YOUNG BULLS HOLD FIRM TO DOWN AIRLIE BIRDS

A youthful Bradford Bulls ran out 34-32 winners over Hull FC in a thrilling pre-season clash at Odsal Stadium this afternoon.

Eamon O’Carroll welcomed back Daniel Smith into his starting line up and also gave starts to a number of youngsters including Sam Ackroyd and Dan Moss in the halves.  

The Airlie Birds flew out of the starting blocks and opened the scoring two minutes in, when Lennon Bursell stretched out to touch down. 

Bradford responded immediately, and in style, with three quick fire tries. The first of which came from Smith, as he collected a pass from Flanagan, spun and dived over for his first in the red, amber and black. 

Flanagan then turned scorer as a superb passing move that featured five offloads resulted in the hooker touching down under the sticks.  

Joe Arundel then dived over on the power play with the Bulls rampant, following quick work around the ruck from Ackroyd.  

Things got even better for the home side when Smith grabbed his second on the back of a superb one handed pass from Keven Appo.  

And on the hooter, the industrial Brad England got himself on the scoresheet, grounding over his shoulder in superb fashion. 

The visitors started the second half in the same vein as the begun the first and grabbed two quick scores of their own.  

Lennon Clark crashed over from close range initially, before Zach Jebson reduced the arrears further.  

The Bulls begun to ring the changes and one of those changes were next to break the deadlock.  

Jamie Gill, on just his second senior appearance, went on a barnstorming run and couldn’t be stopped from 10 metres out.

The visitors scored three tries without response, with the arrears down to just two points before the final conversion attempt on the hooter, which would've levelled the scores, drifted wide.

BRADFORD BULLS: Billy Jowitt, Will Oakes, Joe Arundel, Will Adams, Mackenzie Scurr, Daniel Moss, Sam Ackroyd, Dan Okoro, George Flanagan, Daniel Smith, Brad England, Eliot Peposhi, Keven Appo. INTERCHANGES: Jaden Barraclough, Jacob Bateman, Ethan Newboult, Finley Balback, Dom Waites, Jamie Gill, Bailey Arnold, Harry Gray.

TRIES: Smith (2), Arundel, England, Flanagan, J. Gill

GOALS: Jowitt 4/5