Hunslet 20 Bradford Bulls 38

After a disastrous first 20 minutes where Hunslet fans were in fear of a rout against the Championship favourites, the Parksiders turned in a determined performance to silence the huge Bulls contingent.

Bradford are aiming for Super League this year, but the Championship new boys showed they won’t be pushovers in what is already looking like a fantastically competitive division.

It only took Bradford 3 minutes to score when a long ball to Jorge Taufua enabled the big man to go over in the corner. It got worse for Hunslet when, 2 minutes later Tyran Ott made a break before James Meadows stepped round Billy Jowitt at full-back to score. Lilley converting 0-10

Hunslet had no ball, either conceding repeated sets or being penalised, and on 9 minutes Ebon Scurr got the ball out for Uili Liu to score. 0-16

Liu made it a brace on 16 minutes as he found a huge gap in the home defence to score. 0-22

So far, so easy for Bradford. But things took a turn on 21 minutes when Hunslet’s Noah Booth read a pass and intercepted, going 80 yards to outpace the Bulls defence. Beharrell converting 6-22.

Hunslet were now seeing some ball and Mackenzie Scurr threatened before the ball went to ground. Bradford scored a fairly soft try on 31 minutes as Jordan Lilley sidestepped from the scrum to score after Hunslet had knocked-on near their own line. 6-28

Jordan Lilley added two more on the hooter after Hunslet were penalised, and the Bulls led at the interval 6-30.

After a bit of a regroup and some determination, Hunslet started the second half well. An early attack was unlucky to break down when a ball went to ground with the line open and, although Bradford were penalised for a double movement after sieging Hunslet’s line, it was fairly even.

On 52 minutes, Bradford looked to have broken the home resistance when Franklin Pele was too strong close to the line, and although unconverted the Bulls led 6-34.

Bradford knocked on from the re-start, but Hunslet’s attack in the right corner was foiled by good defence.

On 59 minutes, another Bulls mistake was punished as Lachlan Henneghan released a ball for Mackenzie Scurr to score. Beharrell converting 12-34.

This seemed to up Hunslets’ confidence as Henneghan charged down a Bulls kick and the Parksiders forced a drop-out. Zach Fishwick plowed through the Bradford defence before a slipped pass saw Greg Eden score in the corner. 16-34

The game was getting testy with both sets of forwards getting at each other and Kevin Larroyer having a good game against his former club.

On 72 minutes again Henneghan was involved as Liam Welham (who had run strongly all day) dived over for a try to make it 20-34.

Another Hunslet try now, and it really would be interesting, but on 77 minutes on the last tackle, quick hands sent Jorge Taufua over in the right corner for his second try of the day. 20-38

A Hunslet bomb caused panic in the Bradford defence late on, but it nearly ended in another Bradford try as the bounce went the Bulls way.

However, on the hooter the points went as expected to Bradford. Hunslet will rue the first 20 minutes and will have to be sharper out of the blocks in upcoming fixtures. But as a squad there are signs that things may come together for this team.

Noah Booth got Sponsors Player of the Match and Matty Beharrell the Phoenix Bar Supporters Man of the Match, but there were also impressive performances from Liam Welham, Lachlan Hennighan and Kobe Rugless.

Next week Hunslet play Widnes in the 1895 Cup at the South Leeds Stadium (March 2nd 3pm).

HUNSLET – Jowitt, Turner, Booth, Eden, Scurr, Hennighan, Beharrell, Larroyer, Whitmore, Fishwick, Welham, Levy, Campbell, Rugless, Hallas, Syme, O’Hanlon, Wood.

BRADFORD BULLS – Holmes, Taufua, Blake, Gill, Armitage, Meadows, Lilley, Scurr, Ott, Lawrence, Fulton, Liu, Michael, Hallas, Waine, Pele, Mason, Gee.

Pictures courtesy of Craig Irvine