Bulls’ lethargy sees them become lowly Crusaders’ first victims

There had been genuine fears that new franchise Celtic Crusaders could go the entire Super League season without picking up even a solitary win.

Given eight of their Australians only arrived five days before the start of the campaign due to visa problems, their preparations had not been ideal and they were always catching up.

Chief executive David Thompson departed just three days prior to the kick-off against Leeds Rhinos, the expansionists were blighted with problems and so the RFL must have dreaded some severe embarrassment.

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When the Welsh club controversially earned a licence in 2008, winning a top-flight place at the expense of traditional stalwarts Widnes Vikings and despite being only three years in existence, some privately hoped they would suffer from the start and ultimately they did.

However, having lost a dozen successive Super League games and being dumped out of the Challenge Cup by Hull KR, they finally got things right on this visit to Odsal.

Inevitably, Celtic would eventually win – they had lost just 4-0 at home to St Helens and were unlucky not to prosper at Warrington, where their innate competitiveness showed – and it was Bulls who suffered the ignominy of becoming their first victims.

It still came as a surprise. John Dixon’s team had seen Tony Duggan, their most potent attacker, ruled out for the season building up to the match and faced a side boasting an all-international pack including such luminaries as Steve Menzies, Terry Newton and Sam Burgess.

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In recent weeks, Steve McNamara had also seen his side defeat champions Leeds Rhinos, win at Grand Finalists St Helens and dominate Wakefield in Edinburgh. However, none of that meant anything as lacklustre Bradford simply failed to get going against the visitors.

They were behind inside nine minutes when Chris Beasley crossed, latching on to Jace van Dijk’s kick as Dave Halley flapped, and the Welsh never trailed from that moment.

Crusaders built up an 8-6 interval lead with Josh Hannay’s two penalties, sloppy Bradford simply grateful for Andy Lynch’s try seconds before the hooter.

Their expected renaissance never materialised, due to their own lethargy and their opponents’ two quickfire tries and superb defence.

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David Tangata-Toa barged over soon after the break and then Lincoln Withers raced on to another probing kick by Matty Smith, the on-loan St Helens scrum-half whose outstanding kicking game Bradford failed to counter. Hannay converted both scores to make it 20-6 after 50 minutes, earning Dixon’s side their finest chance yet of earning that coveted first win.

Ben Jeffries set up Mike Worrincy as Bradford finally found some fluency, Paul Deacon slotting his second conversion, but their determined opponents proved resolute, responding quickly when ex-Castleford winger Luke Dyer brilliantly and acrobatically touched down Van Dijk’s kick.

Jeffries created a try for Menzies and Paul Sykes exploited a rare gap to make things nervy towards the end, Hannay notching a long-range penalty in between.

But Celtic’s historic triumph was confirmed when Dyer scrambled over in the final seconds sparking wild celebrations from their small but vocal band of loyal supporters.

However, it was a false dawn; Celtic only won twice more that year, against Wigan and Salford.