Wakefield Trinity 26 Bradford Bulls 14

The Wildcats finally ended the longest losing run in Super League, having lost their last nine games – their last win was a 13-10 win over Huddersfield Giants back on June 12 – and what a time to finally produce the goods.

Last night’s victory over Bradford saw Wakefield leapfrog Crusaders at the bottom of Super League and give Kear the satisfaction of ending his five-year tenure at Belle Vue having avoided the embarrassment of finishing rock bottom.

Trinity yesterday announced Hull FC coach Richard Agar would be taking over from Kear in 2012.

The 39-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Wildcats.

Wakefield chairman Andrew Glover said: “I’m very happy with this great appointment.

“We have interviewed many people and Richard has shone through as the best for the job.”

Agar, a former player with Featherstone, Widnes, Rochdale and Dewsbury, added: “Wakefield is a club with a very rich history and a very proud heritage and I’m extremely honoured to have been offered this position.”

It was clearly going to be an emotional night at Belle Vue as 29-year-old Trinity full-back Matt Blaymire, forced to retire from the sport due to injury, was given a guard of honour as he entered the famous old arena before kick-off.

There was no pre-match fanfare for Kear though, the Wildcats head coach keen to keep the focus on the team ahead of this must-win match.

A contest between two teams who had only won 15 games between them all season – neighbours Huddersfield Giants have won 16 on their own – was never going to be a classic, and the opening period was attritional stuff.

The closest either side came to breaking down some resilient defence was when the Bulls sprang clear down the right, but Olivier Elima was unable to take hold of the ball and the chance was wasted.

If Trinity were to win they would have to end a five-match losing run to Bradford in Super League. The Wildcats’ last win was 24-22 at Belle Vue on April 13, 2009.

But the hosts broke the deadlock after 15 minutes after some impressive work from Jeremy Smith. Several times the Wakefield stand-off probed away, before finally sending in Paul Johnson to drive over the line, taking several Bulls tacklers with him.

Shad Royston – playing his 200th appearance in the British game after spells at Batley, Doncaster and Halifax – came close to an instant reply for the visitors but the full-back was dragged to the ground by Tommy Lee before Trinity grabbed a second try.

A lung-bursting break from full-back Motu Tony gave Wakefield great field position, allowing Ryan Tongia to squeeze over in the left-hand corner.

Josh Veivers converted the first try to give Wakefield a 10-0 lead, but Bradford hit back with two tries in as many minutes.

Veivers failed to wrap up Gareth Raynor in the tackle, the ball being flicked out to scrum-half Kyle Briggs who scampered over.

It seemed to galvanise the visitors and they scored on their next attack, Ben Jeffries slipping in Shaun Ainscough at the opposite corner.

Pat Ah Van failed with both conversion attempts, but suddenly the game had sparked into life and the five minutes before the interval saw both sides run the ball as they looked to take the initiative.

The hosts had a Smith effort ruled out before Tony once again sprinted away, the ball eventually being carried over by Michael Korkidas. Veivers’s conversion stretched Wakefield’s lead to 16-8 at the half-time hooter.

Wakefield were denied another ‘try’ of the evening when Zongia, the impressive 21-year-old former Cronulla Sharks winger, crossed only to be called back for a forward pass.

But they were piling pressure on the Bradford defence and Ben Gledhill was held just short before the impressive Smith picked out Lee, who powered over for Wakefield’s fourth try. Veivers made it 22-8 with his conversion.

Royston celebrated his milestone night with a Bulls breakaway try, Ah Van adding the conversion and had Wakefield fans looking nervously at the clock as the game entered the final 10 minutes.

It took a Julien Rinaldi try in the final two minutes to finally settle home nerves and secure victory, Korkidas missing the conversion.

But it mattered not, Wakefield were off the bottom of Super League and Kear was given a warm farewell by the Belle Vue faithful.

Wakefield Trinity: Tony, Morton, Veivers, Griffin, Tongia, Smith, Lee, Amor, Rinaldi, Higgins, Mariano, Morrison, Johnson. Substitutes: Korkidas, Howarth, Gledhill, Wildie.

Bradford Bulls: Royston, Ainscough, Sykes, Ah Van, Raynor, Jeffries, Briggs, Lynch, Addy, Hargreaves, Elima, Bateman, Langley. Substitutes: Walker, Crossley, O’Brien, Burgess.

Referee: P Bentham (RFL).