Gale blows down Giants

Cash-strapped Bradford remain in the hunt for the Stobart Super League play-offs with a 34-12 victory at Huddersfield.

Scrum-half Luke Gale, at the heart of Bradford's attacking play, scored a first-half try and added three conversions to leave the Bulls 18-6 up at the break.

Karl Pryce touched down twice after the interval to give the Bulls some breathing room as Huddersfield lost for the first time in three matches.

Bradford, battling Hull KR and Wakefield for the final top eight spot, fell behind early on when ex-Bulls star Joe Wardle dived over from Greg Eden's pass.

The Bulls were unlucky with some neat moves, notably on 11 minutes when a defence-splitting pass bounced off the posts and to a Giants player.

But the match seemed to turn on 12 minutes when Huddersfield's Keith Mason was let off with a warning for retaliation.

He threw the ball into the face of an opponent, which seemed to make Bradford up their game and go into the break deservedly ahead.

Controversial

A flowing move involving Gale and Heath L'Estrange saw Shaun Ainscough dive over from Pryce's final pass on 21 minutes.

Gale was also involved in the move which led to substitute Matt Diskin bagging a controversial try on 35 minutes.

Huddersfield complained about an obstruction in the build-up, but referee Thierry Alibert allowed play to carry on and the Bulls took full advantage.

Pryce and Brett Kearney then helped set up Gale under the posts on the hooter, with the former Harlequins RL star adding the extras.

Huddersfield, coached by former Bulls legend Paul Anderson, gave Bradford a bigger percentage of away ticket sales to help their survival battle.

It prompted a big turnout, with Bradford fans making up about a third of the 7,477 crowd.

The Giants, looking for the win which would confirm their own play-off berth, were nearly back in it on 59 minutes.

Scott Grix started a flowing move which ended with Leroy Cudjoe putting Jermaine McGillvary in for a try, only for it to be ruled out for a forward pass.

The influential Gale then kicked a 40-20 just seconds later, with Kearney capitalising from the tap-in with a brilliant solo try in the left corner.

Gale converted and was at again on 70 minutes when Pryce went over unchallenged to finish the contest with a 14-point individual haul.

Cudjoe scored a late converted consolation for Huddersfield, but Pryce had the last word on the hooter after an acrobatic pass from Elliott Whitehead.