deciding not to punish anyone.

So it was left to Lilley to have the last word, as he cracked over the conversion to complete his perfect night in front of 3,006 jubilant supporters.

BULLS: Holmes, Okunbor, Myers, Franco, J. Smith, Gaskell, Lilley, Makin, Ott, D. Smith, J. Davies, Appo, Hallas. Interchanges: Scurr, Fulton, Mason, Pele. 18th man: Doro.

DEWSBURY: Turner, Carr, Graham, M. Walker, Whiteley, Sykes, Hookem, Morris, C. Davies, J. Walker, Billington, Garside, Silk. Interchanges: Tomlinson, Ferguson, Dixon, Field. 18th man: Briggs.

BULLS MAN OF THE MATCH: Franklin Pele.