Stevenage 0 Bradford City 1: Jamie Walker brings relief to Bradford City

Manager Derek Adams made four changes after the derby defeat at Harrogate, including first starts for deadline-day signings Luke Hendrie and Nathan Delfouneso.

There was also a change of formation to 4-3-3 with Delfouneso and Walker employed out wide to support centre forward Andy Cook.

The first half looked like the story of Bradford’s season as they created all the threatening moments but were once more unable to convert the chances.

Delfouneso cleared the bar with a header from Liam Ridehalgh’s cross, while Yann Songo’o then glanced one past the post from a corner after Jamie Walker had been thwarted.

Bradford’s best chance of the half came when Walker’s close-range shot was well blocked by Stevenage goalkeeper Christy Pym and the Scot was unable to turn in the rebound.

Pym’s effort was matched by Alex Bass early in the second half as the on-loan Portsmouth keeper spread himself to block Michael Bostwick’s header.

But Bradford deserved their lead on 55 minutes. Cook won the header and Walker raced into the penalty area, controlling well and shooting on the turn past Pym.

Stevenage: Pym, O’Neill, Cuthbert, Bostwick, Clements, Vancooten, Upson, Westbrooke, Taylor, Carter, Andrade. Unused substitutes: Wildin, Prosser, List, Lines, Reid, Read, L Walker.

Bradford City: Bass, Hendrie, O’Connor, Songo’o, Ridehalgh, Watt, Sutton, Daly, J Walker, Cook, Delfouneso. Unused substitutes: Gilliead, Cooke, Foulds, Threlkeld, Robinson, Elliott, O’Donnell.

Referee: G Ward (Surrey).