Bradford City in need of improvement all over the park, insists frustrated Graham Alexander

BRADFORD CITY boss Graham Alexander cited “terrible” defending as the main reason behind his team’s frustrating loss at Grimsby Town.

The Mariners made it two wins from two on home soil to start the League Two season after edging out the Bantams 2-1.

The hosts went ahead in the 28th minute through captain Danny Rose, who swept home the loose ball from a free-kick delivery that Bradford goalkeeper Sam Walker could not claim.

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Grimsby then had a great chance to double their lead in the first half, but Evan Khouri blazed his shot over the bar from close range after the ball had been cut back from the left side by Denver Hume.

FRUSTRATED: Bradford City manager, Graham Alexander. Picture: Tony Johnson.FRUSTRATED: Bradford City manager, Graham Alexander. Picture: Tony Johnson.
FRUSTRATED: Bradford City manager, Graham Alexander. Picture: Tony Johnson.

But Grimsby were able to celebrate a second goal two minutes after the break, with Jason Dadi Svanthorsson sliding in his first goal for the club from close range after Kieran Green had played him in from the right channel.

The Bantams pulled one back in the 78th minute as half-time substitute Olly Sanderson followed in on Clarke Oduor’s deflected effort which Jordan Wright saved.

Grimsby were able to resist a late Bradford push to get back to winning ways.

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Despite the late rally, Alexander was left far from satisfied at his players’ efforts.

“I don’t think we deserved to win the game in the end so we have to analyse where we can be better,” he said.

"We defended terribly – they scored a goal where they’ve gone from one penalty area to the other, which they should never do.

“If I’m speaking honestly (we need to be better) all over.

"We spoke about the basics before the game, and I think the majority of the duels across the pitch were won by them.

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"We get back in the game and score a goal, but we can’t pretend that we deserved three points because we didn’t.”

Grimsby Town: Wright, Warren, Rodgers, McJannett, Hume, McEachran (Carson 88), Svanthorsson (Barrington 88), Green, Khouri (Ainley 83), Vernam (Cass 82), Rose. Unused substitutes: Eastwood, Tharme, Wilson.

Bradford City: S Walker, Baldwin (Shepherd 9), Byrne, Kelly, Halliday, Pattison (J Walker 65), Smallwood, Pointon (Oduor 66), Wright, Cook, Kavanagh (Sanderson 46). Unused substitutes: Doyle, Richards, Diabate.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).

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