The excitement of end of season rugby league just keeps coming. Following the events at the DW Stadium and Headingley over the last two nights, which saw Wigan and Leeds into the Grand Final, this afternoon delivered the Million Pound Match between Wakefield Wildcats and Bradford Bulls with a top flight place at stake.
The newest Super League invention, a Qualifiers' fourth versus fifth play off for a place in the top flight in 2016, descended on a packed Belle Vue Stadium in Wakefield.
One game to decide a season, a club and players futures, and the recipient of a million pounds of Super League 2016 money.
There had been little to choose between the two sides for the opening fifteen minutes. Bradford had gone close when Matty Blythe grounded the ball on the corner flag but it was the Wildcats who opened the scoring after Chris Annakin earned a penalty and Pita Godinet put Danny Kirmond through a gap to score under the sticks. Joe Arundel kicked the extras for a six-nil home lead.
The Bulls had a Danny Addy try turned down on twenty-six after he was adjudged to have knocked-on and should have gone two points further behind when Steve Crossley made a a high tackle but Joe Arundel missed the penalty kick.
Three minutes after the restart and while the Bulls were still getting up to pace Anthony Mullally took a Pita Godinet pass to walk in under the sticks without a Bulls hand on him. Jordan Tansey added the two for 12-0.
The Bulls finally got on the score sheet on fifty when. Danny Williams found himself on the overlap to benefit from a flung Adrian Purtell pass to dive over in the corner. Danny Addy converted with the assistance of the upright and the game, and Bulls dreams, were back on.
Three minutes later and the Bulls were in again. Nielsen offloaded, the ball hit a Bulls and a Wildcats player and bounced into goal where Blythe touched down. Addy missed the conversion attempt to leave his side still two adrift.
As the clock ticked over the hour mark the Wildcats regained the advantage when Danny Washbrook ultimately benefitted from Tansey break to wrong foot the Bulls defence for a four-pointer. Tansey kicked the conversion and once again the Wildcats were in the box seat.
This see-saw of a game swung back towards Bradford on sixty-five when Adrian Purtell scored and Danny Addy tagged on the extras to once again reduce the deficit to just two points.
Four minutes out from the end and controversy reared its head as referee Silverwood consulted the video referee regarding an offside at the play the ball. Despite such a consultation being outside the remit of the video officials they confirmed the penalty, but saving the officials blushes Danny Addy slid the ball wide of the left upright.
On seventy-nine Scott Moore sealed the Wildcats win as he pushed his way over from twenty metres to crash over by the right upright. The final hooter sounded as Tansey could kicked the extras for a 24-16 win and a return to Super League in 2016.
Wildcats: Tansey (T, 3G), Lyne, Tupou, Arundel (G), Johnstone, Miller, Godinet, Scruton, Sio, Simon, Kirmond (T), Washbrook (T), Annakin. Subs: Yates, Mullally, Moore (T), Lauitiiti.
Bulls: Mullaney, Williams (T), Purtell (T), Nielsen, Blythe (T), Gaskell, Siejka, Clough, O'Brien, Sidlow, Olbison, Ferguson, Addy (2G). Subs: Pitts, Lauaki, Philippe-Baile, Crossley.
Referee: Richard Silverwood
Attendance: 7,236 (Capacity) |