Bradford Bulls 34 Whitehaven 4: Gaskell hat-trick registers Bulls’ first victory

The Kingstone Press Championship newcomers, with designs on climbing back to Super League at the first attempt, generally outplayed their part-time visitors.

Gaskell shone through the Odsal gloom – cold and rain – to score 18 points through his three tries and three goals, while having a huge hand in the Bulls’ first touchdown.

Other tries came from Adrian Purtell, Jay Pitts and Adam Sidlow, plus two conversions from Harry Siejka.

It was a quarter of an hour before Gaskell juggled an off-load into his grasp and split the defence to enable the supporting Purtell to break the deadlock. Siejka failed to add the conversion but moments later Haven full-back Ben Milburn was left stranded by a wicked bounce and Pitts pounced to extend the Bulls advantage, with Siejka this time having no trouble with the kick.

Haven responded with Jesse Joe Parker’s try just after the half-hour mark and went in at the break trailing only 10-4.

Bradford restored their superiority with a forceful break from Pitts which provided Gaskell’s first try.

A fumble from Wakefield loanee Kyle Trout, deep in his own 20, then helped gift Bradford another score, with swift hands from Adam O’Brien and Pitts helping Gaskell to his second.

Lucas Walshaw and Etu Uaisele were both held up before Gaskell completed his hat-trick after collecting a Siejka grubber kick in-goal.

Gareth O’Brien put Sidlow over after a rousing 50m break from Siejka, who had intercepted a pass from former Hull and Castleford half-back Brett Seymour, now a player and assistant caretaker coach alongside James Coyle in Cumbria.

Bradford: Mullaney; Uaisele, Purtell, Baile, Williams; Gaskell, Jiejka; Clough, O’Brien, Sidlow, Olbison, Pitts, Walker. Substitutes: Tahraoui, Walshaw, Shaw, Mellor.

Whitehaven: Milburn; Lepori, Hulme, Parker, Wilde; Gore, Seymour; Trout, Coyle, Johnson, McAvoy, Aiye, Allen. Substitutes: Carberry, Fox, Hepi, Holliday.

Referee: C Kendall (Huddersfield).