‘It felt like two dropped points’ admits Bradford City’s Connor Wood

In a pilot game for the safe return of supporters, veteran City striker Lee Novak touched home just three minutes after the restart when former Bradford loanee Luke McGhee spilled Elliott Watt’s fierce 25-yard strike.

Rovers captain Carl Winchester levelled things up when his deflected free-kick found the bottom of Richard O’Donnell’s net after the hour mark.

A minute later Winchester fluffed his lines from the penalty spot after Ebou Adams was felled in the box with Anthony O’Connor sent-off for the Bantams.

But Bradford regained the lead in the 67th minute, Watt firing in a sumptuous free-kick. City were reduced to nine men with 20 minutes to go when defender Paudie O’Connor saw red for pushing his head towards Adams, who fell over the pitchside barriers during the clash.

Mark Cooper’s side pinned Bradford back and Collins salvaged a point in the seventh minute of stoppage time when he touched home a Wagstaff cross.

City left-back Wood said: “It definitely felt like two points dropped for us.

“When the lads were walking back into the dressing room after the game, you could feel the disappointment. That speaks volumes because of how much effort we put into the game.”

Forest Green: McGee, Godwin-Malife, Moore-Taylor, Kitching (Young 85), Bernard (Wagstaff 69), Winchester, Sweeney (Stevens 71), Cadden, Adams, Collins, Matt. Unused substitutes: Stokes, Allen, McCoulsky, Thomas.

Bradford: O’Donnell, A O’Connor, P O’Connor, Staunton (Cousin-Dawson 90), French, Watt, Clarke (Cooke 68), Wood, Ismail (Mottley-Henry 65), Novak, Guthrie. Unused substitutes: Longridge, Pritchard, Donaldson, Hornby.

Referee: W Finnie (England).

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