Shrewsbury Town 2 Bradford City 1: We are still not safe, warns Bantams chief

Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson has warned his side that they still have work to do to secure their League One status.
Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson.Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson.
Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson.

Defeat at Shrewsbury – from a winning position with 10 minutes remaining – leaves them seven points clear of the drop zone.

They are still five short of the 50 points managers crave as they prepare for tomorrow’s home game with Walsall

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“Any team in our position that thinks it’s safe can quickly be dragged back into it,” said Parkinson. “We have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

A scrappy game looked to be going City’s way when, with 11 minutes to go, Matty Dolan’s cross was turned home from close range by centre-back Andrew Davies.

But, barely 60 seconds later, Jermaine Grandson got away down the right and picked out Jon Taylor, who levelled.

Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Shaun Miller – making his first appearance on loan from Sheffield United – volleyed in from six yards to give the Shrews their first home win since November.

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“In the first half, we were solid without playing great,” said Parkinson. “But, after going 1-0 up, to lose the game is really disappointing. We switched off for their first goal and there were periods from then to the end when we lacked a little bit of professionalism to do the right things in the right areas to see the game through.

“A draw would not have been the worst scenario, but we have ended up getting beaten and that is hard to take.”

Shrewsbury Town: Anyon; Grandison, Goldson, Mkandirire, Mills; Taylor, McAllister (Wildig 66), Hall, Parry; Foley (Miller 66), Eaves (Atajic 75). Unused substitutes: Weale, Jacobson, Winfield, Woods.

Bradford City: McLaughin; Darby, Drury, McArdle, Davies; Doyle (Jones 43), Dolan, Bennett, Reach; Hanson, Mclean (Thompson 88). Unused substitutes: Jmaeson, Gray, McHugh, De Vita, Bates.

Referee: D Sheldrake (Surrey).

Man of the match: Rory McArdle.