Super League Sunday: London earn first win against Leeds; Bradford and Huddersfield victorious

Bradford Bulls's
Jay Pitts crosses for his try (Picture: Steve Riding). — Bradford Bulls's Jay Pitts crosses for his try (Picture: Steve Riding).

On-loan Hull players Joe Arundel and Jay Pitts scored against their parent club as already doomed Bradford Bulls made it three wins out of three for the first time this season with a 34-28 victory over the Black and Whites at the Provident Stadium, Odsal.

The Championship-bound Bulls had surprisingly beaten champions Wigan and Challenge Cup finalists Leeds in their previous two games and gained a third successive success by coming from 12 points down to outscore their East Yorkshire opponents six tries to four with Jamie Foster, who also had a spell on loan at Hull, adding five goals for the hosts.

Hull have now won just one of their last eight games, ironically against Super League leaders St Helens, and this latest defeat virtually ends any realistic hopes of extending their season into the play-offs.

Hull remain five points behind Widnes, who hold the eighth and final play-off place, with only three games remaining.

Huddersfield Giants 28 Widnes 12

Huddersfield maintained their late-season momentum with a fourth straight win to leave Widnes sweating over their Super League play-off spot.

While a 28-12 victory, masterminded by reigning Man of Steel Danny Brough, kept alive the Giants’ hopes of a top-four finish, the Vikings are just two points ahead of Hull KR in their battle to hang onto eighth place and secure a first-ever play-off spot.

However, Vikings coach Denis Betts will be pleased with the way his side responded to their 28-6 Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Castleford.

London Broncos 40 Leeds Rhinos 36

Joe Keyes ran in a hat-trick as the London Broncos earned a first win of the Super League campaign at the 24th time of asking with a stunning 40-36 victory over the Leeds Rhinos.

Keyes struck twice in the last 10 minutes as the Londoners staged a stirring comeback to erase a 30-8 deficit.

For an under-strength Rhinos it was a setback ahead of their Tetley’s Challenge Cup final date next weekend, missing the chance to claim second spot in the process.

For the Broncos, there was a first start of the campaign for winger Kieran Dixon, 10 months on from knee surgery, with Thomas Minns stepping aside.

The visitors, with one eye on next weekend’s Wembley showpiece, made nine changes from their semi-final defeat of Warrington, including giving Super League debuts to Ben White, Ashley Handley and Ashton Golding.

For the full reports read Sports Monday, free inside tomorrow’s The Yorkshire Post.