Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 1: Parkinson left to rue missing Wells as City held at Valley Parade

Manager Phil Parkinson was pleased with a ‘much-improved performance’ following their 1-0 home defeat against Rotherham United on Boxing Day, but Bradford City’s run of home matches without a win extended to seven after a superb second-half equaliser from Swindon’s Alex Pritchard.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Dec 2013, 09:49 BST
Phil ParkinsonPhil Parkinson
Phil Parkinson

The Bantams led at half-time with a goal after 15 minutes from Rory McArdle following captain Gary Jones’ left-wing corner, the Northern Ireland international defender scoring with a header that went into the net off the underside of the crossbar at Valley Parade.

However, Swindon, who passed the ball well and broke quickly, deservedly equalised in the 63rd minute through midfielder Pritchard, who is on a season-long loan from Tottenham.

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The 20-year-old England Under-20 international collected a ball on the right before beating five players as he weaved his way through the Bradford defence and scored with a low, left shot just inside the near post.

Both sides went close to snatching a winner in a frantic final 25 minutes with visitors’ goalkeeper Wes Fotheringham doing well to keep out a volley from substitute Nathan Doyle in the 82nd minute.

Home goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin matched his opposite number to deny substitute Miles Storey after a breakaway in stoppage time, but a draw was a fair result.

Bradford welcomed back James Hanson after missing two matches through injury, but had the misfortune to lose his striking partner, leading scorer Nahki Wells in the 28th minute with a hamstring injury.

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Parkinson said: “Any team would miss their top scorer and without him we lacked a clinical edge in the final third.”

Swindon manager Mark Cooper said: “I’m a little bit frustrated. I thought we could have won the game.

“I thought in the first half we were really good and we felt hard done by going in 1-0 down.

“In the second half, up until we scored, we were completely dominant – we scored a great goal. On the whole we’re pleased.”

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The draw leaves the Bantams in 10th place, seven points adrift of Rotherham United, who occupy the final play-off spot in League One.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Darby, McHugh, McArdle, Meredith, Thompson (McBurnie 71mins), Jones, Ravenhill (Doyle 71), Reid, Hanson, Wells (Yeates 28). 
Unused substitutes: Ripley, Kennedy, Bates, Clarkson.

Swindon Town: Fotheringham, N Thompson, Ward, Hall (Branco 53mins), McEveley (Storey 45mins), Byrne, Luongo, Pritchard, Kasim (Gladwin 74mins), L Thompson, Ajose. Unused substitutes: Belford, Harley, Mason, Barthram.

Referee: O Langford (West Midlands).

Man of the match: Jon McLaughlin.

Related topics:SwindonRotherham United