Bradford Bulls stood in the way of Wakefield Trinity and their continued march back to Super League on the back of an unbeaten season as Daryl Powell’s side made the short trip to Odsal for a round fifteen showdown between top and fourth.
The visitors were, of course, the favourites to pick up another two points and Bradford were given a twelve-point start on the handicap coupon with the bookies unable to see anything other than another Wakefield victory.
Wakefield won both the early season league encounter and defeated Bradford at the semi-final stage of the 1895 trophy to secure their game at Wembley.
It was a nervy start from both sides, Bradford taking the option on fifteen minutes to open the scoring through the boot of Jordan Lilley after Max Jowitt interfered at the play the ball.
Bradford weren’t going to die wondering as they defended hard and tried to hit Wakefield on the break. Wakefield were uncharacteristically making errors.
But it was Wakefield who scored the first try of the game on twenty-seven, somewhat against the run of play, when Luke Gale kick was collected and scored by Oliver Pratt as the Bulls defenders failed to get a hand on him. Jowitt added the conversion for a 6-2 lead.
Bradford indiscipline gave Wakefield back-to-back penalties on the half hour, Jowitt kicking the penalty to extend the lead to six points.
The Bulls were holding on in the dying seconds of the half but managed to make it to the interval with the scoreline at 8-2 to Trinity.
Wakefield received a rash of penalties at the start of the second half and when referee Griffiths awarded the ball to Trinity in front of the sticks, Jowitt kicked the goal for 10-2 with fifty-two minutes on the clock.
Jowitt added another penalty from close to the touchline for 12-2, his fourth conversion from four attempts, on fifty-five, the game edging away from the Bulls.
Eribe Doro was sin-binned on the hour mark for a high tackle, and when Jowitt kicked a fifth goal of the game the Bulls had a two-score deficit to overcome with a man less.
After Jordan Lilley was hit late for Bradford to get a penalty and from the first carry Jayden Okunbor went over but the try was ruled out by the officials for a foot in touch.
Bradford were scrambling to get the score to keep the game alive but the clock was running out and towards another Wakefield win and the final hooter confirmed the Trinity victory by 14-2.
It was another win in what is prioving to be an incredible season for Wakefield Trinity as they took local bragging rights and prevented Bradford from crossing their line for the full eighty minutes in a tetchy affair at Odsal. Bradford’s indiscipline cost them dear as Jowitt had a great day with the boot in landing the penalties that were awarded, but it was Trinity's defence which was the stand out talking point.
Bradford Bulls: Holmes, Okunbor, Lehmann, Gill, Taufua, Ott, Lilley (1/1 G), Bayliss, Souter, Doro, Fulton, Davies, Hallas. Subs: Appo, Mason, Scurr, Peposhi. 18th Man: Myers.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (5/5 G), Walmsley, Croft, Pratt (T), Olpherts, Gale, Kay, Rodwell, Doyle, Ashurst, Thornley, Griffin. Pitts. Subs: Uele, Shaw, Smith, Booth. 18th Man: Franco.
Half-Time: 2-8.
Full-Time: 2-14.
Score Progression: 2-0, 2-4, 2-6, 2-8 : HT: 2-10, 2-12, (SB), 2-14 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Bradford - Wakefield.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.
