BULLS STORM PAST HURRICANES

A second-half blitz saw Bradford Bulls storm past Midlands Hurricanes into the fifth round of the Betfred Challenge Cup courtesy of a 66-18 win.

The two sides traded early scores, with Matty Welham’s diving effort cancelled out by Tom Holmes’ try in the opening quarter. 

Kieran Moran’s spinning effort on the Bradford line handed Midlands their second lead before a Chester Butler brace handed the home side a slender lead at the break. 

A blitz at the start of the second half saw Butler notch his hat trick and Joe Arundel dive over soon after. 

Billy Jowitt marked his return after 412 days out with injury with a quickfire brace, either side of a Myles Lawford try. 

Mark Dunning rung the changes for the Round Four clash, with David Foggin-Johnston, Brad Foster, Jayden Myers, Ben Blackmore, Myles Lawford all returning alongside Billy Jowitt who was making his first team comeback following a succession of injuries. 

Bradford started strong but it would be the visitors to break the deadlock, a looping pass out wide on the powerplay was superbly finished in the corner by Welham.

Back came the home side and parity was restored minutes later, a lovely flowing move through Ebon Scurr and Jordan Lilley ended with Holmes darting through a gap to touch down. 

Midlands re-took the lead on 25 minutes, when Kieran Moran span out of a tackle and touched down on the last. 

Bradford hit back when Tom Holmes put Chester Butler through a gap to level proceedings once again. 

Butler was over on the hooter, Lilley this time with a crash ball to the back rower who had too much for two Midlands defenders, Bradford taking the lead for the first time this afternoon. 

Just tackles into the second half, the influential Holmes darted through a gap to find Butler on his outside to mark his hat-trick. 

On the following set, Lilley this time made the break and found Arundel on his right to dive over unopposed. 

The Bulls were rampant and Jowitt wrestled his way over for a momentous try following his torrid time with injuries. 

Holmes then wreaked havoc and split the Hurricanes defence before finding Lawford on his outside. 

The boot of Holmes then created the next try, with the Midlands’ full-back spilling a kick straight into the hands of Jowitt for this second. 

Fenton Rogers then produced a score out of the George Flanagan Snr handbook for his first in Bradford colours. 

Midlands got a try their endeavour deserved when Callum Dunne raced away on the right flank. 

Holmes was on the end of a lovely move to dot down under the posts following a break from Jordan Lilley. 

The final act came from the home side, going from back to front through numerous hands and finishing with Keven Appo racing clear from 30 metres 

BRADFORD BULLS: Billy Jowitt, Ben Blackmore, Joe Arundel, Jayden Myers, David Foggin-Johnston, Myles Lawford, Tom Holmes, Jordan Baldwinson, Jordan Lilley, Ebon Scurr, Keven Appo, Chester Butler, Brad Foster. INTERCHANGES: Josh Johnson, Jansin Turgut, AJ Wallace, Fenton Rogers. 18^th MAN: George Flanagan Jnr 

TRIES: Holmes (2), Butler (3), Arundel, Jowitt (2), Lawford, Rogers, Appo

GOALS: Lawford (11/11) 

MIDLANDS HURRICANES: Nathan Hill, Callum Dunne, Matthew Welham, Macauley Hallett, Joseph Romeo, Ben Stead, Chris Cullimore, Kieran Moran, Elliott Windley, Sam Bowring, Dominic Flanagan, Aaron Willis, Tyler Hepple. INTERCHANGES: Conner Gilbey, Matthew Bailey, Jack Dawson, Bailey Dawson. 18^th MAN: Jacob Beer 

TRIES: Welham, Moran

GOALS: Stead (2/2)