Bradford finally hit form as they registered their first Super League win of the season against Castleford. Matt Orford was instrumental as the hosts ran in seven tries with the Aussie scrum half in fine form with the boot to help move the Bulls away from the foot of the table. The game had been in doubt due to the freezing temperatures and less than ideal playing surface, but it did not impact on the quality of rugby on show.
Bradford opened up an early lead thanks to a superb try from Nick Scruton that was quickly followed by an equally sublime score from Rikki Sherrife who latched onto some fine interplay between Orford and Steve Menzies to cross. Further scores from Elliot Whitehead and Brett Kearney followed though tries from Michael Shenton and Richard Owen kept the visitors in the game at the break despite a killer drop goal from Orford on the stroke of half time. Kearney, Dave Halley and a final try from Paul Sykes rounded off a comprehensive victory for the Bulls with Castleford's misery worsened when the talented Owen was stretchered off the field with a suspected broken leg following a challenge with Glenn Hall.
Bulls head coach Steve McNamara was happy to bounce back from two successive defeats though he admitted the defending was far from its best. He said, “We asked for a response. And I thought we were pretty good, although disappointed with four tries conceded, three of them from kicks.”
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