Wakefield Trinity Ladies’ coach, Charlie Doherty, was proud of his side, despite Saturday’s 28-10 defeat to Bradford at the Be Well Support Stadium.

Tries from Megan Preston and Sophia Liu were not enough as five tries from Bradford condemned Trinity to their third defeat of the season.

After trailing 14-0 at the interval, Preston and Liu found their way to the whitewash in the second period to set up a big finish at the Be Well Support Stadium, however, it was not meant to be as the Bulls took a 28-10 victory.

“It was a massive improvement from the first couple of games, especially defensively,” Doherty explained.

“We just gave ourselves too much to do and we had to try to play catch up which ultimately is what killed us.

” As mentioned, our defence has started working together more as a unit rather than individuals.

“Liu, making her debut, played big minutes and capped it with a try. Attacking wise, we’re creating more chances, we were held up three times and had one disallowed with a bit more luck we turn those into points.”

With a few faces out, Trinity was bolstered by the returns of Lisa Taylor and Cassy Lawson in the starting 13, with Hebe Forbes, Georgia Pitman-Smith and Sophia Liu all coming into the side for the first time in 2022.

After the defeat against Warrington in round two, Trinity was looking to start in the best possible way, however, it was the visitors who took the early score. Just three minutes into the first half, the Bulls shifted the ball to the right, where they dived over to secure the first points of the match.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side, Bradford once again shifting the ball to the corner to touch down before adding a third just seven minutes later.

Down by 14 but by no means out, the home side rallied, and after a neat passage of play down the left, the ball eventually found Olivia Cummins, however, the referee judged the ball went forward as the first half ended with the Bulls in the lead.

Soldiering on and looking more fluid in attack, the second half brought Trinity some hope. Just five minutes after the start of the second half, Megan Preston regathered her neat grubber in behind the Bradford defence to bring one back.

Full of momentum and looking to add another, Trinity heaped pressure on the Bulls’ line for the moments that followed, however, it was the visitors who added to their advantage, putting the ball down after a neat passage of play down the right.

Following her Player of the Match display for Halifax in May, Sophia Liu entered the field to make her Wakefield and Super League debut, celebrating in the best possible way as her quick dart from dummy-half brought the deficit to just eight points.

“It’s great to see different players getting over and it shows us that we can be dangerous from everywhere when we play with confidence.

“Preston has been great so far this season and we’re surprised she hasn’t got one before now, but it was well deserved.

“Sophia did everything we asked and topped it off with a try, so that’s a massive step for her.”

Las, it was not meant to be for the hosts, and despite throwing everything at the Bulls in the second half, it was the visitors who scored the final try of the match, intercepting a pass in centre-field to run over unchallenged.

Trinity Ladies are back in on Sunday as we travel to Featherstone to face Rovers, a game you can follow on our social media channels.