SKY BET LEAGUE 2
Saturday September 7th, 3.00pm
Utilita Engery Stadium
BRADFORD CITY 2
Clayton Donaldson 77
Paudie O'Connor 88
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 1
Charlie Goode 20
Attendance: 13,678 (number of Cobblers fans not confirmed)
Bradford: Richard O’Donnell, Kelvin Mellor, Paudie O’Connor, Ben Richards-Everton, Harry Pritchard, Clayton Donaldson, James Vaughan (sub Anthony O'Connor 90), Matt Palmer, Dylan Connolly (sub Zeli Ismail 68), Connor Wood, Daniel Devine (sub Callum Cooke 68)
Subs not used: Sam Hornby, Jordan Gibson, Jermaine Anderson, Aramide Oteh
Cobblers: David Cornell, Michael Harriman, Joe Martin, Charlie Goode, Jordan Turnbull, Shaun McWilliams, Matt Warburton (sub Billy Waters 67), Chris Lines, Nicky Adams (sub Scott Wharton 73), Sam Hoskins, Andy Williams (sub Vadaine Oliver 54)
Subs not used: Andrew Fisher, Scott Pollock, Egli Kaja, Harry Smith
Referee: Leigh Doughty
Booked:
Bradford: Paudie O'Connor (77), Zeli Ismail (84)
Cobblers: Joe Martin (33, 2nd of the season), Vadaine Oliver (77, 1st), Sam Hoskins (85, 2nd), Jordan Turnbull (90, 2nd)
5 cautions on or before 19 games; 1 match suspension
10 cautions on or before 37 games; 2 match suspension
15 cautions at any time in season; 3 match suspension
Sent off:
Bradford: Zeli Ismail (90)
Cobblers: none
Sendings off: 2 cautions in one game; 1 match suspension but cautions do not count towards above totals. Other sendings off; 1 or 3 match suspension. Extra match ban for additional sendings off.
Full-back Michael Harriman made his Cobblers debut with fellow new signing winger Egli Kaja named on the bench for the trip to Bradford City. Shaun McWilliams moved back into midfield replacing Ryan Watson (broken collarbone) while one-time Cobblers goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell started for the Bantams.
David Cornell saved a James Vaughan header and the Cobblers keeper denied the Bantams front man again when he was through one on one. Andy Williams had a shot blocked in the first sight at goal for the Cobblers in what was a fairly even start to the contest.
Charlie Goode put the Cobblers in front with 20 minutes on the clock, the Town skipper heading home Joe Martin’s corner. Matt Warburton then had the ball in the back of the net as the Cobblers looked for a quick second but the off-side flag was already up. Clayton Donaldson flicked an effort just wide in a half chance for the hosts created down the left by Harry Pritchard.
The second half started with a trio of Bradford corners, the home side on the offensive in search of an equaliser. Having seen off that spell of pressure the Cobblers then made their first change of the afternoon with Vadaine Oliver on for Williams.
Paudie O’Connor flashed a header wide from another Bantams corner before Warburton made way for Billy Waters with Zeli Ismail and Callum Cooke on in a double change for the home side.
Some last-ditch defending from Joe Martin denied Clayton Donaldson an equaliser as Bradford kept up the momentum but the Cobblers went close to a second when a looping header from Oliver was well tipped over by O’Donnell.
The equaliser Bradford had been threatening came on 77 minutes, Clayton Donaldson getting the final touch to Zeli Ismail’s driven cross. Donaldson then had a chance to put the home side in front only to drag his shot wide.
O’Donnell pulled off another top save to deny Oliver but with only a couple of minutes of normal time remaining Bradford took the lead, Paudie O’Connor scoring on the follow-up after an excellent initial save from Cornell.
Zeli Ismail was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time but the home side held out to claim the victory.
BRADFORD MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 6
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 6
CORNERS: (4) 10
FOULS: (7) 11
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 0
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (2) 4
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (0) 1
CORNERS: (1) 2
FOULS: (7) 16
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (3) 4