Bradford Bulls back on track with super win at Swinton Lions

The victory moved Bulls up to fifth and gave them a timely boost ahead of their 1895 Cup semi-final at home to Wakefield next Sunday.

But the visitors did not have it all their own way, and had to weather something of an early storm.

Swinton came very close to the first score of the game, but winger Richard Lepori took the final pass behind him, meaning he lacked momentum on the wing and Aidan McGowan him into touch.

In general the Lions had the better of the opening 15 minutes, but it was Bulls who went in front.

Jordan Lilley took his time with ball in hand, and fed it perfectly to second row Zac Fulton, who blasted through a gap and ran in to dot down under the posts.

Zac Fulton zips through to put Bulls in front at Swinton. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

And Lilley added the extras from in front of the sticks to give Bulls a 6-0 lead.

Bradford doubled their lead in slightly controversial circumstances.

Lilley's brave long pass out to Jorge Taufua looked forward, but the referee Liam Rush waved play on.

And on the last tackle, Tom Holmes held his nerve, dabbing a kick through for Keiran Gill to race on to and dive in for the score.

Lilley pinged over a fine kick from the left to put Bulls 12-0 up and his side increased their advantage in no time at all.

It was Lilley who started things, breaking through a gap as Bulls worked their way up the field nicely.

Ebon Scurr, who had been involved earlier in the move, then drove to within in inches of the line, before Mitch Souter picked the ball up at the base of the ruck, looked to his right, then decided to just drive over the line himself.

Lilley popped over the simple extras to increase the away side’s lead.

Bulls sloppily let Swinton straight back into the game though as they made a mess of a kick return and allowed it to go out of play.

Swinton made the most of their gifted set close in as former Bulls man Dec Patton popped over a glorious long pass to the left wing, after the visitors had been sucked inside.

Williams was all on his own out wide and strolled in for an easy score and Patton landed an excellent conversion from near the touchline.

Interchange Keven Appo got within inches of scoring the next try, before Taufua and Gill almost combine from an excellent long pass from Holmes to score.

Jorge Taufua was a constant danger out wide for Bulls, as Swinton struggled to deal with his power and athleticism. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Lilley then had a kick over the top that was allowed to bounce, but Swinton scrambled it out for a drop out as young winger Douglas looked to pounce.

Jayden Myers was next to have a go, bursting through the Swinton line only to drop the ball in doing so.

But Bulls did have the last say before the break, as the recently-introduced Dan Okoro showed great power to make good yardage, before Mitch Souter slalomed his way through.

He fed Appo on his right, who charged in for an easy score by the posts, Lilley adding the extras with ease to ensure Bulls had a 24-6 lead at half-time.

Bulls increased their lead soon after the interval, with a try that was disappointing from a Swinton point of view.

They allowed the ball to bounce and Bulls to claim from Lilley’s kick, then when Souter found Okoro five metres out, the big man from Warrington just bounced off the tackle and fell over the line to score.

Lilley had another gift in from of the posts, and he kicked Bulls 30-6 in front.

Swinton thought they were over down the left through Jayden Hatton after Jordan Gibson had come very close, but an obstruction was called by referee Liam Rush, and Bulls luckily escaped.

Then, in a messy period of play, Tom Holmes refused to let go of Gavin Rodden, leading to the Swinton man taking a swing at him.

It was only a minor skirmish, but both were sent to the sin-bin to leave the teams down to 12-men apiece.

The damage from Tom Holmes' yellow card was minimised as he took Gavin Rodden to the sin-bin with him. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Bradford won the penalty though, and immediately took advantage.

Taufua did brilliantly to keep his balance millimetres inside the touchline and knocked Lilley's high kick back to Gill, who could not miss from a metre out.

Lilley’s conversion attempt drifted well wide for his first miss of the afternoon, but Bulls were not exactly in need of those two points.

McGowan had yet another good game and came close to a deserved try, only to lose control as he dived for the line.

He tried to feed Gill to score instead, but the ball ran loose and Swinton won a scrum.

Williams grabbed a consolation with a nice finish, as he claimed Gibson's excellent high kick out to the left to score.

Patton swung over his excellent second conversion of the afternoon, but he was soon in the bad books, mouthing off at the referee after his side won a penalty.

He was shown a yellow card for dissent, which unsurprisingly went down very well with the visiting faithful, as the Swinton half-back stomped off furiously.

Bulls had the final say, as the newly-returned Holmes flung a high tariff long pass out to the right, Williams could only get fingertips to it as he leapt in the air, and the ball fell for Jayden Myers to dart in down the right and score.

Lilley’s conversion fell short, a rare blot on an excellent afternoon from him, both from the tee and in open play.

Eamon O'Carroll could not find much fault with his scrum-half Jordan Lilley today. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Bradford refused to let Swinton have the final say either.

Williams almost got in for his hat-trick after an interception in the final seconds, but McGowan raced back to charge him down and tackled him into touch, bringing the game to an end at 38-12 in the away side’s favour.

Swinton: Abram, Lepori, Vaughan, Hatton, Williams, Patton, Gibson, Wood, Eaves, Green, Foster, Badrock, Hall. Interchanges: Houghton, Case, Cooper, Rodden. 18th man: Stevens.

Bulls: McGowan, Douglas, Myers, Gill, Taufua, Holmes, Lilley, Rogers, Souter, Lawrence, Wilson, Fulton, Doro. Interchanges: Appo, Scurr, Okoro, Ott. 18th man: Peposhi.

BULLS MAN OF THE MATCH: JORDAN LILLEY.