Bradford Bulls 8 Hull KR 34: Bradford’s season at an end as Rovers eye play-offs

Such is the beauty of the play-off system that most teams have something to play for heading into the final weeks of the campaign even if it is lower down the Super League table.

However, as the chase yesterday heated up for that crucial remaining play-off spot, it was effectively the last chance saloon for both Bradford Bulls and Hull KR.

Eventually, courtesy of far more clinical play, it was the East Yorkshire club who emerged on top and kept their season alive, staying just a point behind Hull with three games remaining.

For woeful Bradford – who should have led more than 8-6 at half-time given their rivals’ shocking handling – there are no reprieves, rooted in 11th and destined for a third successive season without knock-out football.

After a long, arduous season of general under-performance, their supporters may not be too upset at the prospect. The meek second- half capitulation was awful.

The hosts were without both first-choice hookers with Matt Diskin and Heath L’Estrange injured, so they relied upon Danny Addy, 20, and 18-year-old Adam O’Brien at dummy-half.

Each showed some promising touches but Bradford badly needed someone to take control of a contest which was well within their grasp.

Unfortunately, no-one, including half-back pair Ben Jeffries or Marc Herbert, could do so – it has been their problem all season – and Rovers were allowed to overcome a calamitous first half to take command with unanswered tries from Blake Green, Scott Murrell, Peter Fox, Josh Hodgson and Kris Welham.

Bradford thought they had gone ahead as early as the third minute when Elliott Whitehead – one player who could hold his head high – picked up a swift Patrick Ah Van play-the-ball and plunged for the line but the video referee rightly ruled he spilled possession onto Welham’s leg.

Gareth Raynor had to stay alert to deny Sam Latus after the Hull KR winger tried getting on his outside following Dobson’s 40/20 kick but it was Bradford who did make the first breakthrough with an eighth-minute Ah Van penalty.

Rovers full-back Shaun Briscoe, having put his side under pressure by losing possession on the first tackle, then atoned by bravely mopping up Herbert’s dangerous grubber while Fox, the winger who will return to Wakefield next season, made a series of crucial well-judged defensive decisions to come in off his flank and deny further Bradford promise.

However, the ex-England man was at fault when breaking clear and trying to round Kearney instead of supplying the supporting Murrell, Rovers’ indifferent start continuing when Hodgson lost possession on the first tackle after a penalty.

Bradford capitalised, Michael Platt finding space down the blindside before unleashing Herbert who raced 40m to score his first try at Odsal, Ah Van converting the 16th-minute effort from wide out. Kearney’s dropped ball gave Rovers a chance to respond but again they fluffed, the usually reliable Green ushering a pass forward to Clint Newton.

Andy Lynch stormed through the weak Rovers middle to put Kearney haring away, Hodgson just managing to cling onto the Australian full-back leaving the home faithful sensing they may eventually pay for such misses.

The excellent Whitehead rocked Dobson with one huge tackle, the scrum-half perhaps still dazed when his pass that put Ben Galea was pulled back for being marginally forward. Galea then spilled another standard pass as the visitors struggled to impose themselves at all, Dobson clearly out of sorts with another forward delivery.

They finally got their link right in the 33rd minute when, after O’Brien was penalised for interfering with Welham, Dobson’s flat pass confused Bradford and Galea surged through to step Kearney, Dobson’s kick making it 8-6.

Whitehead produced another punishing hit on Galea, taking the ball as well, only to see Olivier Elima waste his hard work and, as half-time approached, it was clear whoever could start controlling possession would eventually pull clear.

Bradford did little to prove they were capable of that when they committed rugby suicide early in the second half – missing touch with a penalty.

From there, the elusive Green showed too much pace to get on the outside of Elima and Murrell backed up on his shoulder to scramble over at the side of the posts, Dobson improving in the 42nd minute.

They were equally as slack just two minutes later when Herbert’s hanging kick bounced in the Rovers’ 20 and no one committed. Welham hacked it on to turn defence into attack, Fox running in from 40m to leave Bradford broken, Dobson’s conversion seeing them suddenly trail 18-8.

A quality flick pass from Jake Webster nearly furnished Latus with a fourth try and, likewise, Platt tried a similar effort at the other end but to no avail.

Bradford managed to gain plenty of territory in the final quarter but continually failed to create, Raynor’s slip pass for a darting Jeffries one rare opportunity ended by Briscoe.

Instead, Hodgson’s cleverness saw him cross in the 70th minute after kicking ahead and touching down, Dobson converting, before Welham stormed on to Dobson’s fine pass for his 22nd try of the season.

Green completed when he dummied and broke more feeble defence at the death, Dobson’s kick completing the rout.

Bradford: Kearney; Ah Van, Whitehead, Platt, Raynor; Jeffries, Herbert; Lynch, Addy, Hargreaves, Elima, Sibbit, Langley. Substitutes: Scruton, Kopczak, O’Brien, Burgess.

Hull KR: Briscoe; Fox, Welham, Webster, Latus; Green, Dobson Vella, Hodgson, Taylor, Newton, Galea, Watts. Substitutes: Murrell, Cox, Fisher, Wheeldon.