LILLEY IS BACK AS BULLS BEAT BULLDOGS

A late Jordan Lilley drop goal – on his return from injury – secured a dramatic 21-20 win over Batley Bulldogs in a pulsating encounter yesterday afternoon.

Aaron Murphy went over early on, but Batley hit back soon after through Josh Hodson after Dec Patton was sin-binned for a professional foul. 

Former bull Lucas Walshaw handed Batley the lead, but the scores were level at the break when Thomas Doyle was sent through a gap by Lilley.

Bradford then started the second half in the same vein, as Dec Patton’s penalty and Liam Tindall’s superb solo effort pushed our advantage to eight. 

Batley hit back through Alistair Leak, and a Gilmore penalty goal but it wasn’t enough as Jordan Lilley hit a fantastic 40m drop goal to secure the win. 

John Kear handed influential half Lilley his first start after his pre-season injury, and it didn’t take long for him to have an impact on proceedings.

Lilley spread the ball wide for Murphy, who touched down for his first of the season. 

Patton was sent for 10 after a professional foul, and Batley took advantage through Hodson, who supported a break to score. 

The visitors then took the lead, as Walshaw crashed over from close range, but Doyle, found space to race through and level the scores before the break. 

After the interval, Bradford caught Batley cold, as Patton slotted over a penalty goal, and then on the next set Tindall raced away and scored to stretch the gap. 

Meadows was then sent for 10, but with Bradford unable to capitalise Batley found themselves over the line. 

Leak darted past Doyle and reached out to score to reduce the arrears. 

Murphy was then the next man in the bin, and Gilmore added the two to level the scores. 

Then came the winning moment, fifteen from time as the returning Lilley slotted over a drop goal to secure Bradford’s first home league victory of 2022. 

BRADFORD BULLS – Elliot Kear, Liam Tindall, Aaron Murphy, Kieran Gill, Ryan Millar, Jordan Lilley, Dec Patton, Steve Crossley, Thomas Doyle, Ant Walker, Chester Butler, Sam Scott, Jarrod O’Connor. 

INTERCHANGES – George Flanagan, Ebon Scurr, Rhys Evans, Dan Fleming. 

TRIES 

Aaron Murphy, Tom Doyle, Liam Tindall 

GOALS 

Dec Patton 3/3 

PENALTY GOALS 

Dec Patton 1/1 

DROP GOALS 

Jordan Lilley 1/1

BATLEY BULLDOGS – Luke Hooley, Joshua Hodson, George Senior, Lucas Walshaw, Perry Whiteley, James Meadows, Tom Gilmore, Adam Gledhill, Oliver Burton, Toby Everett, Kieran Buchanan, Dane Manning, Ben White. 

INTERCHANGES – Alistair Leak, Michael Ward, Jack Blagbrough, Louis Collinson. 

TRIES 

Joshua Hodson, Lucas Walshaw, Alistair Leak 

GOALS 

Tom Gilmore 

3/3

PENALTY GOALS

Tom Gilmore

1/1