Bradford Bulls 48 Cursaders 24: Resurgent Bulls end losing streak as Crusaders crumble

The Bulls last win saw them blanking Huddersfield in July and they had conceded a total of 158 points to Warrington, Hull KR and Wigan since, but they condemned Crusaders to defeat in their penultimate Super League match.

Patrick Ah Van will be given the plaudits after registering 20 points – including a 100 per cent record with the boot – but Ben Jeffries had a hand in several tries to set Mick Potter’s side on their way.

Olivier Elima and Brett Kearney both touched down twice, while there were further scores for Craig Kopczak, Shaun Ainscough, Ah Van and Andy Lynch.

Crusaders twice came from Lloyd White, Stuart Reardon (2), Peter Lupton, and Tony Martin.

Jeffries ghosted through the middle of the Crusaders line before calmly putting Elima through. The visitors levelled proceedings, though, after scrum-half White shrugged off the challenges of a handful of Bradford defenders.

Crusaders could not press the initiative after Clinton Schifcofske had levelled matters with his kick and Elima’s second score handed the initiative back to the Bulls.

Jeffries’s kick was charged down and in the ensuing melee, Bradford claimed possession and spread the ball to the left where Elima took advantage of the stretched defence to cross.

To their credit, Crusaders hit back once more when a passing move along the right ended with Martin cutting the ball inside to the overlapping Reardon to cross.

Schifcofske missed the first conversion of the afternoon and Bradford took full advantage to extend their lead to eight points when Kearney grounded Jeffries’s kick.

Any hopes of Iestyn Harris’s men making a comeback for a third time were dented when substitute Ben Flower was sin-binned for tripping Ainscough.

Kopczak thought he had furthered the Bulls’ advantage but Tom Burgess’s offload to his fellow substitute was forward.

However, Kopczak would not be denied as he burst over near the right-hand post after latching on to Adam O’Brien’s lay-off.

Bradford were certainly starting to warm to their task as Jeffries and Kyle Briggs combined to leave Ainscough with a try.

The winger then showed a great turn of pace to sprint the length of the field after Crusaders had sloppily spilled the ball, although he was then beaten to the ball in the air by Lupton as Crusaders got on the scoreboard in the second half. Lynch barged his way over, while Kearney latched on to Kopczak’s grubber for his second in between Reardon’s dive over the whitewash. Martin ensured Crusaders had the last word with a late try.

Bradford: Kearney, Ah Van, Sykes, Platt, Ainscough, Jeffries, Briggs, Lynch, Addy, Hargreaves, Elima, Sibbit, Langley. Substitutes: Walker, Kopczak, O’Brien, Burgess.

Crusaders: Schifcofske, Reardon, Martin, Mellars, Kear, Tansey, White, J. James, Withers, Bryant, Cahill, Chan, Lupton. Substitutes: Flower, L Williams, Johnson, Bracek.

Referee: R Hicks (Oldham).