Sunday 19th August 2012, 15:00 - Round:25

Scrum-half Luke Gale kept cash-strapped Bradford Bulls in the hunt for a Stobart Super League play-off place by inspiring them to a third straight win.
 
Gale, at the heart of Bradford’s attacking play, scored a first-half try and added three conversions to leave the Bulls 18-6 up at the break.

Karl Pryce touched down twice after the interval to give the Bulls some breathing room as Huddersfield Giants lost for the first time in three matches.

Huddersfield, coached by former Bulls legend Paul Anderson, gave Bradford a bigger percentage of away-ticket sales to help their survival battle.

It prompted a big turnout, with Bradford fans making up about a third of the 7,477 crowd.

The Bulls, battling Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats for the final top-eight spot, fell behind early on when ex-Bulls star Joe Wardle dived over from Greg Eden’s pass.

Bradford were unlucky with some neat moves, notably on 11 minutes when a defence-splitting pass bounced off the posts and to a Giants player.

But the match seemed to turn a minute later when Huddersfield’s Keith Mason was let off with a warning for retaliation.

He threw the ball into the face of an opponent, which seemed to make Bradford up their game.

A flowing move involving Gale and Heath L’Estrange saw Shaun Ainscough dive over from Pryce’s final pass on 21 minutes.

Gale was also involved in the move which led to substitute Matt Diskin bagging a try on 35 minutes.

Huddersfield complained about an obstruction in the build-up, but referee Thierry Alibert allowed play to carry on and the Bulls took full advantage.

Pryce and Brett Kearney then helped set up Gale under the posts on the hooter, with the former Harlequins RL star adding the extras.

The Giants, looking for a win which would confirm their own play-off berth, were nearly back in it on 59 minutes.

Scott Grix started a flowing move which ended with Leroy Cudjoe putting Jermaine McGillvary in for a try, only for it to be ruled out for a forward pass.

The influential Gale then kicked a 40-20 just seconds later, with Kearney capitalising from the tap-in with a brilliant solo try in the left corner.

Gale converted and was at it again on 70 minutes when Pryce went over unchallenged to finish the contest with a 14-point individual haul.

Cudjoe scored a late converted consolation for Huddersfield, but Pryce had the last word on the hooter after an acrobatic pass from Elliott Whitehead.