CHAMPIONS St Helens had Great Britain forward Jon Wilkin sensationally sent off as they conceded back-to-back Super League defeats for the second time this season.

The 21-year-old Wilkin received his marching orders - for the second time in three years at Odsal - for a high tackle on Bradford substitute Matt James after 62 minutes of an absorbing Roses clash played in pouring rain.

Wilkin, who became only the second player to be sent off in Super League this year, will appear before the Rugby League disciplinary committee on Tuesday knowing that a two-match ban will rule him out of the Challenge Cup semi-final against the Bulls later this month.

Bradford struck a psychological advantage ahead of that match while at the same time clawing back the two points taken from them by administrators for breaching last year's salary cap.

Twelve-man Saints staged a brilliant rally in a tense final quarter but were denied by a resolute Bulls defence.

Both sides were coming off the back of surprise defeats but it was the Bulls who looked the livelier side in the first half and thoroughly deserved their 8-0 interval lead.

Former Bulls favourite Leon Pryce was a constant danger for the visitors but it was Bradford who created most of the chances of the first half.

Clever hands from David Solomona and Nathan McAvoy got hooker Terry Newton into space but he held onto the ball instead of offloading to the supporting Marcus St Hilaire.

Then impressive substitute Sam Burgess broke clean through the first line of defence only to find himself with no support.

The Bradford pressure finally told after 28 minutes when Saints right winger Ade Gardner failed to deal with Paul Deacon's kick to the corner and St Hilaire was on hand to pounce for the try.

Deacon, who had opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty, added the conversion to make it 8-0 but Saints ought to have scored when Wilkin produced their only clear-cut break of the first half but succumbed to Michael Platt's tackle with two men unmarked on his outside.

Strangely lethargic in the first half, St Helens were a rejuvenated side after the break and put the Bulls defence under intense pressure in increasingly difficult conditions as the heavens opened.

They looked to have scored in the 48th minute through winger Francis Meli after his opposite number Tame Tupou lost the ball in a three-man tackle five yards from his own line but video referee Ben Thaler disallowed the try.

The visitors were not to be denied, however, and five minutes later neat passing got centre Willie Talau over, although too far out for makeshift marksman Paul Wellens to add the goal.

Saints' victory chances seemed to disappear when Wilkin was shown the red card, just a minute after Jason Cayless was warned for a similar offence, but 12-man Saints rallied magnificently.

Gardner collected Matty Smith's high kick at the corner but was held up on his back by Bradford substitute Dave Halley and Pryce scythed through the home defence only for Talau to spill his pass. Tweet