Reaction: Oldham coach Diskin left frustrated with Bradford defeat

Matt Diskin couldn't hide his "frustration"at Oldham's performance in a 26-12 Betfred Championship defeat by Bradford Bulls at Bower Fold.

For much of a hard-fought game Roughyeds more than held their own, but they paid the price of defeat because they conceded 18 points in the first ten minutes.

A fourth converted try in the 25th minute gave Bulls a 24-0 interval lead.

Said Diskin: "We left ourselves with far too much to do in the second half. 

"We conceded soft tries, but if you take that softness element out of it I thought we did some things really well, especially in the second half.

"There were a lot of positives, but despite  that we lost the game and that's what makes it all the more frustrating."

Roughyeds scored 12 second-half points to Bradford's two and spent most of the second half camped out in the Bulls half of the field, but the damage had already been done.

Added Diskin: "I thought we were the better side for much of the game. They didn't trouble us on the edges, only from close range in the first few minutes, but we can't keep conceding what I call soft tries through our goal-line defence."

Bulls now go above Oldham in the table on for-and-against difference, as do Sheffield Eagles thanks to their golden-point winner at Batley Bulldogs.

Only two clubs now sit beneath Roughyeds with zero points -- York City Knights and Whitehaven.

Mid-table Dewsbury Rams, who enjoyed a comfortable home win against Widnes Vikings  last time out, are next Sunday's (March 8) visitors to Bower Fold (3pm) in another game that will be of crucial importance to Oldham.

Tackling-machine Liam Bent, who missed the Bulls clash with a knee injury, hopes to be back in contention by then, but Diskin has reported that several players suffered knocks in the Bulls game  and they will be monitored during the week.

One of them, goalkicking full-back Dan Abram, looked to have picked up an ankle injury when he went down awkwardly in a tackle in the second half.

By Roger Halstead