Match Report | Sheffield Eagles 8-70 Bradford Bulls
22/08/2025
Sheffield Eagles were beaten 8-70 by Bradford Bulls this evening at the Steel City Stadium.
Craig Lingard’s side were hoping to put an end to an eight-match winless run, but they came up against a Bradford side who were looking to make it five wins in a row in the Betfred Championship.
Brian Noble’s side made a fast start in South Yorkshire as Guy Armitage dotted down in the left corner after only three minutes to give his side an early lead.
It didn’t take long for the Eagles to respond as Jack Bussey went over to the right of the sticks to score, but an instant response from the Bulls saw Jayden Okunbor go over to score in the right corner.
Tom Holmes went over for a third score of the evening for the visitors, going over to the left of the sticks after supporting Kieran Gill’s line-break after 23 minutes.
Their lead soon became 4-24 moments short of the half-hour mark as Zac Fulton was too strong from close-range to be able to power his way over to the right of the sticks.
A further three tries in the final ten minutes of the first half saw Bradford head into the sheds 4-42 ahead at the break. Armitage and Holmes went over for their second scores of the evening, whilst Luke Hooley also added his name to the scoresheet inside the opening forty minutes.
The visitors started the second half just as they left off in the first half as a quick-fire brace from Kieran Gill saw Bradford extend their lead to 4-54 after only forty-seven minutes.
Martyn Reilly crossed for the Eagles for our first score of the second half seventeen minutes after the restart, but Hooley added himself a second try of the evening on the hour-mark for Bradford to put themselves back ahead. He then completed his hat-trick only six minutes later after linking up in attack with Joe Keyes.
With ten minutes to go, Armitage crossed in the left corner to complete his hat-trick, to round off an 8-70 victory for Bradford Bulls.
Sheffield are back in league action at home next Sunday when we host Featherstone Rovers at the Steel City Stadium on the 31st August (3pm KO).
Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Billy. Welham, Dawson-Jones, Millar, Johnson, Craven, Green, Bowes, Reilly, Bussey, Gallagher, Bowes
Interchanges (all used): Oakes, Butterworth, Matongo, Broadbent
18th Man: Battye
Tries: Bussey (10’), Reilly (57’)
Goals: Welham 0/2
Bradford Bulls: Hooley, Okunbor, Blake, Gill, Armitage, Holmes, Keyes, Lawrence, Lilley, Bayliss, Gee, Fulton, Hill
Interchanges (all used): Michael, Souter, Scurr, Hallas
18th Man: Meadows
Tries: Armitage (3’, 40’, 70’), Okunbor (16’), Holmes (23’, 38’), Fulton (28’), Hooley (35’, 60’, 66’), Gill (43’, 47’)
Goals: Lilley 4/5, Hooley 7/7
Referee: R. Cox
Attendance: 1,344
