Bradford Bulls struggling at home and with half-backs

He said: “It is down to the lack of a regular half-back pairing (Myles Lawford and Sam Hallas are playing there at the moment) and the size of the pitch.

“When Jordan (Lilley) got injured for the rest of the season and Dec (Patton) got suspended and Billy Jowitt was injured, we knew what we had.

“We knew what the challenges were and they have not changed, but I have massive respect for what Myles and Sam are trying to do.

“It is just that our minor details were slightly off and they have cost us.”

Solving the puzzle of how to win at Odsal is going to be a big factor in how the Bulls fare next season.

Dunning explained: “We have got two game-plans as a team – one for when we play away and one for when we play at home – and as a collective we didn’t execute well enough against Whitehaven.

“The effort was good but you have to be absolutely meticulous with minor details at Odsal, and when we do do it we have proved that we can put points on people, but the margins are fine.”

Was the six-day turnaround a factor in the flat Bulls performance?

Dunning said: “I don’t deal with excuses, and there are reasons, one of which could be playing at York on Monday, but you cannot question the effort.

“The players have stuck in there as a group, they have been connected and gone a whole half without conceding a try, although there was the penalty at the end.

“They have shown a desire and endeavour to represent the badge on the chest.

“The defeat is still raw, but I have a group of players that have given everything that they could, and we look after each other and put our arms around each other on the back of errors and work hard to defend our team-mates.”

Dunning added that Jacob Hookem, signed on loan from Hull FC, will be with the Bulls for the rest of the season.