Dewsbury Rams 18 Bradford Bulls 52 - Five-try Welham punishes Rams as ruthless Bradford win in style

KRIS WELHAM: The former Super League winger crossed for five tries for Bradford Bulls.

However, the final scoreline was harsh on Dewsbury, who only trailed by two points at half-time, following an excellent display.

The game changed three minutes into the second half as a Dewsbury kick appeared to be knocked down by Omari Caro.

Super League referee James Child waved play on, instead of awarding Dewsbury a scrum, and the Bulls winger was allowed to gather and race the length of the field to score and convert.

Another long-range try from Caro, plus Alex Mellor’s try, saw Bradford score three tries in eight second-half minutes to put them 31-12 ahead.

Dewsbury’s understrength side tired in the final quarter as Bradford scored a further four tries in the space of 12 minutes.

A long pass sent Welham through a gap to complete his hat-trick, after the powerful centre had grabbed two first half tries.

Welham forced his way over for a fourth try after 66 minutes, which Danny Addy converted, and after James Clare barged his way over, Welham added a fifth.

The Rams led inside 90 seconds when Bradford knocked on in their first set. Paul Sykes and Jason Crookes linked to sent Dalton Grant diving in at the left corner, with Sykes converting.

Welham stormed through a Dewsbury tackle and raced over for a try converted by Addy.

After substitute Jack Teanby was twice held close, Rams’ Joel Farrell forced his way over and Sykes converted for a 12-6 lead.

Welham charged over for his second before Lee Gaskell intercepted a pass to score a 75-metre try which edged the Bulls ahead at half-time.

Caro’s disputed try took the wind out of the Rams sails and Bradford proved clinical late on.

Dewsbury Rams: Guzdek; Morton, Crookes, Grady, Grant; Jackson, Hemingway, Hepworth, Hale, Farrell, L Adamson. Substitutes: Conroy, Teanby, Trout, Tonks.

Bradford Bulls: Clare; Caro, Oakes, Welham, Ryan; Gaskell, Purtell; Gaskell, Purtell; Clough; Lumb, Fleming, Pitts, Ferguson, Addy. Substitutes: Olbison, Clark, O’Brien, Mellor.

Referee: J Child (RFL).