WAKEFIELD Trinity Wildcats have a knack of conjuring Houdini-style escapes. Twice they have defied relegation on the final day of the season and another great escape is looming in another lastweekend showdown.
Heroic defence withstood a torrid second-half examination by Bradford Bulls as John Kear’s so-called “mission impossible” to spare Wakefield from demotion to National League One in the last six games of the regular season boils down to the season’s denouement against Castleford Tigers, who Wakefield beat to relegate on the last day of the 2004 campaign.
With home advantage and a reprise of last night’s indefatigable form, Wakefield will fancy their chances of repeating the feat and extending their eight-year Super League tenure at the expense of their arch rivals again. A draw, however, and Harlequins would fall through the trapdoor, unless the London side can win one of their last two games, against Wigan Warriors tomorrow or Salford City Reds next week.
Under the cosh for the first 20 minutes and having been carved open by Michael Withers for Bradford’s opening try, Semi Tadulala’s immediate response pointed the way to victory. Iestyn Harris was sin- binned for dissent and Wakefield used their numerical advantage to draw level, Jamie Rooney landing a penalty goal, which preceded two tries in four minutes before the break by Colum Halpenny and Ned Catic.
A further Rooney penalty put Wakefield 20-6 ahead. Harris linked with Withers for the full back’s second try, but the Wildcats scrapped for their Super League lives in holding out under enormous pressure.
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SCORERS: Bradford Bulls: Tries: Withers 2. Goals: Deacon 2. Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Tries: Tadulala, Halpenny, Catic. Goals: Rooney 4.
BRADFORD BULLS: M Withers; L Vainikolo, S Hape, K Pryce, M Bai; I Harris, P Deacon; J Vagana, T Newton, A Lynch, C McKenna, B Meyers, B Ferres. Substitutes: M Cook, S Burgess, I Henderson, B Harris.
WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS: C Halpenny; J Demetriou, J Evans, R Atkins, S Tadulala; J Rooney, B Jeffries; M Korkidas, S Obst, A Watene, D MacGillivray, D Solomona, M Betham. Substitutes: N Catic, T Latu, K Henderson, D March.
Referee: S Ganson.