BULLS 52 HEMEL 7

AND SO the year-long promotion push comes down to the next couple of weeks.

The final leg of the League One campaign yesterday turned into nothing more than a phoney war for the Bulls.

Events elsewhere ensured that the result at Odsal was immaterial, other than to gird the loins for the play-off battles to come.

York are up as worthy champions – the Bulls must do it the hard way to follow them.

The slate is wiped clean now. It’s all about next Sunday’s semi-final against Oldham, nothing that has gone before will matter.

Lose that and a season’s work is blown away. Win and the Bulls are 80 minutes away from a return to the Championship.

The stakes were nowhere near as high for the visit of a game Hemel Stags, who were much more competitive than the final scoreline suggested.

But the Bulls completed their half of the bargain and demonstrated none of the complacency that had infuriated John Kear in the second half at the Vestacare Stadium the week before.

For the dream scenario, the Bulls had needed a huge favour from Whitehaven at Bootham Crescent – and for 40 minutes at least, it looked remotely possible before the Knights eased clear for a division-clinching 15th straight win.

Kear had anticipated that outcome all week and called yesterday a prep game for the Bulls for the play-off mini-campaign. He also took the chance to rest some regulars.

With one eye on next week, he had shuffled the pack and spared Ethan Ryan, Elliot Minchella, Steve Crossley, George Flanagan and Joe Keyes from donning a jersey. The Bulls were also without injured duo Tuoyo Egodo and Gregg McNally.

But it was a significant day for teenager Olly Wilson, the latest off the academy’s production line to be thrust on to the senior stage.

Called into action midway through the first half, the youngster certainly himself proud – and looks another feather in the cap for the club’s youth system.

It was a subdued start but the Bulls posted the first points after nine minutes. Callum Bustin’s strong run created the scoring opportunity before Ashley Gibson exploited a stretched defence to send Dalton Grant strolling into the corner.

A second try swiftly followed after James Green made the break, punching a gap for the supporting Brandon Pickersgill to feed Bustin for a finish by the posts.

A loose pass behind Matty Garside thwarted a further score before Hemel enjoyed a good spell in the Bulls’ territory – the hosts getting a break when a high kick bounced off the upright and into Green’s arms.

It was relatively comfortable for the rejigged Bulls side although Hemel were giving them a decent test without really knocking on the door. They just lacked the killer punch to make the most of field position.

The Bulls showed their own cutting edge with a flowing passing move for the third try, Pickersgill supplying Grant for another straight-forward score.

That heralded Wilson’s arrival to cheers from the fans and he was straight into the action.

Hemel got off the mark just before the half-hour with a cheeky drop goal on the last tackle from Louis Sheriff 20 metres out.

But the Bulls were back in business with some quick-thinking from Chisholm, suddenly switching the direction play to float a pass left to Jy Hitchcox who sent in Jonny Pownall for the score.

Pickersgill was having another solid game and tidied up defensively before the Bulls threatened once more, only for Pownall to take his eye off Chisholm’s precise low kick and drop the ball with the line in sight.

Hemel, to their credit, were still giving it a go and centre Alex Williams crossed just ahead of the hooter – only for his celebrations to be instantly cut short by referee Liam Staveley for a forward pass.

Mobiles were being constantly checked for the goings-on in north Yorkshire and news that the Knights only led by two at the break kept the hope alive.

The Bulls needed just four minutes of the second period to extend their lead after Grant’s break through the line had eaten up the metres in the Hemel half.

Chisholm took advantage with another measured kick to the angle where Hitchcox gathered to claim their fifth try.

The Bulls were stepping it up and Jordan Lilley followed his half-back partner’s example with his grubber kick supplying Pickersgill for his second try.

The full back then played the perfect supporting as the pair combined again. Lilley broke the line and Pickersgill sent Matty Storton away for his third score in as many weeks.

And the Bulls made it three tries in four minutes against a rapidly-tiring opponent.

It was Chisholm this time slicing through the line and Ross Oakes went with him to escape the prospect of the “nudey” run by breaking his duck for the year!

Chisholm pinged the post with the conversion, his third of four misses, but the game had been well put to bed. It looked to no avail, though, with York moving clear of Whitehaven.

As the tempo dropped, Hemel’s own efforts were similarly frustrated as the hard-working Jonathan Burns was twice held up over the Bulls line, youngsters Wilson and Storton combining to shut the door.

Storton then topped his day with a second try, fending off one would-be tackler and taking a couple more with him to the line.

The Bulls then passed the 50 mark as Pownall grabbed his second from 15 metres out. Again Chisholm was off with the conversion – no doubt Keyes will be back on kicking duty against the Roughyeds.

Hitchcox appeared to be tackled out of possession as he attempted to dribble a bouncing ball away and Pownall’s hat-trick bid was foiled by a forward pass.

And it was Hemel who had the final say with a consolation try that their efforts warranted. Full back Matthew Welham made the break and Mark Barlow crossed from 10 metres out.

Now the real fight begins.