Round 21
Salford City Reds 14 d. Bradford Bulls 10

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Last place Salford shock Bradford in massive upset
Sun July 22, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Bradford Bull's hopes of a confidence-boosting win before Saturday's Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens were shattered by bottom club Salford City Reds.

The Reds moved a point behind Hull KR after a shock but deserved victory inspired by Luke Robinson.

Salford included new captures Mike Wainwright and Richie Barnett from Warrington alongside Castleford's Tommy Saxton and they all played their part in a battling effort.

The Reds, who had won only one of their three matches since Shaun McRae succeeded axed Karl Harrison, were forced to move for reinforcements with Paul Highton, David Hodgson, Lee Jewitt, Ian Sibbit, Mark Edmondson and Karl Fitzpatrick sidelined.

McRae dropped Luke Dorn to sub but Bradford were lacking only Jamie Langley as they chased their seventh win in eight games.

Salford, who were thrashed 56-18 at Odsal in March, started brightly although David Solomona was held up over Reds line.

Bradford had a let-off with Marcus St Hilaire forced to clear from Robinson's kick before the Bulls had a Tame Tupou try ruled out for Solomona's forward pass.

Michael Korkidas and Andy Coley caused problems for Bradford with their forceful surges before the Reds snatched the lead with video referee Ashley Klein ruling Gray Viande just managed to touch down from another probing Robinson kick.

John Wilshere's touchline conversion bounced in off the post to fire his side into an unexpected 6-0 lead after 21 minutes.

Wilshere slotted over a penalty just before the break to make it 8-0 when Paul Deacon was adjudged to have obstructed the Salford marksman chasing Robinson's kick.

Bradford were in more determined mood from the restart and Deacon's 40-20 allowed Tupou to cross after 51 minutes.

Deacon booted the touchline conversion to cut the deficit to 8-6 before Tupou took Solomona's pass to crash over for his second try and put the Bulls in front for the first time.

Salford refused to concede defeat and went back in front when Aaron Moule slipped round St Hilaire for the supporting Dorn to send Robinson over and Wilshere added the goal.

But Bradford tossed away a late chance to snatch at least a draw when James Evans threw a pass behind Tupou with the line at his mercy.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: McRae thrilled by Reds revival


Bulls Eye: Bradford v Salford City
Fri July 20, 2007
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

In Bulls Eye this week, Bradford head coach Steve McNamara looks ahead to Saturday's engage Super League Round 21 game at the Willows when the Bulls take on the Salford City Reds.

STEVE McNAMARA
THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE CAMP MUST BE PRETTY GOOD AFTER LAST WEEK'S WIN?
It is. I think after a big effort like we put in last week it takes you a couple of days to adjust but practice at the end of the week has been probably as good as I've seen it all season

We need to be very consistent this week because we are playing a side right at the bottom of the table and we are coming off a win against the side at the top. We encountered some of that inconsistency last season, when we played some desperate sides and we underperformed, which really disappointed us. We have done that again this year at times and bearing in mind what our situation is and what Salford's is, it is important that we conduct ourselves and prepare ourselves properly, which we certainly have done so far this week. We know the standard of the competition is such that all sides are capable of beating each other but we are looking to play well and put in an A* performance. We are looking to do that every week but we know that it doesn't always happen like that. But if you want to be up there challenging for top spot then you have to be pretty near it in every game.

SALFORD WILL BE DESPERATE THIS WEEK?
They will be desperate for some points this week and they will be looking to see some light at the end of the tunnel. They only need one little sniff, you know, like stay in the game for twenty minutes, stay in it till half time, then stay in it till sixty minutes and desperate sides do desperate things. They have got some fresh blood in there this week and that will give them some new spirit and it will have done them a lot of good.

We have had some ding dong battles with them over the years and we have generally come out on top in some close games but last season we got beat there despite dominating the game. Our last plays were awful and we never put any pressure and they came away with a win.

I have been in their situation as a player with Huddersfield and it's not a nice feeling but it can galvanise a side and produce super human efforts. They have only one focus and that is to get as many wins as they can and we know what they will bring to the game and we have to be ready to cope with it.

SQUAD
Steve McNamara has named the following 18 man squad. Iestyn Harris has recovered from his hamstring injury and James Evans is back after a knee injury kept him out last week. Jamie Langley misses out with a shoulder injury sustained against St Helens.

The Squad is: St Hilaire, McAvoy, Halley, Vagana, Henderson, Solomona, Evans, McKenna, Burgess, B Harris, Lynch, Morrison, Tupou, James, Deacon, Platt, I Harris, Newton

MILESTONES
PAUL DEACON, who has kicked 108 goals from 129 attempts this season for an average of 83.72%, needs eight goals for a career total of 1,000. The scrum-half currently has kicked 992 goals include 21 drop goals. He has kicked 977 for Bradford and 15 in representative matches. He has kicked 10 goals or more in a match for Bradford on nine occasions, including a best feat of 12. He has finished as the top goal scorer in all matches in a season three times.

TERRY NEWTON needs three tries for a career century of touchdowns in club and representative matches. He has scored 6 for Leeds Rhinos, 74 for Wigan Warriors, 13 for Bradford Bulls and 4 in representative matches. He also played two matches on loan at Bramley without scoring. His 97 tries have come in 330 appearances.

News sent by: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

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