Bradford Bulls 34 Wakefield Wildcats 26: Bulls cast money fears aside to beat Wildcats

The cash-strapped Bulls, who face the prospect of entering administration tomorrow, trailed by two points at half-time but scored two tries to one and added a couple of penalties in the second half to edge home.

It was a second narrow defeat in a week for the Wildcats who, after three straight wins, went down to a 44-40 defeat at Leeds last Monday.

Yesterday, Wakefield came from 18-6 down with three tries in 13 minutes to lead 20-18 at the break but failed to keep the momentum going after the interval.

Mick Potter said: “We’re getting a few results and there’s nothing we can do about the situation.

“All we can do is keep getting on with what we are paid to do, which is doing our best out on the field.

“I’m more than happy that we got two points today, although there’s still a lot to work on.

“Our players definitely tried their hardest but our execution in play was a mixed bag.

“We strive for the best possible result from each play and although it’s not always possible, you don’t stop trying.”

Potter also commended second row-forward Elliott Whitehead for playing, and scoring, despite the death of his father during the week. “We could have given him (Whitehead) more time but he came in Sunday morning and said he wanted to play,” he said.

The Bulls forged an 18-6 lead through tries from Whitehead, Keith Lulia and Shaun Ainscough in the opening quarter.

But Wakefield, who scored an early try from Paul Aiton, hit back with three more touchdowns in a 13-minute spell, from Ben Cockayne, Tim Smith and Frankie Mariano, to lead 20-18 at the break.

Another Lulia try edged the Bulls ahead once more, with Luke Gale adding a conversion and a penalty, only for Kyle Amor’s score and Paul Sykes’ third goal for Wakefield to level things on the hour.

But the Bulls finished the stronger and an Olivier Elima try plus another penalty from Gale, who finished with seven goals from seven attempts in blustery conditions, saw the Bulls home, despite Gale then being sin-binned.

Bradford Bulls: Kearney, Ainscough, Platt, Lulia, Pryce, Jeffries, Gale, Elima, L’Estrange, Hargreaves, Bateman, Whitehead, Langley. Substitutes: Burgess, Manuokafoa, Sammut, Olbison.

Wakefield Trinity: Mathers, Fox, Collis, Mellars, Cockayne, Sykes, Smith, Amor, Aiton, Raleigh, Lauitiiti, Kirmond, Washbrook. Substitutes: Wood, Wilkes, Southern, Mariano.

Referee: R Hicks (Oldham).