They left it late, but at last Bradford Bulls have registered their first win of the 2009 Super League campaign. Under-fire coach Steve McNamara will likely have breathed a sigh of relief in Perpignan as the Bulls recorded a narrow 30-24 victory over the Catalans Dragons with a last-gasp try. The hero in France was Dave Halley, who had only been recalled from a loan spell at Wakefield earlier in the week, yet scored the decisive touchdown in the 80th minute to slay the Dragons. New boys Rikki Sheriffe and Steve Menzies were also on the scoresheet in a result which leaves Bradford 10th in the table, albeit with two games in hand over some teams.
"It was important we got the result. I've got a few more grey hairs but I'm glad to have the monkey off our back now," McNamara commented after the game.
The coach adds that the victory now allows the side to relax a little and concentrate on the next league game – against reigning champions and bitter rivals Leeds Rhinos on April 10th.
Successive defeats against Huddersfield, Wigan and Hull FC had left the Bulls perilously close to the relegation zone heading into the Catalans match.
Bradford were simply second best at the JJB Stadium on March 7th, when a rampant Wigan team spearheaded by Pat Richards carved out an impressive 44-10 victory. Both teams had experienced sluggish starts to the season, but it was the Warriors who took the initiative, with Hock and Hansen each producing a brace of tries to leave former Bulls manager Brian Noble with a beaming smile. A much improved home performance on March 15th was not enough to beat an in-form Hull FC who made it five victories in a row in Super League XIV. Kirk Yeaman's double touchdown was among six Hull tries which cancelled out Bradford efforts from Tadulala, Jeffries, Menzies and Sheriffe and resulted in a 36-24 triumph for the visitors.
After suffering one of their worst ever starts in summer rugby, McNamara's men will now be looking to push on when they lock horns with the Rhinos.
With the new boys now finding their feet, the Bulls charge may finally be ready to begin.