SECOND HALF BLITZ SECURES SECOND STRAIGHT SEMI

Bradford Bulls booked a place in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup semi-finals with a 36-20 win over Sheffield Eagles at Bartercard Odsal this afternoon.

Brian Noble named an unchanged side from the 17 that took to the field in the win over Featherstone last time out.

In an attritional first half with defences firmly on top, the Eagles found themselves 8-0 to the good thanks to an acrobatic effort from Matty Dawson-Jones and four points from the boot of Cory Aston. 

The Bulls made four changes in the opening forty and one of those substitutes, Nathan Mason, got Bradford on the board with a powerful effort from the close range. 

Lightning struck twice when early in the second half, Mason grabbed his second to take the Bulls into a lead which they would ultimately not surrender. 

Bradford went scored again on the following set when Jordan Lilley poked and collected his own grubber through. 

After a scuffle which saw a player from both sides sent to the sin bin, Luke Hooley kicked the home side two points further in front. 

Dawson-Jones grabbed his second to set up a tense final twenty minutes but back-to-back tries soon after took the game away from the visitors. 

The impressive Jayden Okunbor spun over in the right corner after good work from Waqa Blake before one of the tries of the season so far.

Franklin Pele went on an absolute rampage down the left edge, swatting off numerous defenders before assisting Kieran Gill. 

Matty Gee charged onto a crash ball to add further gloss onto Bradford’s score before a late consolation score from Alex Foster. 

BRADFORD BULLS: Luke Hooley, Jayden Okunbor, Waqa Blake, Kieran Gill, Guy Armitage, James Meadows, Joe Keyes, Michael Lawrence, Mitch Souter, Franklin Pele, Matty Gee, Zac Fulton, James Donaldson. INTERCHANGES: Jordan Lilley, Sam Hallas, Nathan Mason, Ronan Michael. 

TRIES: Mason (2), Lilley, Okunbor, Gill, Gee

GOALS: 6/7