Bradford City vs Luton Town FC (12th Mar 2019)

BRADFORD CITY 0 LUTON TOWN 1

Stacey's third of the season seals the win

The Hatters set a new club record for unbeaten away matches in the EFL tonight with a 1-0 win over a Bradford City side that belied their lowly league position with a spirited second-half display.

Jack Stacey's first-half goal proved enough to make it 12 games on the road without defeat, while extending the overall club record for EFL games without loss to 24, as they ground out another vital three points in the bid to win promotion to the Championship.

For a second long away trip in four days, Harford once again named an unchanged starting line-up to that which drew 0-0 at Plymouth on Saturday, with James Shea behind a back four of Jack Stacey, Matty Pearson, captain Sonny Bradley and James Justin.

Alan McCormack anchored the midfield with Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Andrew Shinnie either side of him, and Elliot Lee just behind the front two of Danny Hylton and leading scorer James Collins.

The Hatters made the breakthrough in the 16th minute when Shinnie played a one-two with Lee 30 yards from the Bantams' goal, then played Stacey in on the over-lap and the right-back made no mistake with his shot across Richard O'Donnell into the far corner of the net.

Stacey almost doubled the advantage with a carbon copy straight after, this one saved by O'Donnell, then Shinnie stung the keeper's palms from fully 25 yards before an attempted curler from the Scottish midfielder was off target.

A spell of pinball in the hosts' penalty area led to Lee directing a header at goal from close range in the 22nd minute, but it was straight at O'Donnell.

McCormack went down injured just before the half-hour, and with the midfielder off the pitch - and eventually replaced by Luke Berry - Bradford went close with Hope Akpan's flick from a right-wing corner headed towards the far post, but Nat Knight-Percival couldn't connect with his header at the far post.

Berry was soon into the thick of the action, seeing a 37th-minute shot blocked, then he retrieved Stacey's cross that flew across the six-yard box but saw his half-volley deflected wide for a corner, that Collins' headed wide at the near post.

The Hatters continued to probe but couldn't find that second goal before the break, although they almost had it within 90 seconds of the restart - Berry standing up a lovely left-footed cross from the left that Hylton headed inches over the bar.

Bradford asked a few questions in the Hatters' penalty area, but the defence stood firm - and referee Michael Salisbury as the home fans and players appealed for a penalty as Doyle went down under pressure from Justin - and Collins would have the game's next attempt on goal, twisting and turning in the box before firing a left-footed shot that flew just over.

City responded with a long-range effort from Akpan that went narrowly over Shea's bar, and a scrappy period followed before the Town keeper had to race off his line to cleverly save from David Ball as the Bantams' striker for the wrong side of Bradley and went clear of the Hatters' defence.

The incessant rain and swirling wind were causing issues on a difficult pitch, and home sub Billy Clarke - on for Ball - was next to send a header at goal, but it was well off target and the Town could breathe again as the hosts asked the second half questions.

Harford brought Cornick on for Hylton, and the fit-again striker tried to bend one into the far corner with seven minutes to go, only for the City defence's deflection to take it out for a corner.

The Hatters' other game changer, Dan Potts, was soon raiding down the left and sending an agled shot just over the bar, but with tempers spilling over at times in the final few minutes, the Town were more than strong enough at the back to see the game out.

TOWN: Shea, Stacey, Pearson, Bradley (c), Justin, McCormack (Berry 32), Shinnie, Mpanzu, Lee (Potts 74), Hylton (Cornick 82), Collins. Subs: Moncur, LuaLua, Sheehan, Isted

Goals: Stacey 16

Yellows: Collins, Potts, Stacey

BRADFORD: O'Donnell, Caddis, Chicksen, O'Connor, Knight-Percival, Butterfield, Anderson, Akpan (c), O'Brien, Doyle (Patrick 85), Ball (Clarke). Subs: Wilson (GK), O'Connor, Payne, Maltby, Wright.

Yellows: Knight-Percival, Anderson

REFEREE: Michael Salisbury

ATT: 15,992 (AWAY: 1,044)

Stacey scores the winner as Luton set a new club record at Bradford

League One: Bradford City 0 Luton Town 1

Luton Town set a new club record of 12 Football League games unbeaten on their travels with a superb 1-0 win at Bradford City this evening.

More importantly, with promotion rivals Barnsley and Sunderland playing out a goalless draw, it meant the Hatters moved five points clear of the Tykes once more and nine ahead of the Black Cats in third with just nine games to go.

The visitors named an unchanged side for the clash, although Harry Cornick replaced Jason Cummings on the bench.

After being held to a goalless draw on Saturday at Plymouth, there was no blank for the Hatters this time, moving in front with just 16 minutes on the clock.

Andrew Shinnie was the architect, holding the ball up and playing a perfectly weighted pass for the overlapping Jack Stacey to take a touch and clinically beat Richard O'Donnell.

The full back almost had a second moments later, found by James Collins this time, as his blast was parried by O'Donnell.

The home keeper was soon in action again, acrobatically parrying Shinnie's 30-yarder away, with the midfielder curling wide and then Elliot Lee nodding straight at the increasingly busy Bantams stopper from close range.

City somehow didn't level just before the half hour when a corner was flicked on by Hope Akpan with Nathaniel Knight-Percival unable connect at the far post.

The visitors were forced into a change on 32 minutes when Alan McCormack went down holding his leg and couldn't continue, Luke Berry on in his place.

Hatters pushed for another goal, with Stacey overlapping once more, his cross just in front of Lee, with the resulting corner glanced over the top by the unmarked Collins.

Luton should have doubled their advantage straight after the interval, Berry doing wonderfully to dig out a cross on his left foot, only for Hylton to direct his free header over.

City then had a decent spell, Luton called into some desperate defending, with James Justin appearing fortunate not to concede a penalty for a pull back inside the area.

Collins twisted and turned to unload an effort that flew narrowly over, with Bantams' threatening from range, Akpan just off target.

Shinnie was required to make a brave clearing header as City looked to have a man over, while Luton, for whom Dan Potts went close, set about seeing the final moments out with real professionalism.

They did just that, on a bog of a pitch and in conditions that were getting worse by every passing minute, to take yet another huge step towards the Championship.

Bantams: Richard O'Donnell, Adam Chicksen, Anthony O'Connor, Eoin Doyle (Omari Patrick 85), Jacob Butterfield, Jermaine Anderson, Hope Akpan ©, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Paul Caddis, Lewis O'Brien, David Ball (Billy Clarke 78).

Subs not used: Ben Wilson, Paudie O'Connor, Jack Payne, Jake Maltby, Josh Wright.

Hatters: James Shea, Jack Stacey, James Justin, Matty Pearson, Sonny Bradley (C), Alan McCormack (Luke Berry 32), Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Andrew Shinnie, Elliot Lee (Dan Potts 74), James Collins, Kazenga, Danny Hylton (Harry Cornick 82).

Subs not used: Harry Isted, Alan Sheehan, George Moncur, Kazenga LuaLua.

Booked: Knight-Percival 7, Anderson 41, Collins 53, Potts 90, Stacey 90.

Referee: Michael Salisbury. Attendance: 15,992.

Harford**: Town were 'scintillating' in first half of Bantams triumph**

Hatters boss Mick Harford hailed his side for the ‘scintillating’ first half which saw them defeat Bradford City 1-0 at the Coral Windows Stadium (should be Northern Commercials Stadium) last night.

Despite the poor surface, howling wind and rain, Town produced some brilliant football at times in the first period, taking the lead through Jack Stacey’s 16th minute goal.

They could have added to their lead before the break, home keeper Richard O’Donnell making a number of saves, as Harford said: “It wasn’t easy, the conditions, the wind, the rain, obviously the pitch is not in great condition, but when you look at the first half, I thought some of the football was absolutely scintillating.

“We carved them open at every opportunity and the only criticism was if we’d been a bit more clinical in the final third, because in all fairness and no disrespect to anyone, the game should have been out of sight.

“The way we play, the way we moved the ball, we switched it well, got in advanced positions, got bodies in the box and I’m not sure how many attempts we had on target in the first half, but it was total domination.”

Stacey’s goal when it came was another wonderful passing move by the visitors, with Andrew Shinnie feeding the full back in to beat O’Donnell.

Harford continued: “Jack’s very athletic lad, he gets into advanced positions and I thought he took his goal exceptionally well, after a great team move.

“The way they shifted the ball around the pitch and got Jack into that space and he finished clinically.

“At that time I thought we could have maybe gone on and got two or three more goals, the amount of possession and the creativity we were playing with, but it didn’t happen.”

Town then came under some pressure in the second period, although the Bantams, under new manager Gary Bowyer, only managed one shot on target throughout the 90 mintes as they remain deep in relegation trouble.

Harford added: “Second half they came out, they had a go, very, very, very expansive team.

“When you look at the second half performance from them, looks like a team that belies their position.

“When you look at it on the face of it, they never really hurt us in terms of shots on goal, goalkeeper making lots of saves.

"Overall we did come under pressure and it was a real good defensive display in the second half from a team that looks like they know how to defend.

“The shape was good and I thought we limited them to very little opportunities.

“He’s (Bowyer) a good manager, the way he gets his team set up and he wants them to play very expansive.

“In my opinion if they carry on playing like that, if they can carry on getting those performances, then they could get themselves out of trouble.

“But we know, the lads in their know, it’s a massive, massive win for us.

“Coming here was a real difficult game for us and I’m proud of the players, the way they set about their business and how they got that result.

“The players again were absolutely spot on, they worked their socks off and they got their just rewards.”