Sorry Bulls sunk by Robins
Hull KR boosted their play-off hopes, and all but ended Bradford's in the process, with a 34-8 win at Odsal Stadium.
By Rob Lancaster
Last Updated: 14/08/11 9:09pm
Hull KR boosted their play-off hopes, and all but ended Bradford's, with a resounding 34-8 triumph at Odsal Stadium.
The Robins scored five tries without reply in the second half, having trailed 8-6 at the break, in a game deemed to be a must-win for both sides.
The victory - their first at the home of the Bulls since 1991 - moves Justin Morgan's side on to 22 points, just one back of arch-rivals Hull FC who currently occupy eighth place.
Bradford, however, are languishing a further four points back in 10th with only three rounds of the 2011 regular season remaining.
Promising start
It had all looked so promising for the hosts too, as they moved into an eight-point lead thanks to a try from Marc Herbert and two Patrick Ah Van goals.
They also had a third-minute score by Elliott Whitehead chalked off for a knock-on during a lively opening in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Ah Van did get the opening points of the evening with a seventh-minute penalty and then also landed the conversion after Herbert finished off Michael Platt's break down the left flank.
That, though, would prove to be the last moment of joy for their faithful fans, who have seen their team fallen on hard times in recent years.
Rovers got off the mark in the 33rd minute with a converted try from Ben Galea that proved the catalyst for a dominating display in the second half.
Quick-fire brace
They crossed twice in the space of three minutes straight after the re-start, Scott Murrell getting the first thanks to Blake Green's inside ball.
Before Bradford had time to regroup they had conceded again, a hopeful up-and-under bouncing off Ian Sibbitt's head for Kris Welham to kick forward. After collecting, the centre wisely opted to pass the ball on to the supporting Peter Fox, who galloped away to slide over right next to the uprights.
The Bulls did press hard in the hope of launching a fightback, though the only impact they made on Rovers came when Whitehead was accused of biting a visiting player. The forward was placed on report by referee James Child.
Hull KR then put the game out of their reach when Josh Hodgson latched on to his own grubber, Dobson adding the fourth of his five conversions to make it 24-8.
Knowing their season was sinking without a trace, the hosts' defence were breached twice more before the final hooter sounded - the influential Dobson set up Welham on the left before Green dummied his way over at the death.