Bradford City 2 Exeter City 2: Bantams season starting to show signs of life

ALTHOUGH they had to settle for a point against Exeter City, Bradford City's season is finally starting to show signs of life.
OPENER: Billy Clarke wheels away in celebration after scoring Bradford's first goal against Exeter. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.OPENER: Billy Clarke wheels away in celebration after scoring Bradford's first goal against Exeter. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.
OPENER: Billy Clarke wheels away in celebration after scoring Bradford's first goal against Exeter. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.

Against last season's beaten League Two play-off finalists, the Bantams gave as good as they got in a fixture which was 2-2 after 45 minutes.

Bradford have endured a stuttering start to the season but followed up their 3-0 league win over Southend United with a strong display against Exeter, who will again be harbouring ambitions of finishing in the top seven.

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It has been a year since these sides went head-to-head, when Bradford won 2-0 at Valley Parade in November 2019. The reverse fixture was never played after the 2019-20 League Two season was curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

BACK LEVEL: Reece Staunton hooks the ball home for his first senior goal. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.BACK LEVEL: Reece Staunton hooks the ball home for his first senior goal. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.
BACK LEVEL: Reece Staunton hooks the ball home for his first senior goal. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images.

Exeter had lost just once in 11 league games prior to their trip to West Yorkshire but after threatening plenty in the first 45 minutes, they put hardly any pressure on the Bantams defence for much of the second period.

The Bantams dominated the second half after drawing level through Reece Staunton on the stroke of half time.

Billy Clarke had put the hosts ahead but the Grecians scored twice without reply, through Matt Jay and Ryan Bowman, to lead for a brief period.

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Tyler French started on the right-hand side for the Bantams, replacing Bryce Hosannah, in the only change from Bradford's last league outing.

Stuart McCall still had to do without Gareth Evans, Kurtis Guthrie and and top scorer Lee Novak through injury. Zeli Ismail did not make the matchday squad despite returning to full training this week.

In a frantic first half, four goals were scored, three of which came against the run of play.

The hosts hit the front after 10 minutes when Richard O'Donnell gathered the ball from a corner kick, released Callum Cooke down the left and the midfielder moved up the field and provided a superb pass for Clarke to nip across his defender and finish calmly.

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Exeter had started the brighter of the two teams but were under the cosh as the Bantams went in search of a second.

However, the Grecians hit back when Jake Taylor won the ball on the byline and found Jay who squeezed it under O'Donnell from a narrow angle.

The visitors took the initiative after getting on level terms and snatched the lead when Joel Randall found Bowman at the back post to stab the ball into the net.

O'Donnell was called into action to make two important saves to keep Bradford in the game. He was on hand to tip an effort from Randall behind before making a point-blank save as Exeter almost punished some lax defending from the hosts.

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City made the visitors rue those missed chances in first-half stoppage time when Staunton volleyed home from Elliot Watt's corner for his first senior goal.

Bradford dominated the second half but could not make their pressure count.

Anthony O'Connor had the best chance to claim the hosts' third goal but his header from point-blank range was well saved Jokull Andresson.

Despite spending much of the second 45 in their own half, Exeter missed a glorious opportunity to regain the lead when Randell Williams missed the target with a free header from eight yards.

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O'Donnell produced late heroics for Bradford as he clawed away Randell's goal-bound effort before reacting quickly to stop Bowman from scoring with the follow up.

Bradford City: O'Donnell; P. O'Connor, A. O'Connor, Staunton; French, Cooke (Samuels 45), Watt, Wood; Pritchard, Donaldson, Clarke (Scales 85). Unused substitutes: Hornby, Longridge, Richards-Everton, Cousin-Dawson, Scales, Mottley-Henry.

Exeter City: Andresson; Sparkes, Parkes (McArdle 45), Sweeney, Key (Caprice 90); Randall, Collins, Taylor, Williams; Bowman, Jay (Law 79). Unused substitutes: Lee, Seymour, Fisher, Hartridge.

Referee: James Bell

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