Wakefield Trinity 10 Bradford Bulls 29: Bulls show powers of recovery to deny Trinity

Aaron Murphy and Paul Johnson crossed for the Wildcats as they looked to end a run of five straight defeats in all competitions, but after dominating for long periods they allowed Chris Nero over in time added on at the end of the first half.

Steve Menzies then dotted down just after the break, Nero claimed his fifth try in two games, Wayne Godwin scored at the death and Heath L'Estrange helped the Bulls climb to fourth in the table.

Wakefield came in for some heavy pressure early on and it took a marvellous covering tackle from Sean Gleeson to deny Stuart Reardon an early score as he darted for the corner.

But Trinity scored on their first meaningful venture downfield with 10 minutes on the clock. After being awarded a penalty right on the Bradford line, Paul Cooke opted to tap and Sam Obst jinked his way towards the line but came up short.

And when the ball was worked in the opposite direction, 21-year-old rising star Murphy took a great ball from Gleeson and crashed over in one swift movement. Cooke failed to add the extras but succeeded with the boot when the hosts extended their lead in the 16th minute when a quick play-the-ball and a Tevita Leo-Latu pass allowed second row Johnson to burrow his way over.

Bradford hit back in the fifth minute of added time when Nero took Sykes's pass and squeezed over in the corner, although the hooter had already gone when Sykes struck his unsuccessful conversion.

The Bulls needed just two second-half minutes to score again.

After Wakefield coughed up possession near their own try-line, L'Estrange produced a clever little grubber through and 36-year-old Menzies won the race to plant the ball on the line for a try converted by Sykes.

Bradford scored again four minutes later when full-back Dave Halley cleverly drew the defence into the middle of the park before the ball found its way to eventual try-scorer Nero.

Still with plenty to do Nero scorched past Damien Blanch and arrowed for the line with Murphy looking to force him into touch. Sykes missed the conversion but added a penalty and kicked a drop-goal with 15 minutes remaining.

Wakefield needed to muster a quick response but the points were all but secured when Godwin scampered over from acting half-back in the closing stages, using captain Andy Lynch as his foil for a try converted by Sykes.

L'Estrange rubbed further salt into Wakefield's wounds as he touched down his own kick through which struck the posts with seconds remaining.

Wakefield Trinity: Murphy, George, Gleeson, Demetriou, Blanch, Cooke, Obst, Korkidas, Leo-Latu, King, Johnson, Ferguson, Kirmond. Substitutes: Morton, Moore, Gledhill, Henderson.

Bradford Bulls: Halley, Sheriffe, Platt, Nero, Reardon, Sykes, Kearney, Scruton, L'Estrange, Lynch, Whitehead, Worrincy, Menzies. Substitutes: Godwin, Donaldson, Hall, Kopczak.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham).