Bradford Bulls 0 Crusaders 19: Impotent Bulls left point-less by Welsh wonders

Steve McNamara's side arrived at Murrayfield hoping to stretch their unbeaten run to six games but failed miserably with an error-strewn display.

The one positive for Bradford is they know they cannot play as badly again this season.

This opening game of Magic Weekend saw them devoid of any magic whatsoever and their Wrexham-based opponents made the most of their malaise.

Bradford simply could never get fully into their stride and Michael Witt, Crusaders' Australian stand-off, inspired Brian Noble's side to their fifth victory of the campaign.

Paul Sykes made a break as early as the second minute but it came to nothing and it would prove the case all afternoon as the West Yorkshire club was shut out for the first time since losing 30-0 at home to Leeds in 2006.

Even when Brett Kearney got over in the 68th minute it needed Crusaders centre Vince Mellars to create the chance – ripping possession off Steve Menzies to give the full-back sight of the line – and then it was ruled out because he dropped the ball diving for the corner.

Trailing just 13-0 at that stage, a score could have transformed their fortunes but, three minutes later, Crusaders sealed their success with a wonder-try from debutant Jarrod Sammut.

The Australian scrum-half had only arrived on Friday morning after signing from Penrith Panthers but showed no sign of jet-lag as first he brilliantly kept hold of Weller Havraki's inside pass and then chipped over Kearney before re-gathering to score as the ball eluded Jason Crookes.

Witt converted and it was his involvement which proved decisive in the first half.

He scored the game's opening try on 23 minutes although it was orchestrated by former Wales rugby union captain Gareth Thomas who is quickly emerging as a fine Super League player.

Thomas rose to take Matt Orford's wayward kick – the Bulls' kicking game was turgid throughout – and sprinted 60 metres before finally being hauled down by Dave Halley.

However, a quick play-the-ball saw Nick Youngquest feed in Witt with the Bulls defence still recovering.

Witt improved the score but Crusaders were fortunate that Bradford wasted plenty of promising positions before the break.

Wayne Godwin tried to get captain Andy Lynch barging over when a pass the other way would have seen Bulls score, Sykes was held just short in a double tackle by Thomas and the excellent Clinton Schifkofske and then James Donaldson opted to try and barrel his way through on the last tackle only to easily be repelled.

Bradford's last-play options were consistently dubious with both Sykes and Orford struggling and, as soon as the Crusaders escaped, Witt tagged on a drop goal two minutes before the break.

He was then gifted a second try just moments before the hooter when Orford stood back and let Mellars gather Witt's kick.

The centre squeezed out an off-load and Witt scrambled over, his second conversion making it 13-0 at the break.

Bradford – who had seen Michael Platt pull up with a heel injury in the warm-up prompting Crookes' late inclusion – failed to find touch with a penalty early in the second half and their handling mistakes continued to increase.

Craig Kopczak, Mike Worrincy and Sykes all fumbled in promising positions and when second-rower Elliott Whitehead took it upon himself to sort out their kicking game, performing a delicate chip which Kearney gathered, they lacked the support to finish.

Whitehead had found himself kicking because Orford had departed with a shoulder injury just before the hour mark and, next up, fellow back-rower Steve Menzies tried his luck. The former Manly star sliced his kick horribly but it bounced kindly for Sheriffe who managed to retrieve the situation and hack further infield forcing a drop out.

However, another spilled pass saw Bradford fail to convert the pressure again. And so it went on.

Crusaders continued to defend well and were well-organised throughout, as expected with all Noble-coached teams.

Their Australian influence – there were just three British players in their side on Saturday – is certainly helping them and their improvement is marked compared to last season's opening campaign.

The forceful Jason Chan continually proved a handful – his neat pass had seen Mellars nearly go over in the first half – and in Witt they have a genuine playmaker.

However, after Kearney saw his effort chalked off and Sammutt produced his piece of genius, bemused Bradford were left with nothing but a long trip back to Odsal.

They face Leigh there in the Carnegie Challenge Cup on Friday with McNamara hoping the problems they encountered in Scotland are quickly rectified.

Bradford: Kearney; Sheriffe, Crookes, Nero, Halley; Sykes, Orford; Scruton, L'Estrange, Lynch, Whitehead, Donaldson, Menzies. Substitutes: Godwin, Worrincy, Hall, Kopczak.

Crusaders: Schifkofske; Thomas, Mellars, Hanbury, Youngquest; Witt, Lupton; O'Hara, Withers, BryantHavraki, Chan, Trimarchi. Substitutes: Sammut, Peek, Thackray, Winterstein.

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).