Bradford 64 Saints 24

SEAN Long made a sparkling return to the Odsal ground where all his troubles began, and surprisingly showed no ill effects from his three-month lay off.

To a predictable chorus of booing from the home ranks, Long led out a depleted Saints team - this time helpfully announced by coach Ian Millward the day before kick off - which was duly stuffed by the hosts. Plucky as Saints' display was, it was the second time this season this fixture has been turned into a complete non-event for the crowd.

This time it seems only a few among the travelling army disagreed with the policy of not playing those players carrying injuries in a game that was rendered meaningless by the previous week's loss at home to Leeds.

All eyes were already focused on heading to the JJB on Saturday.

The returning Long was roundly booed throughout the 72 minutes that he was on the field.

Those Bulls certainly owe him some verbal grief - if not for infamously placing the bet last Easter Monday, but also for kicking the winning goals that snatched Grand Final trophies off them in 1999 and 2002.

But the old adage of 'sticks and stones' came true, as Long revelled in the chance to put the frustration of the last three months on the sidelines behind him and run with the ball.

Unfortunately, despite a plucky opening half an hour which seemed to be frustrating the homesters in need of a 'Wooly Bully fix' every five minutes, Saints were crushed by a Bulls stampede just before the break.

From then on in it became a question of how many, with the Bulls keen to create opportunities for man mountain Lesley Vainikolo to cross for the hat-trick of tries he

needed to lift him above Danny McGuire in the Super League top try scoring charts. He didn't need that much encouragement - once his confidence is up, he is a beast to stop anywhere near the line.

It was Vainikolo's looming figure, which forced Ade Gardner to drop the ball as early as the fourth minute, leading directly to the opening score through Shontayne Hape.

The video referee gave a try, although a more sympathetic one may have given the decision Saints' way for the clear obstruction by the big Tongan which prevented Gardner the opportunity of retrieving the ball after his fumble.

Hape added his second shortly afterwards, and then Saints bounced back with an incredible try.

Long sparked the move, but it was his teenage understudy James Roby who made the most telling contribution. Once again Roby showed that keenness to take on the line and after sucking in the defence he had the strength and presence of mind to off-load before hitting the deck allowing supporting packman John Stankevitch to collect and go over.

Long tagged on the extras, and added a brace of penalties to level matters after 24 minutes.

But three further tries in the last ten minutes of the half by Stuart Reardon, Vainikolo and Jamie Peacock, all goaled by Paul Deacon gave the hosts a flattering 28-10 lead at the break.

But Saints did not throw the towel in and a bandaged up Mike Bennett was first to react to Paul Wellens' neat chip to the corner for the opening try after the restart.

Saints substitute Dom Feaunati thundered over for a blockbusting, defence scattering try, and on the other wing Gardner showed great footwork to turn the defence inside out on his 50 metre dash to the line.

Unfortunately, they were to prove mere consolations as at the other end the points procession had continued unabated.

Vainikolo plundered another couple of tries for a hat-trick and he was joined on that score by fellow wingman Reardon.

Deacon and Michael Withers also got in on the act - and still it did not seem to dampen Saints' fans spirits, who stayed to the end despite the lop-sided scoreline.