Bradford Bulls 30-20 York Knights: Match Report

17 minutes ago
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York Knights were beaten by Bradford Bulls in their first ever Betfred Super League clash, 30-20 at Bartercard Odsal Stadium.

David Nofoaluma scored a hat-trick, but it wasn’t enough to take the win in a performance that was at times indisciplined, with Nofoaluma and Bradford’s Joe Mellor sin binned in separate incidents.

Former York loanee, Riley Dean kicked three penalties on a night where he landed seven goals in all from eight attempts.

It leaves York still with just three wins in the league this season.

The Knights had the better start and after a battling first quarter, took the lead. David Nofoaluma was put into space at the corner, and went in for an unconverted try.

With Bradford down to 12 players after Andy Akers was sin binned for a high shot on Paul Vaughan, York pushed to extend that advantage.

However, it was Bradford that hit back when Waqa Blake combined with Ethan Ryan to send Jaden Nikorima in, and Dean kicked the first of his seven goals of the evening to put the Bulls ahead.

He added a penalty before the break, to give Bradford a narrow lead.

The Knights got off to a great start in the second half, with Nofoaluma getting his second, taking a looping ball from Cody Hunter to level the game. However, it was too far out again for Hunter to add the goal.

Indiscipline from the Knights gave Bradford the chance to take the lead. The first came after Nofoaluma was sinbinned for taking Conor Wynne down off the ball, and Dean adding the first of two more penalties. In between came a try from Joe Mellor while the Knights were down to just 11, with Scott Galeano off the field because of a green card. It meant the Bulls had opened up a 10 points lead with 15 minutes remaining.

York weren’t done, and when Nofoaluma got his hat-trick, this time converted by Hunter, the deficit was back to just four with 10 minutes to go.

However, Bradford went on to score further points from Dean and Eribe Doro, it took the game away from the Knights.

Liam Harris scored on his return from injury for a converted try, but that was just consolation.

Bradford: Aekins, Wynne, Chamberlain, Blake, Ryan, Nikorima, Dean, Sutton, Ackers, Doro, Fulton, Russell, Mellor

Subs: Gardiner, Scurr, Atkin, Peposhi

18th Player: Luke Hooley

Tries: Nikorima (33), Mellor (56), Dean (73), Doro (76)

Goals: Dean (7/8)

Sin Bin: Ackers (22)

York: Dagger, Galeano, Wood, Mata’afa, Nofoaluma, Hunter, Harris, Martin, Inman, Vaughan, Reynolds, Field, Thompson

Subs: Balmforth, Va’a, Vuniyayawa, Hingaon

18th Player: Bennison