BULLS 16 BATLEY 14 IT WASN’T pretty but it was effective enough to book their ticket to the play-offs. The Bulls battled to a fourth consecutive win at a soggy Odsal to ensure they will be in the promotion shoot-out – and keep the fight alive with Toulouse for second spot. Batley were typical Batley and refused to go away.
They were in the contest right up to the closing minutes when a missed conversion blew the chance of levelling. As Eamon O’Carroll put it afterwards, this was the sort of uncomfortable confrontation they can expect in the shoot-out of the play-offs. They found a way to win – something that might not have happened earlier in the campaign.
Wigan youngster Harvey Makin returned after playing for his parent club in the Reserves Grand Final. Makin was one of two changes to the starting 13 from the win at Sheffield – one enforced after Eribe Doro’s back injury. Mitch Souter also returned at hooker in place of Tyran Ott, who was left out completely.
Jarrod Sammut’s return gave O’Carroll the rare luxury of a third half-back on the bench. Batley had won three of the last four meeting between the sides – and inflicted one of the three single-point losses the Bulls have suffered this season at Mount Pleasant in May. The Bulls had an early chance as James Brown smothered Lee Gaskell’s grubber at the second attempt by the foot of the Batley posts.
Gaskell was then called upon at the other end from the next Batley attack to thwart Brandon Moore 10 met.