Rampant Bulls trample Wigan

Bradford 38 Wigan 1

Bradford positioned themselves as the best of the rest, improving their chances of defending their Super League title place in the top two as Iestyn Harris scored his first two tries for the Bulls, but it was their greater strength in the pack that put them on their way to a convincing victory.

Bradford positioned themselves as the best of the rest, improving their chances of defending their Super League title place in the top two as Iestyn Harris scored his first two tries for the Bulls, but it was their greater strength in the pack that put them on their way to a convincing victory.

Bradford powered forward in the early stages, the Great Britain forwards, Stuart Fielden and Jamie Peacock fired up for it last night.

Fielden's storming runs set up the position for both Bradford tries in the first 10 minutes, the first completed by Leon Pryce's stretching over the line, the second with Robbie Paul selling a huge duck to a Wigan defence which had not settled to its task.

Wigan began to repair the damage when Mick Cassidy produced an impressive piece of skill, passing the ball one handed around the tackler for Martin Aspinwall to score.

After 19 minutes Wigan got their second, Sean O'Loughlin handling cleverly twice to send Brian Carney over.

Half an hour had gone before the next try arrived, the Bulls keeping the ball alive admirably until Shontayne Happe popped it up for Jamie Langley, with Paul Deacon's third conversion making it an eight-point lead at the break.

Andy Farrell's second goal cut the margin, but then Lesley Vainikolo struck again, timing his run perfectly when Karl Pratt kicked for the corner.

Harris had not had his best game since returning to rugby league, but just before the hour he scored the try that clinched the match. Michael Withers smuggled the ball out of the tackle, Pryce hurled it in field and there was the Welshman to finish.

Harris got his second, from more good work by Withers, and with Wigan running out of steam in their third game without a win, Hape rounded it off.

Bradford: Reardon, Withers, Pryce, Happe, Vainikolo, Harris, Deacon, Fielden, Paul, Parker, Swann, Peacock, Radford. Substitutes used: Langley, Pratt, Moore, Johnson.

Wigan: Connolly, Carney, Wild, Aspinwall, Dallas, O'Loughlin, Lam, Farrell, Newton, C Smith, Cassidy, Tickle, Hock. Substitutes used: M Smith, Peswick, Hodgson, Robinson.

Referee: R Smith (Castleford).