Bradford City 3 Coventry 1: Tony McMahon's injury takes gloss off City's fightback

Bradford City's Tony McMahon (Picture: Tony Johnson).

However, a thigh injury to influential acting captain and right-back Tony McMahon, who scored two goals, both penalties, took some of the gloss off their third win in a row and added to their injury problems.

McMahon limped off just before the end after getting a knock on the back of the leg from former City winger Kyel Reid and McCall estimates he could be out of action for four to six weeks.

“He has probably had a little bleed in his thigh from the dead leg and his muscle has tightened up as he has gone to cross the ball. It looks quite a severe tear. which is really disappointing,” said McCall. “Tony has been terrific all season.”

Although Bradford ended comfortable winners, it did not look that way at half-time when Coventry deservedly led 1-0 thanks to a debut goal by 19-year-old Daniel Agyei, signed on loan from Burnley.

He put them ahead after 13 minutes, intercepting Danny Devine’s pass before clipping the ball over advancing goalkeeping Colin Doyle.

McCall said he did not rant and rave at his players at the interval, but added: “I was disappointed that we didn’t change the way we were playing when it wasn’t being successful.

“We just had to change things, play in better areas and higher up the pitch and I thought we were terrific in the second half.”

McCall agreed the turning point in the game came in the 66th minute when defender Jordan Turnbull, making his debut after joining Coventry from Southampton, was shown a red card for bringing down Billy Clarke.

McMahon equalised from the spot and three minutes later Mark Marshall put Bradford in front with a superb 25- yard shot before McMahon put the seal on their win with his second penalty in the 75th minute after Josh Cullen was brought down by Vladimir Gadzhev.

Bradford City: Doyle, McMahon (Morais 89), Vincelot, Knight Percival, Meredith, Marshall, Cullen, Devine (Dieng 81), Law, B Clarke (Webb-Foster 90), Hiwula. Unused substitutes: Sattelmaier, Anderson, Rabiega.

Coventry City: Charles-Cook, Willis, Turnbull, Ricketts (G Thomas 73), McCann, Gadzhev, Page, Kelly-Evans, Stevenson, Agyei (Tudgay 61), Reid (Harries 68). Unused substitutes: Burge, Lameiras, Haynes, Finch.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham).

Man of the match: Tony McMahon.