JOHN Duffy apologised to fans and ordered extra training for his players after Leigh’s Betfred Championship defeat at Bradford Bulls.

Winger Jonny Pownall and hooker Liam Hood were sin binned in a second half to forget after the teams shared 24 points in the opening period.

“Our travelling fans were again superb so I have to apologise to them, especially coming across and paying £28 to watch that,” said head coach Duffy as deflated as the supporters by another missed opportunity to take maximum points.

“From myself down we owe the fans and I take full responsibility for that performance in the second half.

“I haven’t seen anything like that in quite a while, “ added Duffy describing the approach after the break as “dumb.”

“We knew the officials would have a part to play in the game and we played right into the hands of that.

“Bradford stayed disciplined and took their chances when they came.

“When we stuck to our game plan in the first half it looked pretty easy.

“But we didn’t follow instructions that were being sent on the field and we gifted Bradford field position.

“They’ve got a fantastic coach and a good group of players and they capitalised on that.

“We normally have our recovery session on a Monday but we’re in. We owe these fans something back for that.”

Duffy is definitely looking for a response in Sunday’s Coral Ladbrokes Challenge Cup at in-form Sheffield Eagles who grabbed a sixth win in seven games with their 24-16 success at York.

Leigh’s only consolation is they remain fifth courtesy of a fractionally better points difference than Feathesrtone.

The visitors started well enough in search of a first win at Odsal in a quarter of a century with a fifth minute try from Sam Brooks converted by Danny Richardson.

The Bulls responded through ex Hull KR and Castleford centre Jake Webster and Matthew Storton to lead 10-6.

But it was 10-all after the first quarter as Richardson’s long ball picked out Pownall to score an unconverted try in the corner.

Richardson did boot a 32nd minute penalty to restore Leigh’s advantage only for Elliot Minchella to level after referee Tom Grant’s whistle intervened again.

Mr Grant was certainly a busy man after half-time with Pownall-sent off at Halifax last month for dissent-yellow carded for backchat to a touch judge.

Leigh went down to 11 men as Hood and Webster were sin binned in the same incident.

Despite the one-man deficit Leigh conceded only one try as full-back Ethan Ryan scooted over from dummy half for his sixth try of the year to restore a lead Bradford weren’t to lose.

Into the final period and the Bulls sealed victory. Matty Wildie sprinted 90 metres after collecting Hood’s grubber kick in the 62nd minutes.

Nine minutes from time former Leigh winger, Rhys Evans also scored from distance as an increasingly tetchy affair became more and more penalty strewn.

In between, Stafan Marsh was forced into touch as he headed for the corner as Leigh failed to spark as an attacking force.

Match stats: Bradford Bulls: Ryan; Foggin-Johnston, Webster, Oakes, Evans; Milnes, Wildie; Kirk, Hallas, Crossley, Storton, Farrell, Minchella.

Substitutes: Gibson, Green, Flanagan, Wood.

Tries: Webster (8), Storton (13), Ryan (50), Wildie (62), Evans (71)

Goals: Minchella 2/5 Milnes 1/1.

Leigh: McNally; Pownall, Higginson, I Thornley, Marsh; Richardson, Woods; Douglas, Higham, Brooks, T. Adamson, Bentley, L. Adamson.

Substitutes: Hood, Cator, Spencer, Emmitt.

Tries: Brooks (5), Pownall (20).

Goals: Richardson 2/3.

Attendance: 4,381.

Referee: Tom Grant.

Half-time: 12-12.