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Betfred Super League

Hull FC (18) 27

Tries: Batchelor, Barron, Litten, Cust Goals: Pryce 5 Drop-goal: Pryce

Bradford (10) 20

Bradford Bulls were denied a comeback victory on their return to Super League as Hull FC clinched a last gasp 27-20 victory in a thriller at the MKM Stadium.

Just 48 hours on from top-flight debutants York Knights stunning reigning Champions Hull KR by a one-point margin, the visitors ended up on the wrong side of a epic season-opening fixture.

It was to the Bulls’ credit, on their first return to Super League after 11 years away, that victory for their hosts never looked locked in with the match all square with three minutes of regular time left on the clock.

Bradford have been through much since their last try in Super League, Manese Manuokafoa scoring in a win over London Broncos in September 2014 with liquidation and reconstruction from the rubble.

But it was like they had never been away in the first exchanges, pushing back last year’s Super League seventh placed side and scoring the first try through Waqa Blake, as the Fijian international burst through flimsy defence on six minutes.

The excellent Pryce produced a moment of magic to break through defensive lines and grubber kick as he was bring tackled for Joe Batchelor to level things up 10 minutes later but back came Bradford through ex-Hull FC back Connor Wynne.

Harvey Barron responded once again for the hosts who went 12-10 up with the help of Pryce’s unerring boot before Davy Litten broke through some weak tackles on the left wing to make it 18-10 at half time.

If John Cartwright’s side were hoping the Bulls would run out of steam in the second period they were swiftly disabused just six minutes into the second half, Rowan Milnes added the extras to give the visitors the lead.

Milnes added two converted penalty goals, the second of which came after a high tackle from Aidan Sezer on Joe Mellor on 61 minutes, which put Bradford into a slim 20-18 lead.

Eight minutes later, a penalty for Hull in front of the sticks was taken without hesitation, as Pryce levelled once again with 10 minutes to go.

Bradford had great field position from a goal-line dropout after a drop goal attempt from Milnes was charged down but a knock-on as they were rebuilding their attack took the wind from their sails.

Hull charged up the other end and, with three left on the clock, grabbed a point themselves; a pass back to Sezer shifted cleverly back again to Pryce and his kick sailed over from 30 metres out.

Hull FC: Pryce; Barron, Hardaker, Litten, Martin; Kemp, Sezer; Knight, Bourouh, Hill, Batchelor, Romano, Aydin

Interchanges: Cust, Fash, Lisone, Sao

Bradford: Aekins; Okunbur, Marsters, Blake, Wynne; Keyes, Milnes; Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Russell, Fulton, Mellor

Interchanges: Souter Scurr, Doro, Chamberlain

Keely Hodgkinson says she is aiming for a new world record after breaking the British 800m best at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

The 23-year-year-old, who took Olympic gold in 2024, clocked 1:56.33 in the event’s heats to beat her own national record by almost one second.

It was the fastest time in a women’s 800m race in 24 years and the third-fastest time in history.

Having announced beforehand that she would not compete in Sunday’s final because she is due to take to the track at the Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophee in France on Thursday, Hodgkinson described the run as “a personal challenge”.

“I had to come to qualify for the worlds [in Poland next month] and that is why I was only doing one round,” she said.

“But it was a good test. It is three years since I ran indoors, so I knew I had to go out there and stay focused.

Asked about targeting Jolanda Ceplak’s indoor world record of 1:55.82 set in 2002, Hodgkinson said: “I have been very vocal in the past about wanting to get it.

“I feel like it is my record to break. We’ll give it a good go.”

Dina Asher‑Smith was another star to deliver a stunning performance on the first day of the event in Birmingham, claiming the women’s 60m title with a run of 7.05 seconds – a tenth of a second ahead of Amy Hunt, to set a new championships record.

In the men’s 60m, world and European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu, 24, retained his UK title, reaching the line in a season’s best of 6.56 seconds.

Molly Caudery reclaimed the women’s pole vault crown by clearing a height of 4.65m with Owen Heard taking the men’s with an effort of 5.55m.

Lucy Hadaway took victory in the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.45m, while 15.45m saw Tito Odunaike take the men’s triple jump.

In the women’s 60m hurdles, a personal best of 8.05 seconds secured victory for Abigail Pawlett, with Daniel Goriola taking the men’s equivalent in a season’s best 7.78.

Madeline Down crossed the line first in the women’s para 60m final with a time of 8.24 seconds, and a time of 6.93 seconds was enough for Kevin Santos to take the men’s title.

League One Mansfield produced an FA Cup fairytale to remember at Turf Moor on Saturday, but for Premier League strugglers Burnley, it was another afternoon to forget.

Louis Reed’s 80th minute free-kick into the top corner of the Clarets’ goal was a cue for 3,500 travelling Mansfield fans to erupt in sheer delight.

For the home faithful, it had the opposite affect – boos and jeers started coming from large sections of the home fans at Turf Moor, and at full-time it became a cacophony of discontent.

With just two wins in their last 19 games in all competitions and nine points adrift of safety in the Premier League, an FA Cup run represented the last bit of hope in what has been a dismal return to the top flight.

“The pressure is on Scott Parker from a certain section of the Burnley fans, they think his time is up,” Chris Sutton said on BBC Final Score.

Losing to the team 13th in English football’s third tier represents a new low in Burnley’s season just as renewed optimism was starting to creep in.

Burnley’s remarkable 3-2 come-from-behind win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday was their first victory in 16 Premier League games. The gloom started to lift slightly.

Parker’s side showed real fight and spirit at Selhurst Park, which made his decision to make nine changes to his team for the visit of Mansfield all the more baffling.

“When you don’t go through to the next round there will always be questions asked about that [team selection] but I don’t think that was the main factor today,” Parker told BBC Sport.

“We lacked a little something in those final moments. That was where we have fallen way short today.”

Burnley are not the first, nor will they be the last, Premier League side to ring the changes for a cup game against lower opposition.

But having been dumped out of the League Cup by Cardiff City back in September, the FA Cup was the supporters’ only chance to distract themselves from looming relegation.

“It is embarrassing, the changes he made. Play your strongest team. He made nine changes, and the second half was embarrassing,” former Burnley defender David Unsworth said on BBC Radio East Lancashire.

“It is an embarrassing afternoon for Burnley. It gives the owner a decision to make now. He has to listen to the fans, they are not happy.

“For the first time I have witnessed all home ends of the stadium booing and disgruntlement. The owner has a decision to make.”

Chairman Alan Pace, the leader of the club’s owners ALK Capital, isn’t the most popular at Turf Moor either at the moment.

This week he angered fans when, during an interview with BBC Football Focus, he dismissed fan concerns as coming from those who “just play this game on a computer somewhere”.

He went on to liken those same fans to three-year-old toddlers having a tantrum.

Pace used Saturday’s programme notes to clarify his words, writing: “I did not intend for my words to upset, but I did mean what I was trying to say which was that, just because some are upset, does not mean that things are dire and without hope.”

Many Burnley fans will be hoping Pace calls time on Parker’s spell in charge, though the former Premier League midfielder said he is confident is his own position at the club.

“I am very comfortable in my position at this present moment in time. We have lost a game of football today against a team we should be beating,” Parker told BBC Sport.

While Burnley’s failures were significant, it’s important not to underplay Mansfield’s achievement.

The Stags have eliminated a top-flight side from the FA Cup for the first time since February 1969, and will now play in the fifth round for the first time since 1974-75.

Despite falling behind early on, Nigel Clough’s side dug deep and hung in – Kyle Knoyle’s heroic goal-line clearance at 1-0 was typical of their spirit.

When their chances came, they took them. Rhys Oates headed in the equaliser shortly after the break, before captain Reed produced a free-kick his club’s fans will never forget.

“As soon as it left my boot I felt it going in. I have been working on them throughout the week. The lads said, ‘This is your moment, go and take it’. Thankfully, I did,” said Reed.

“It shows what a group we have got. The draws we keep getting are big ones. I felt we were always in the game even when we were 1-0 down at half-time.

“I think it’s a cliche, whoever we get in the next round, we will go into that with the same energy as this one.”

Sutton said: “It’s an amazing story and Nigel Clough, at the helm, has done a brilliant job at Mansfield.

“To think Mansfield came from behind against Premier League opposition, they kept on peppering Burnley’s goal, but the free-kick from Louis Reed deserves to win any cup tie.”

When James Trafford arrived back at Manchester City in June for a fee of about £30m, he would have been hoping to emerge as the club’s number-one goalkeeper.

And he started this season in that role, featuring in City’s first three Premier League games of the campaign.

But Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival ripped up the pecking order.

City seized their chance to bring in one of the world’s best keepers when the Italian became surplus to requirements at Paris St-Germain on summer deadline day.

Donnarumma has played 30 matches for City since then, with Trafford having had to settle for domestic cup games – plus one Champions League appearance.

After keeping a clean sheet in the FA Cup fourth-round win over Salford City on Saturday, Trafford admitted the current situation is not what he had imagined.

When asked about being City’s cup goalkeeper, Trafford told the BBC: “It wasn’t what I expected coming into the season…

“It’s the reality and I have to give it my best shot. It’s the situation I’m in. We train every day but making saves, it’s good fun.”

Trafford played 45 games last season as Burnley won promotion to the Premier League, conceding just 16 goals in the Championship in the process.

The 23-year-old then decided it was time to tackle unfinished business at City, who he had left in 2023 in search of regular playing time.

With Ederson regressing last season, City boss Pep Guardiola had clearly plotted to overhaul his goalkeeping department.

Re-signing Trafford from Burnley in June seemed the sensible option – a keeper with plenty of experience for his age who had spent six years in the club’s academy and impressed for England’s Under-21s.

Trafford had also been picked as part of England’s initial 33-man squad for Euro 2024 – although he did not make the final cut – and a role as City’s number one could have bolstered his senior international prospects.

But he has not featured in a Three Lions squad since November and a spot at this summer’s World Cup now appears to be unlikely amid his lack of game time.

“I feel sorry for Trafford,” former City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver told BBC Radio Manchester in December. “When he signed, he probably thought he was going to be number one.

“We don’t exactly know what he was told, but when you get the opportunity to bring someone in of Donnarumma’s quality and at his age as well, for a relatively moderate fee, you have to take that opportunity. I feel for Trafford, I really like him.

“It’s the life of a goalkeeper. I’ve been number one, number two and three. It’s really difficult. You don’t see a way into the team for him.