Fax show courage, but cannot dodge Odsal defeat

Halifax slipped to a fifth straight loss, and their second in the Championship Shield, as a young side found themselves on the wrong end of a 44-22 scoreline at Bradford.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Aug 2016, 16:47 BST
Updated 14th Aug 2016, 17:49 BST

Richard Marshall’s injury-weakened outfit, awful on home soil against Sheffield last weekend, were full of endeavour, but lacked the quality and physical power to live with their full-time neighbours.

They also lacked a recognised goalkicker, with Gareth Moore, Scott Murrell and Connor Robinson conspiring to land one from five between them.

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Halifax started the game with two centres - Chester Butler and Nick Rawsthorne - who had a grand total of one senior start between them, but they hit the front early on when makeshift second row Adam Tangata rumbled over two defenders to score on the right.

Gareth Moore put the kick inches wide and the Bulls replied on the quarter hour when Alex Mellor touched down a well disguised kick from Danny Addy, Lewis Charnock tagging on the goal for a 6-4 lead.

The visitors replied with a bustling solo try from young hooker Brandon Moore, Gareth Moore hitting the post with the kick, and Bradford went 12-8 up with a 90 metre effort from their full back Kieren Moss.

Centre Kris Welham added their third try soon after, quickly followed across the whitewash by Adrian Purtell and Jay Pitts as Bradford’s sizeable bench and Charnock’s goalkicking opened up a chasm at 30-8.

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Halifax finally replied on the hooter, Rawsthorne putting James Saltonstall over in the corner, Murrell taking the kick, but again drifting it just wide.

Bradford started the second half with a Danny Williams try, converted by Charnock, but Halifax rallied strongly and replied with Tangata’s second on 57 minutes, Robinson taking his turn to hit the post from the sideline to leave the score at 34-16.

Welham grabbed a second score from Chisholm’s kick inside the final quarter, Ed Barber replying for Halifax and Robinson finally converting.

But Moss’s second try on the hooter, goaled by Charnock, brought the curtain down on a game that never really ignited as a contest.

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Bradford: Moss; Blythe, Purtell, Welham, Williams; Charnock, Chisholm; Sidlow, O’Brien, Crossley, Haggerty, Mellor, Addy. Subs: Olbison, Kavanagh, Pitts, Howarth

Halifax: Johnston; Sharp, Rawsthorne, Butler, Saltonstall; Murrell, G. Moore; Cahalane, B. Moore, Boyle, Tangata, Bennion, Ambler. Subs: A. Robinson, C. Robinson, Barber, Morris

Referee: M. Woodhead

Related topics:HalifaxBradfordConnor Robinson