Bradford City boss David Hopkin tempers hope despite emphatic win

David Hopkin celebrated Bradford City's biggest win for two years, a result that lifted them off the bottom of League One, before issuing a word of caution.
Bradford City's Lewis O'Brien. (Picture: Tony Johnson)Bradford City's Lewis O'Brien. (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Bradford City's Lewis O'Brien. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

The Bantams manager said: “It’s not nice when you are bottom of the league and it was our aim to get off it, but we have done nothing yet.

“I am happy that the Bradford fans are seeing us hopefully turn a corner now.

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“Everybody needs to come together now and push away from where we are in the league.

“We need to stick together, keep going and make sure that no one starts to slacken off.”

There was little indication that City would gain such a convincing win after an even first half in which keeper Richard O’Donnell did well to keep out goalbound efforts from Andy Cook and Kieron Morris while Cook missed a great chance by heading against the crossbar on the stroke of half time.

However, right back Paul Caddis fired City into the lead in the 34th minute following a low cross from the outstanding 19-year-old midfield player Lewis O’Brien and the Bantams turned on the style in the second half.

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David Ball put the result beyond doubt with two goals in nine minutes, scoring with an angled right-foot drive in the 51st minute and adding Bradford’s third in the 60th minute when the visitors 
defence failed to clear another cross from man-of-the-match O’Brien.

Bradford City manager David HopkinBradford City manager David Hopkin
Bradford City manager David Hopkin

Substitute Eoin Doyle scored the fourth in the 83rd minute, converting Kelvin Mellor’s 
cross.

Bradford City: O’Donnell, Caddis, Mellor, O’Connor, Knight-Percival, Chicksen, Ball, Akpan (Henry 70), L O’Brien, Payne(Doyle 77), Miller (Bruenker 86). Unused substitutes: Wilson (gk), McGowan, Wood, Devine.

Walsall: Roberts, Guthrie, Martin, Ginnelly (Wilson 74), Devlin, Kinsella, Osbourne, Leahy, Gordon (Ferrier 62), Cook, Morris (Ronan 62). Unused substitutes: Dunn, Edwards, Johnson, Fitzwater.

Referee: B Toner (Blackburn).