Bradford flick power switch to end London's Grand Final dream
Bradford 44 London
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Your support makes all the difference.Iestyn Harris totted up 18 points with two tries and five goals as their opponents ended life as the Broncos - they will play under the banner of Harlequins next season - with a convincing defeat after competing strongly in the first 40 minutes.
"It was a huge reminder of what finals football is all about," said the Bradford coach, Brian Noble. His team suffered some pre-match disruption when their scrum-half and goal kicker, Paul Deacon, was forced to pull out with a stomach bug, which might have accounted for an early lack of cohesion.
The Broncos took advantage by going ahead after 11 minutes, capitalising on their weight of possession when Paul Sykes's kick bounced off a defender straight into the arms of Jon Wells. Sykes was credited with the conversion from the touchline, even though the two touch judges disagreed on whether it had gone over.
Only a couple of strong runs from Brad Meyers threatened to give Bradford any momentum, but then Joe Vagana came off the bench and drove the ball up the middle. Iestyn Harris took Robbie Paul's pass, and was awarded the try, adding the goal to bring the scores level.
Bradford were still not fluent, but after 31 minutes Ian Henderson kicked from dummy half and Lesley Vainikolo won the race for the loose ball over the tryline. Harris could not add the goal, but the Bulls finished the first half with their noses in front.
Two minutes into the second half, Jamie Peacock, recently vilified by a section of the Bradford crowd for his decision to join Leeds, smashed his way through a series of tackles for a try born of sheer determination.
Leon Pryce, and London's Rob Purdham were placed on report after a clash, but Bradford tightened their grip when Shontayne Hape scored after the Broncos allowed Paul's kick to bounce. A similar mistake from an equally precise Harris kick allowed Henderson to score as Bradford, who are the best second-half team in the business began to draw away, Vainikolo soon claiming his second score of the night.
Harris also stretched over the line for his second try before Solomon Haumono and Zeb Luisi got a couple back for the Broncos. That meant that they shed their old identity on a defiant note, although Karl Pryce underlined Bradford's superiority before Haumono went for a spectacular second.
Bradford: L Pryce, Johnson, B Harris, Hape, Vainikolo, I Harris, Paul, Fielden, Henderson, Morley, Meyers, Peacock, Radford. Substitutes used: K Pryce, Vagana, Lynch, Langley.
London: Luisi, Wells, Sykes, Smith, Bradley-Qalilawa, Mateo, Dorn, Tookey, Highton, Trindall, Haumono, Hopkins, Ablett. Substitutes used: Purdham, Williams, Mbu, Temata.
Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).
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