ozbash
Referee
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great result and not entirely unpredictable...
Jason Crokers drop-goal and a last-minute try from John Wilson snatched Catalans Dragons first away win of the season over a shell-shocked Bradford Bulls outfit.
Croker coolly added the goal to increase Catalans lead to 13 points midway through the second half and it proved crucial after late tries from Michael Platt and James Evans ensured a frantic finish.
Wilson touched down in the last act of the game to confirm the win, while Dragons winger Thomas Bosc also grabbed a personal haul of 14 points as the French side, who finished bottom in 2006, collected only their third engage Super League triumph on their travels in their brief history.
The Dragons had quickly silenced Odsal with an industrious defensive display that repelled a series of early Bradford raids.
And the Bulls frustrations were only increased when Bosc broke clear before re-gathering his own kick to push the visitors ahead.
Steve McNamaras table-toppers looked slow in defence and short of ideas in attack as the first half wore on and they fell further behind when Bosc grabbed his second after good work from David Ferriol and Jason Croker.
But Boscs double brought Bradford to life and they responded with a five-minute blitz to level the scores by half time.
Iestyn Harris long pass set Lesley Vainikolo charging clear before he combined with Glenn Morrison to send Paul Deacon over under the posts.
Substitute James Evans then pounced on Deacons chip when Adam Mogg fumbled his attempted catch, but five minutes into the second half Clint Greenshields raced past Shontayne Hape to restore the Dragons advantage.
Then Stacey Jones and Casey McGuire sent Ferriol barging through before Bosc added a penalty and Crokers drop-goal handed Catalans a 13-point buffer.
Michael Platt and James Evans both crossed in the closing stages to create a frantic finish but Wilsons try killed Bradfords hopes of a comeback.
Bradford Bulls (10) 22
Tries: Deacon, Evans 2, Platt
Goals: Deacon 3
Catalans Dragons (10) 29
Tries: Bosc 2, Greenshields, Ferriol, Wilson
Goals: Bosc 4
Drop-goals: Croker
Bradford Bulls: Platt, McAvoy, B. Harris, Hape, Vainikolo, I. Harris, Deacon, Vagana, Henderson, Lynch, Solomona, Morrison, Langley.
Replacements: McKenna, Newton, Feather, Evans.
Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Bosc, Wilson, Mogg, Pelo, McGuire, Jones, Chan, Teixido, Guisset, Gossard, Croker, Mounis.
Replacements: Ferriol, Raguin, Griffi, Quigley.
Referee: I Smith
Attendance: 11,298
thanks superleague http://www.superleague.co.uk/news/4801
Jason Crokers drop-goal and a last-minute try from John Wilson snatched Catalans Dragons first away win of the season over a shell-shocked Bradford Bulls outfit.
Croker coolly added the goal to increase Catalans lead to 13 points midway through the second half and it proved crucial after late tries from Michael Platt and James Evans ensured a frantic finish.
Wilson touched down in the last act of the game to confirm the win, while Dragons winger Thomas Bosc also grabbed a personal haul of 14 points as the French side, who finished bottom in 2006, collected only their third engage Super League triumph on their travels in their brief history.
The Dragons had quickly silenced Odsal with an industrious defensive display that repelled a series of early Bradford raids.
And the Bulls frustrations were only increased when Bosc broke clear before re-gathering his own kick to push the visitors ahead.
Steve McNamaras table-toppers looked slow in defence and short of ideas in attack as the first half wore on and they fell further behind when Bosc grabbed his second after good work from David Ferriol and Jason Croker.
But Boscs double brought Bradford to life and they responded with a five-minute blitz to level the scores by half time.
Iestyn Harris long pass set Lesley Vainikolo charging clear before he combined with Glenn Morrison to send Paul Deacon over under the posts.
Substitute James Evans then pounced on Deacons chip when Adam Mogg fumbled his attempted catch, but five minutes into the second half Clint Greenshields raced past Shontayne Hape to restore the Dragons advantage.
Then Stacey Jones and Casey McGuire sent Ferriol barging through before Bosc added a penalty and Crokers drop-goal handed Catalans a 13-point buffer.
Michael Platt and James Evans both crossed in the closing stages to create a frantic finish but Wilsons try killed Bradfords hopes of a comeback.
Bradford Bulls (10) 22
Tries: Deacon, Evans 2, Platt
Goals: Deacon 3
Catalans Dragons (10) 29
Tries: Bosc 2, Greenshields, Ferriol, Wilson
Goals: Bosc 4
Drop-goals: Croker
Bradford Bulls: Platt, McAvoy, B. Harris, Hape, Vainikolo, I. Harris, Deacon, Vagana, Henderson, Lynch, Solomona, Morrison, Langley.
Replacements: McKenna, Newton, Feather, Evans.
Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Bosc, Wilson, Mogg, Pelo, McGuire, Jones, Chan, Teixido, Guisset, Gossard, Croker, Mounis.
Replacements: Ferriol, Raguin, Griffi, Quigley.
Referee: I Smith
Attendance: 11,298
thanks superleague http://www.superleague.co.uk/news/4801