ALMOST exactly a year to the day, Graham Alexander was afforded a sense of deja vu.

His Bradford City players were chastened in the first half of their Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough on Thursday night.

Sheffield Wednesday were proactive and possessed the power, while the visitors were uncharacteristically passive in front of a huge home crowd of 33,138.

On the resumption, it changed and City displayed all the qualities that have typified their rise under Alexander: intensity, playing on the front foot and suffocating opponents to earn a 1-0 win.

Sheffield Wednesday's Billy Mitchell and Bradford City's Jake Beesley battle for the ball during the Sky Bet League One match at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. Picture date: Thursday August 20, 2026.

placeholder image — Sheffield Wednesday's Billy Mitchell and Bradford City's Jake Beesley battle for the ball during the Sky Bet League One match at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. Picture date: Thursday August 20, 2026.

It's said that managers earn their money in the 15 minutes at half-time and Alexander unquestionably did that.

By the end, he was smiling - with Aden Baldwin's emphatic finish early in the second half maintaining the Bantams' 100 per cent record this term - as his mind drifted back to a game at Stockport County last August.

Then as now, City turned things around after being on the ropes in the opening period.

Alexander, who confirmed that Tyreik Wright will be out for six to eight weeks with a quad issue, said: "Half-time's a good time to gather yourself, have a look in the mirror and go, ‘no, I'm better than this.’

Bradford City players celebrate at the final whistle after the Sky Bet League One match at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. Picture date: Thursday August 20, 2026.

"I thought our players did that to a man.

"If you think back to Stockport last year, we got absolutely battered in the first half away from home and couldn't get out of our half. We were 1-0 down and happy to be 1-0 down.

"It was similar to that in the first half and the players - some from last season, some new - have shown that we're resilient and ready to go again.

"I'm so pleased from the mental side of it. That was a big performance in the second half."

Asked if he offered some Churchillian-type words at the break, he added: "I do let them know—it's my job, I have to influence and encourage them— but there's no tactical information from me.

"Don't come here and feel second-best to anybody else. I referenced a couple of games last year.

"We never feel second-best to anyone going into a game, but you've got to go and commit to it and if we fail, that's it."

On their big homecoming at Hillsborough under the lights, Wednesday, despite excelling in the first half, ultimately looked what they are over the course of the piece.

Namely, a new side who will take time to integrate and one whose halves of football have been inconsistent early on, which is perhaps not the greatest surprise.

On the attacking front, the Owls have options out wide, but lack a leader down the middle.

At the back, they are in the process of building a secure unit they can rely on.

In midfield, the central trio of Callum Slattery, Barry Bannan and Billy Mitchell, who debuted against City, at least provides them with less to worry about on paper.

Boss Henrik Pedersen said: "Billy is a strong player and you can see him, Barry and Slatts are strong together. They are good pressing midfielders and good midfielders on the ball and very good players.

"I'm looking forward to that. Bill is starting to be fit, he was tired in the end after the 60 minutes and it was necessary to take him out.

"I think he was so strong in the first half, but we also saw when he started to drop down from energy in the second half and that we should change him after. So next time, hopefully he can play longer."

The Owls chief confirmed that Jordi Liongola missed out with a hamstring issue, but allayed fears of a lengthy lay-off.