Bradford 12-4 Leeds
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:12 am
Crisis club Bradford won a gritty derby at Odsal as Super League champions Leeds endured a third straight defeat.
In front of a healthy gate of 20,851, Zak Hardaker's try was the only score before the break and it took until 65 minutes to force another breakthrough.
But loose forward Jamie Langley's try levelled it, Jarrod Sammut's conversion putting the Bulls in front.
Ben Jeffries sealed victory six minutes from time before the Bulls had Bryn Hargreaves dismissed late on.
Not even the Bradford prop's late dismissal for a spear tackle on England captain Jamie Peacock could take the shine off a tremendous performance.
Bradford were also down to 12 men earlier when Olivier Elima spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
On a night of high emotion at Odsal, a bumper crowd of 20,821 turned out in Bradford's hour of need, ahead of Saturday's expected announcement on the club's future.
And, already without 10 members of his senior squad through injury, Bradford coach Mick Potter was forced to reshuffle his side after losing winger Karl Pryce in the opening stages.
The champions were still without their two key creative sparks, long-serving half-backs Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow, but that gave teenager Stevie Ward another chance to demonstrate his potential.
Defences were on top throughout a scrappy first half, the only score coming after 14 minutes when Leeds centre Hardaker touched down for the fifth consecutive game, taking Brent Webb's pass and stretching for the line.
Elliott Whitehead went close eight minutes into the second half when he was held up on his back over the line, while substitute prop Phil Joseph was brought back for a forward pass.
But the frustrations of such an intensely dour contest boiled over into a couple of minor skirmishes, with French forward Elima sin-binned on the hour by referee Ben Thaler for dissent.
Down to 12 men, the Bulls produced their best spell of the match as the crowd got behind them.
Winger Shaun Ainscough, on his first appearance of the season, broke clear only to fail to use his support, but Bradford maintained the pressure and, after Heath L'Estrange's bouncing kick caused havoc in the Leeds defence, Langley touched down.
With the scores tied, Sammut maintained his composure to land the angled conversion. And it was no surprise when the Bulls extended their lead, Jeffries gathering in his own kick to grab the second try, Sammut's second goal giving the home side an eight-point cushion.
Bradford ought to have added another try, Danny Addy breaking clear to get Ainscough in sight of the line, only for Leeds to scramble away the danger.
The game ended on a sour note with Hargreaves' dangerous tackle on Peacock, but the Bulls supporters were already in celebratory mood by then.
GOOD FRIDAY LINE-UPS
Bradford: Kearney; Pryce, Purtell, Lulia, Ainscough; Sammut, Jeffries; Manuokafoa, Diskin, Hargreaves, Elima, Whitehead, Langley.
Replacements: L'Estrange, Burgess, Joseph, Addy.
Sin Bin: Elima (62).
Sent Off: Hargreaves (78).
Leeds: Webb; Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Hardaker, Hall; Sinfield, Ward; Griffin, McShane, Peacock, Clarkson, Delaney, Ablett.
Replacements: Bailey, Kirke, Leuluai, L. Smith.
Attendance: 20,851.
Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/17603140