Bradford City achieve biggest win for half a century to earn Stuart McCall’s praise

The Bantams led 3-0 at the break and added four goals following the resumption for good measure to complete a comprehensive victory on their travels.

It was the club’s biggest win for nearly 50 years, the last achieved with a 7-0 victory over Darlington back in December 1972.

“It was a very professional performance, we were focussed throughout,” reflected McCall.

“We took a bit of the pressure off by scoring those two [early] goals, which settled things down for us.

“Getting the third just before half-time gave us a cushion and in the second half we were disciplined, kept going and scored more goals and were always a threat.

“I’m pleased for the players. It could have been a tough one for us, but I thought we played really well at times and it will give us confidence going forward.”

Anthony O’Connor headed the visitors ahead in the sixth minute, before the League Two side doubled lead thanks to Billy Clarke’s sweet left-foot free-kick into the bottom right corner.

Clarke headed in a third just before the break, Clayton Donaldson smashed home from close-range ten minutes into the second-half, before Wolves loanee Austin Samuels rifled home.

And there was still time for Harry Pritchard to poke home from close-range, while Connor Wood netted in injury-time.

Tonbridge: Henly, Parter, Miles, Lee, Campbell, Turner, Theobalds, Parkinson (Beere 51), Greenhalgh (Da Costa 58), Akrofi, Wood (Splatt 63). Unused substitutes: Lewis, Bray, Folkes, Shaw.

Bradford City: O’Donnell, O’Connor, O’Connor, Staunton, Hosannah (French 62), Cooke, Watt, Wood, Pritchard, Clarke (Mottley-Henry 74), Donaldson (Samuels 62). Unused substitutes: Longridge, Richards-Everton, Hornby, Cousin-Dawson.

Referee: J Oldham.

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