LEE Gaskell admits the Bulls need to iron out the “cheap” penalties if they are to shock promotion favourites Wakefield in the Championship curtain-raiser.

With no Challenge Cup tie next weekend, Eamon O’Carroll’s men have an extended spell to prepare for the trip to Belle Vue 10 days from now.

Gaskell returned to the fray in Sunday’s 1895 Cup quarter-final win against Swinton but the experience playmaker insists they must use the build-up to round one to work on reducing the penalty count which again went against them.

“You can’t give away stupid penalties against a team like Wakefield,” he said. “You’ll be under the sticks most of the game.

“It’s still early but we need to improve the discipline. We gave away a few cheap penalties.

“We had them pinned down in their own half and let them off the hook a little bit.

“We hung on in periods but you have to do that in the early parts of the season when the track is a bit slower. You have to grind out victories and the lads did that.

“I think our desire and wanting to work for each other was spot on and that’s what got us over the line.”

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Gaskell resumed his half-back partnership with Jordan Lilley and his composure provided a solid platform in the 21-12 victory that earned the Bulls another crack at Wakefield at Odsal in the last four in May.

“It was good. We play off each other, try to control things and finish our sets in the right positions.

“That’s our main job, especially earlier on in the season when you tend to get lower-scoring games because the pitch and the rucks are a bit slow.

“It was nice to get back out there and it will be nice now to focus on round one.

“Wakefield are a top team with a top coach and have kept a good core of the players.

“But it’s about us. We know it’s a tough fixture going to Wakefield first game of the year.

“We know what to expect but we’ll be ready.

“If we do our job right and cut out the silly penalties, we’ll be there fighting in round one.”