Bulls hold off Wildcats
A perfect kicking display from Paul Deacon helped Bradford record a 36-22 victory over Yorkshire rivals Wakefield.
Last Updated: 07/06/09 9:36pm
Bradford boosted their hopes of climbing into the play-off places with a 36-22 victory over Wakefield at the Grattan Odsal Stadium.
Paul Deacon produced a perfect kicking display to win it for the Bulls after both sides had scored five tries apiece in an action-packed Yorkshire derby.
Chris Nero and Steve Menzies both bagged a brace of tries for the home side, with hooker Julien Rinaldi also touching down.
Sean Gleeson was unfortunate to be on the losing side having scored a first-half hat-trick for the Wildcats, who paid the price for Danny Brough's off-day with the boot.
Contrasting fortunes
The Scotland international landed just one of his five attempts at goal. In contrast, Deacon slotted over all eight kicks, his 100 percent success rate proving the difference between the two sides.
In search of just a second home win of the campaign, Bradford coach Steve McNamara opted to drop Michael Platt and Matt Cook and handed a debut to teenager Elliott Whitehead.
The changes seemed to work with almost immediate effect, the home team surging into a 14-4 lead midway through the opening half.
Nero sidestepped his way over for the game's first try after just three minutes and, after a Deacon penalty, Jamie Langley set up Menzies for his first of the afternoon.
However, Wakefield responded in impressive fashion with Gleeson, only playing as a replacement for the injured Ryan Atkins, taking centre stage.
The former Wigan Warrior opened his account on 14 minutes before scoring again 10 minutes later thanks to Brough's short pass.
He completed his treble shortly after the half-hour, getting in the right place to finish off a superb break by full-back Matt Blaymire.
Brough's single conversion meant the scores were level until shortly before the break when Menzies crossed again, Langley the creator with a powerful run.
Snitch scored a fourth try for the Wildcats five minutes after the re-start - only for a knock-on by Michael Korkidas to allow Bradford to answer straight back through Frenchman Rinaldi.
Boiled over
Nero completed his double before the hour to open up a comfortable cushion and, with the game in the balance, things boiled over out on the field when the two sets of players became involved in a fracas.
Sam Burgess and Wakefield captain Jason Demetriou were both sent to the sin-bin for their part in the brawl, though losing a man didn't seem to bother the away team as they scored next.
Brad Drew's cut-out pass sent winger Scott Grix scampering over but yet another missed conversion left the Wildcats with too much to do.
Skipper Deacon made sure of the win, which lifts the Bulls up one place in the table to 12th, with two further penalties in the last seven minutes.
