Impressive Wigan see off Bulls

The Warriors were forced to switch their elimination tie away from the JJB Stadium because of a fixture clash with Wigan Athletic but it proved to be of little inconvenience as they powered their way through to the semi-finals with a 30-14 win.

They came from 8-0 down to set up a showdown with either Catalans Dragons or Warrington next Saturday, with second-rower Gareth Hock grabbing the match-clinching try on his return from a five-match ban.

Bradford started brightly but the loss of captain Paul Deacon with a leg injury at half-time was a setback from which they never recovered.

The game began at a fast and furious pace, with Bradford dominating the early exchanges, and Deacon opened the scoring after four minutes with a penalty after Wigan centre George Carmont had been pulled up for a ball steal.

Bulls winger Semi Tadulala had a try ruled out, but prop forward Andy Lynch crossed after 22 minutes, with Deacon adding the conversion to make it 8-0. Wigan struck back 10 minutes before half-time when scrum-half Thomas Leuluai stretched out of a three-man tackle to plant the ball on the line.

Pat Richards' conversion cut the Bulls' lead to just two points and that gave Wigan just the encouragement they needed and just before half-time Harrison Hansen took Leuluai's bullet-like pass to go through a gaping hole in the Bradford defence and touch down.

Following the injury to Deacon Wigan extended their lead with a third try when Leuluai was put into a gap by former Bradford favourite Stuart Fielden, and Trent Barrett's kick into space enabled winger Mark Calderwood to touch down with inches to spare.

Richards' third goal made it 18-8 but Bradford's response was impressive and immediate. Lynch got over the line only to be brought back for a forward pass, but there was no denying second-rower Simon Finnigan after 52 minutes when he took Terry Newton's short pass to go in for his side's second try.

Harris added the goal to cut the deficit to just four points but there was no way back for Bradford when Joel Tomkins scored after 67 minutes and Hock added a fifth following a jinking run. But there was cause for concern for Wigan coach Brian Noble when Cameron Phelps was carried off following a head knock.