Harlequins (4) 16
Tries: Pryce 2, Temata
Goals: Gale 2
Bradford (12) 30
Tries: Ah Van 2, Royston, Whitehead, Lynch
Goals: Ah Van 5

Ah Van put 18 points past struggling Harlequins

Bradford winger Patrick Ah Van ran in two tries as Harlequins' winless run extended to 11 Super League games.

The visitors led 12-4 at the break, Ah Van's first try and a superb solo effort from Shad Royston cancelling out Karl Pryce's early score.

Ah Van and Karl Tamata exchanged tries before Elliott Whitehead earning the Bulls a 14-point advantage.

Pryce added his second to give Quins hope but Andy Lynch went over, Ah Van adding his fifth kick to seal it.

Bradford ended their poor run of form away from home to claim their first victory on the road since February. But Quins' desperate run continued as they fell to their sixth straight defeat.

It was the hosts who held most of the early possession, deservedly going ahead when Chad Randall found Bulls old boy Pryce.

The on-loan Wigan man pushed his way through from a few metres out, but Gale missed a tricky conversion.

The visitors then hit back when Ben Jeffries broke away from the defence, allowing Ah Van to sprint clear for a converted try.

Just before half-time, the Bulls opened the gap when Royston found space to go on a blistering run from deep in his own half, shrugging off Chris Riley's tackle to go over, Ah Van duly converting.

Two minutes after the restart, Ah Van struck again with a simple try in the right-hand corner but failed to add the extras.

The New Zealander redeemed his missed conversion with a penalty, awarded after the hosts were too slow in releasing Marc Herbert in the tackle.

Quins never gave up hope of getting back into the game, reducing the gap to eight points when Temata sprinted through, Gale adding the extras.

But their good work was undone when Gale fumbled Pryce's pass and it was intercepted by Whitehead, who ran over unopposed.

The hosts kept pushing, Pryce adding his second by skipping away from his tackler to touch down, Gale converting.

But the Bulls wrapped it up when Heath L'Estrange passed inside for Lynch to touch down, Ah Van completing his haul.

Harlequins coach Rob Powell:

"We played well in large chunks, but our kicking let us down massively. When we had the ball five metres out, we kicked it dead four times.

"With Bradford's players, you've got a group of people who are tired and then get the ball back on their 20-metre line when we should be attacking again.

"I thought we were the better side, but if you don't build pressure well enough, you just let them off the hook."

Bradford head coach Mick Potter:

"It was too hot to play rugby in a sense. I love how warm it is but it's not really conducive to playing top-class rugby league and getting the best out of the players.

"We ran until we couldn't run any more. You could see that both teams were struggling to come up with plays and energy.

"With our tackle count and our lacking possession early on in this heat, I'm just happy to come away from here with two points."

Harlequins: Riley; O'Callaghan, Clubb, Pryce, Melling; Bailey, Gale; Ward, Randall, Temata, Burnett, Mitchell, Wilkes.

Replacements: Krasniqi, Ambler, Ellis, Koupartisas.

Bradford: Royston; Crookes, Ah Van, Whitehead, Platt; Jeffries, Herbert; Lynch, Diskin, Kopczak, Elima, Olbison, Langley.

Replacements: L'Estrange, Addy, Donaldson, Burgess.

Attendance: 4,253.

Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version