Bradford City 2 MK Dons 2: Charlie Wyke pounces to rescue Bantams' unbeaten run

TODAY may be the first day of Lent, but Bradford City are steadfastly refusing to give up something that they have learned to prize very dearly.
Tony McMahon strikes home Bradford Citys first equaliser in last nights 2-2 League One home draw with Milton Keynes Dons (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).Tony McMahon strikes home Bradford Citys first equaliser in last nights 2-2 League One home draw with Milton Keynes Dons (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).
Tony McMahon strikes home Bradford Citys first equaliser in last nights 2-2 League One home draw with Milton Keynes Dons (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).

Namely their proud unbeaten sequence on home soil at Valley Parade, which has now stretched to a whole calendar year in regular League One matches following last night’s events.

But while the 25-match milestone – with Colchester being the last side to take away three points from BD8 on March 1 last year – will be rightfully lauded as a commendable accomplishment that not too many sides achieve, it unfortunately comes with a considerable caveat.

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Amid all the talk of Oscars and cinematography, everyone connected with the claret and amber were eager to witness a cherished victory and not another Valley Parade sequel – in the form of yet another drawn home game.

City’s run without a home defeat may be intact, but so is their tag of draw specialists, which was further reinforced after a fourth successive draw in Bradford – incredibly their 12th in 18 league matches in 2016-17 in front of their own supporters.

It is a habit that Stuart McCall would dearly love to change, although his side’s recovery from a slow start on a surface which is hardly conducive to the passing football he espouses was worthy of praise and showcased the character of his side, who came from behind twice.

Sometimes appearances can be deceptive too and while MK Dons may reside in the lower half of the table, they showed plenty of evidence bursting forward to justify McCall’s belief that they should be in a much higher position.

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They came to Bradford to attack and not spoil and posed problems on the break with their pace in an absorbing and open spectacle.

It was certainly far from the tense affair that McCall had envisaged either – more especially in a first half when all four goals arrived.

That the action ended all square would have drawn knowing glances from Bantams watchers at the interval, but it failed to tell the story of a wholly incongruous opening 45 minutes.

The final decisive act came just before the break when Charlie Wyke powered home an old-school centre forward’s header- to take his Valley Parade tally to four goals in three matches – and draw City level for a second time, but there was plenty more besides.

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Earlier, the visitors were the beneficiaries of two moments of luck for their goals, while fortune also favoured the hosts – who were awarded a soft-looking 22nd-minute penalty to cancel out Stuart O’Keefe’s deflected early opener.

Tony McMahon assumed spot-kick responsibilities after City were presented with a gift when Darren Deadman pointed to the spot after spotting a shirt-tug by Joe Walsh on Wyke – and emphatically fired the hosts level at 1-1.

The goal had the effect of settling Bradford after a forgettable opener and winding the visitors, who caught the eye early on.

But their second goal on 35 minutes was more fluke than fashioned, with a looping cross from near the left-hand touchline from ex-Barnsley full-back George Williams catching out Colin Doyle and going in off the far-post.

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Wyke’s 22nd strike of a goal-laden season for City and Carlisle following Billy Clarke’s corner restored parity, although there was still time for Dean Lewington’s flick to almost deceive Doyle and put MK Dons in front for a third time.

It was that sort of half, right from the moment Doyle tipped Paul Downing’s header onto the post shortly before O’Keefe’s shot from distance deflected in after wrong-footing Doyle.

The action on the restart may not have been as eventful on the goalscoring front, but it still provided thrills and spills with the intent from both sides to conjure a winner being self-evident, if not the cutting edge.

Doyle turned away a goalbound strike from Harvey Barnes, who also tested the reactions of the home keeper midway through the half following a scorching run and shot.

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MK Dons seriously threatened on the counter at times, with ex-Rotherham man Kieran Agard going close, while the fitful visiting defence led a charmed life at the other end on occasions.

Wyke and Alex Gilliead posed plenty of problems, while McMahon was indefatigable, with the hosts best chance falling to James Meredith from point-blank range, but visiting goalkeeper David Martin blocked.

But it ended 2-2 here, for the third successive game.

Bradford City: Doyle; McMahon, McArdle, Knight-Percival, Meredith; Gilliead, Vincelot, Cullen, Law, Clarke (Jones 59), Wyke. Substitutes unused: Sattelmaier, Toner, Marshall, Dieng, Hiwula, Devine.

MK Dons: Martin, Downing, Walsh, Lewington, G Williams; Baldock, O’Keefe, Upson, Barnes; Maynard (Agard 65), Muirhead (Aneke 65 (Potter 85). Substitutes unused: Nicholls, Ngombo, Bowditch, Reeves.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).