HALIFAX, Huddersfield Union went close but not close enough to upsetting Bradford, who chalked up a 22-14 win in their Yorkshire Inter-Union League match at Bingley St Ives.
As a result, the winners stay on the heels of leaders East Riding, who crushed Sheffield 28-8 at Brough to maintain their 100% record.
Bradford needed to pull off some late-order wins to keep on top of their visitors.
The two top matches in the foursomes went the way of Halifax, Huddersfield, Aaron Schnacke and Ben Adamson then Iain Powell and Brad Tupman clicking with strong performances.
But Bradford took the other four contests.
Though Schnacke went down in the top singles to former Halifax, Huddersfield man Peter Fenton, Bradford were hit hard by Adamson, Powell and Jamie Bower pulling off smart wins to hint at a shock win, before the hosts produced a strong finish.
Foursomes: D Bairstow (Bingley St Ives) & M Roche (Balldon) lost to A Schnacke (Huddersfield) & B Adamson (Crow Nest Park) 5&3; P Fenton (Cleckheaton) & N Colbeck (Cleckheaton) lost to I Powell (Hebden Bridge) & B Tupman (Huddersfield) 1 hole; A Town (West Bradford) & T Brushwood (West Bradford) bt J Bower (Meltham) & A Cryer (Woodsome Hall) 1 hole; M Atter (Bradford) & A Fitzpatrick (Keighley) bt A Shaw (Huddersfield) & J Ellison (Huddersfield) 1 hole; C Howe (Hollins Hall) & M Evans (Hollins Hall) bt A Wilford (Huddersfield) & D Stafford (West End) 1 hole; M Ryder (Skipton) & J Mountain (Cleckheaton) bt B Crowther (Dewsbury) & M Hepworth (Dewsbury) 3&2.
Singles: Fenton bt Schnacke 4&2; Town lost to Adamson 3&1; Colbeck lost to Powell 3&2; Bairstow lost to Bower 2&1; Roche bt Cryer 2 holes; Brushwood halved with Shaw; Atter bt Tupman 2&1; Howe halved with Ellison; Fitzpatrick lost to Stafford 1 hole; Evans bt Wilford 4&3; Ryder bt Hepworth 5&4; Mountain bt Crowther 4&3.
Other matches: Leeds 23, Teesside 13, Harrogate 17, York 19.
