Martin Gleeson and Amos Roberts touched down late on as Wigan halted a Bradford fightback to maintain their engage Super League play-off challenge.

The right-wing pair both crossed in the final six minutes at Odsal after the Bulls had hit back from 12-0 down to take the lead.

James Donaldson's first Bradford try and another effort from Chris Nero had threatened to revive the Bulls' fading top-eight hopes but Wigan's late surge condemned them to a fifth straight loss.

The Warriors held a slender 6-0 advantage after a pedestrian first half which began in heavy rain.

Both sides had early chances with Bradford first going close as Paul Deacon sent Michael Platt through only for covering defenders to force him to lose the ball diving for the line.

The Bulls then had a let-off as a Thomas Leuluai kick bounced nicely for Cameron Phelps between the posts but Nero just managed to stop the danger.

Joel Tomkins then found his way to the line for the Warriors but Bradford just managed to prevent him grounding the ball.

Yet the elder Tomkins was not to be denied for long as his brother Sam darted through a gap in the Bulls line and sent him in under the posts after 23 minutes.

Pat Richards further rewarded Wigan for a sustained spell of pressure by converting but the Bulls were unfortunate not to at least be level by the break.

Deacon was denied by a fine Gleeson tackle, Dave Halley had an effort disallowed for a forward pass and Jamie Langley just failed to reach a kick from his scrum-half.

Paul Sykes almost found his way through early in the second half but was hauled down by Leuluai.

Their efforts came to nothing and Richards put Wigan further ahead as he collected a Leuluai bullet pass to cross out wide. The winger also added a simple goal after being allowed to narrow the angle significantly.

Bradford at last managed to find a way through to get back into contention as 17-year-old loose forward Donaldson, making his second Bulls appearance, burrowed over from close range.

That try rejuvenated the Bulls and full-back Halley was stopped short just moments later.

The hosts then stepped up the pressure and Halley found more space to set up Nero in the corner and, with Deacon's conversions, the scores were level. Wigan seemed unable to regain the initiative and with 11 minutes remaining conceded a penalty which Deacon slotted to give his side the lead for the first time.

The Warriors rallied at the last and Gleeson, returning after a three-game absence, put the visitors back in front from a Joel Tomkins pass.

The former St Helens and Warrington centre then turned provider to set up Roberts in the corner in the closing moments.