Skip to content

Tetley's Challenge Cup: Warrington Wolves beat Bradford Bulls

Warrington avenged their defeat at Bradford six weeks ago with a crushing 46-10 victory to advance into the semi-finals of the Tetley's Challenge Cup.

Richie Myler scored two tries as the Wolves secured a place in the last four for the fifth time in six years.

Four tries in the final quarter, two of them from centre Joel Monaghan, gave Warrington a flattering margin of victory but there was never any doubt over the result.

Coach Tony Smith switched Stefan Ratchford to loose forward to accommodate all three of his playmakers in the starting line-up and they were full of invention as a result.

If the Cup has been a distraction for the relegation-threatened Bulls, they can now at least concentrate on more important matters, starting with next Sunday's trip to fellow strugglers Salford.

Scrum-half Myler, on his first start for two months, opened the scoring on 14 minutes, jinking his way over as first receiver for the first of the Wolves' eight tries.

That came from a knock-on inside his own half by Bradford second-rower Tom Olbison and the home side's inability to stem the errors proved crucial.

More from Tetleys Challenge Cup 2014 Quarter-finals

With scrum-half Luke Gale probing effectively, the Bulls had their moments on attack and winger Elliot Kear took centre Adrian Purtell's pass to produce a clinical finish on 18 minutes to score their only try of the first half.

Problems

It was in defence, however, that Bradford's problems surfaced and they paid a heavy price for conceding a goal-line drop-out from the restart as the Wolves hit them for two tries in five minutes.

Former Bradford centre Ryan Atkins took Myler's pass to weave his way through the home defence before full-back Matty Russell profited from more soft defence and stand-off Chris Bridge, another former Bulls player, kicked his thirdconversion to make it 18-4.

The game looked to be well and truly over within a minute of the restart when Ratchford sent Myler on a clear run from 40 metres but the pass was ruled forward and Bradford took advantage of the let-off to briefly get back in the contest.

Bridge's pass meant for Ormbsy went to ground and Bulls left winger Luke George scooped up the pass to spring 60 metres for an opportunist try, which Gale goaled.

That cut Warrington's lead to 18-10 but the deficit was back up to eight points six minutes later when Bradford's defence failed to regroup after throwing Myler back from the line and Bridge's cut-out pass enabled Ormsby to cross unopposed.

Substitute Simon Grix was denied a try for offside but the visitors cut loose in the final quarter as the Bulls fell apart.

Myler forced his way over from close range for his second try and Monaghan went over twice in seven minutes before loose forward Ben Currie got in on the act, wrapping up the scoring with his side's eighth try.

Bridge took his goal tally to seven from seven before finally missing the target with his eighth attempt.

Around Sky