Bradford City 2 Peterborough United 0: Valentine's Day massacre as brilliant Bantams are bravehearts again
Bradford City 2 Peterborough United 0 JUST the two goals, maybe, but this was a St Valentine’s Day massacre.
A total of 29 attempts on goal was the headline figure for Bradford City who were at their brilliant best and in statement mode against a divisional form horse. Reports of City’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
There was a love-in well before the end and even time for a few ‘olés’ from enraptured claret and amber followers on the sort of thoroughly uplifting afternoon which you felt that everyone connected with the club needed after the introspection of recent weeks.
The sun made an appearance for the first time in ages and City rewound the clock to those warm, intoxicating days of late summer and early autumn.
There was stirring tempo, energy, relentlessness in the press and above all else, bravery.
Earlier in the week, Graham Alexander laid it on the line to his players after a run of four defeats in their previous six games.
City were clearly suffering a bit of an identity crisis and their manager challenged his team. Would they be fast and ambitious or slow and safe as he put it. They took the former option and how..
A blueprint for the rest of the season, a suitably delighted Alexander rightly ventured afterwards.
It was like reacquainting yourself with an old friend. There was menace once more from City’s two number tens in Bobby Pointon and Antoni Sarcevic - restored to the starting line-up - and pace and directness up top from Kayden Jackson on a memorable day for the Holme Wood lad.
Out wide, there was real drive and intensity from Tyreik Wright and Josh Neufville, who resembled a top-notch tag team. Further back, there was poise and control from Max Power and the outstanding Jenson Metcalfe and order in the backline.
There were even stylish 60-yard diagonals from Aden Baldwin which Virgil van Dijk would have been proud of, according to his admiring manager.
That City have another game at Valley Parade on Tuesday night has to be viewed as a positive after this following a day when Paul Mullin and Stephen Humphrys didn’t even get on the pitch. Others such as Joe Wright didn’t even get in the matchday squad.
A fraught afternoon and sign of things to come started before kick-off for Peterborough after veteran defender Tom Lees pulled out with a calf injury in the warm-up, with George Nevett promoted to the starting line-up on his 20th birthday. Some birthday..
It had the effect of spooking Posh’s rearguard, although that did excellent City a bit of a disservice in truth. Yes, Peterborough were ropey at the back, but the hosts were full of riproaring intent and quality. Better defences would have struggled to cope.
Ex-City loanee Alex Bass started badly in the visiting goal with his timid punch leading to the first goal. By the end of the game, he was the only Peterborough player to emerge with any credit. Without him, the scoreline would have been messy for pulverised Posh.
On a day when it was in City’s interests to start quickly, they duly did.
Bass got in a pickle and Nevett’s clearance close to the goalline thwarted Jackson.
A rickety moment from Bass then cost Posh. He flapped at Wright's sky-high cross and the ever-alert Pointon gobbled up the rebound for his first goal since mid-December.
How Peterborough made it to half-time without conceding more goals is anyone’s guess.
Pointon went close, a majestic Sarcevic lob flew inches wide, while Metcalfe tested Bass and missed a sitter. Jackson and Power also should have done better.
Ever-present Ibou Touray went off early in the second half with a back spasm. It did not unnerve City.
Jackson soon had the moment he was craving, heading home from Neufville's cross and it was the cue to champagne stuff from the hosts.
Bass superbly tipped Neufville’s shot onto the woodwork, while a stunning Metcalfe free-kick rattled the post. Moments after coming on, substitute Ethan Wheatley spurned a great opportunity.
City had to settle for two, but the story was their return to their early-season heights. Maybe even their best performance yet. A serious team display across the board. Others take note.
Bradford City: Walker; Baldwin, Tilt, Touray (Pennington 48); Neufville, Metcalfe, Power (Ashby 93), T Wright; Sarcevic (Evans 72), Pointon; Jackson (Wheatley 72). Substitutes unused: Hilton, Humphrys, Mullin.
Peterborough United: Bass; Dornelly, Nevett, Okagbue, Johnston; Collins, Khela (O’Brien-Brady 82); Hayes (Frith 62), Morgan (Mendonca HT), Lisbie; Leonard (Aderoju 62). Substitutes unused: Smith, Andrews, Sykut.
Referee: S Allison (London).