Stevenage Borough 1 Bradford City 1: Reid rescues point after Parkinson rouses City

City were trailing to Greg Tansey’s penalty after Bradford captain Gary Jones handled in the area, but hit back two minutes into the second half when Kyel Reid curled home a stunning 20-yard free kick.

“We had a few words at half-time,” said Parkinson. “There was a lack-lustre nature about our performance in the first half.

“We needed more than we were giving in the first half, not from everybody but you can’t have four or five who aren’t on their game.

“A lesser group of players might have lost by two or three but the lads lifted themselves.”

Reid was making his first league start of the season having spent the opening four games on the bench and Parkinson was pleased that the winger had grasped his opportunity.

“He had been training exceptionally well and deserved his chance,” said Parkinson.

“On the flip side, Mark Yeates had missed a bit of training with his knee problem.”

Nahki Wells had City’s best first-half chance but his shot hit the ground and bounced over the bar.

Jon McLaughlin then made a fine save late in the game to deny Stevenage substitute Oumare Tounkara.

Stevenage: Day; Gray, Ashton, Hartley, Deacon; Doughty (Smith 84), Dunne, Tansey (Lopez 73), Freeman; Burrow (Tounkara 66), Shroot. Unused substitutes: Arnold, Jones, Heslop, Haber.

Bradford City: McLaughlin; Darby, Meredith, McArdle, Davies; Jones, Doyle (Ravenhill 70), Reid (Yeates 82), Thompson (De Vita 70); Hanson, Wells. Unused substitutes: Ripley, Taylor, McHugh, Connell.

Referee: G Sutton (Lincolnshire).