Bradford City 0 Peterborough 2: Bantams suffer Valley Parade defeat

Lee Angol and Chris Forrester struck from rebounds in the 56th and 57th minutes to sink the Bantams.

City chief Phil Parkinson had named the same side that started in last Sunday’s 2-2 home draw with Sheffield United, mark Marshall and Paul Anderson occupying the flanks with Gary Liddle and Lee Evans in central midfield.

Anderson, however, had to be replaced in the 35th minute when he slid in for a 50-50 challenge with Michael Bostwick and damaged his right leg.

Steven Davies came on and Marshall switched to the left where he produced City’s best opening of the first half with a cross which James Hanson headed goalwards only to see Posh captain Ben Alnwick make the save going to his left.

Westley had kept the same diamond midfield formation which had brought Posh a 5-1 win over Oldham and a draw with leaders Walsall. Their best attempt of a generally quiet opening 45 minutes came when Souleymane Coulibaly cut inside and curled a shot narrowly over.

The second half began so well for Bradford with Davies heading against a post from the second of four successive corners.

Posh, however, broke down the left, Coulibaly squared for Marcus Maddison, who saw his shot parried by brad Jones into the path of striker Angol to sidefoot home.

The visitors struck again almost immediately, Coulibaly’s trickery conjuring space for a shot which struck a defender and fell nicely for Forrester to force home under the diving body of Jones.

Substitute Billy Knott, immediately booked for a foul, whipped in a cross for Davies but he failed to make a proper connection and Devante Cole took a knock to the head challenging for a free-kick from Evans as little went right for the Bantams in front of a 17,970 crowd.

Angol should have made it 3-0 in the 86th minute but headed wide from substitute Jon Taylor’s free-kick.

Bradford: Jones, Darby, McArdle, Burke, Meredith, Anderson, Evans, Liddle, Marshall, Hanson, Cole. Subs: Williams, Nathan Clarke, Knott, Leigh, Davies, Mottley-Henry, McMahon.

Peterborough: Alnwick, Smith, Zakuani, Santos, Elder, Bostwick, Forrester, Oztumer, Maddison, Angol, Coulibaly. Subs: Taylor, Washington, Davey, Da Silva Lopes, Henry, Collison, Fox.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)

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