Chesterfield 2 Bradford City 4: Two-goal Jones earns Bantams a Trophy victory over Spireites

STRIKER Alex Jones bagged a brace as victory over Chesterfield fired Bradford City to the top of their EFL Trophy group.
Alex Jones.Alex Jones.
Alex Jones.

Jones’s five-minute second-half double, plus goals from Omari Patrick and Jacob Hanson clinched the points in an entertaining Northern Group F encounter.

Kristian Dennis opened the scoring for the hosts before Jordan Sinnott also got on the scoresheet – but their goals proved to be in vain.

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There was nearly a perfect start for the Bantams as Daniel Pybus saw his effort cleared off the Spireites’ line.

Goalkeeper Rouvan Sattelmaier made a good save to deny Jordan Flores’s long-range effort early on.

But he was beaten in the 24th minute when Dennis fired an unstoppable left-footed strike into the back of the net.

On the stroke of half-time Patrick levelled with a well-taken finish from the edge of the hosts’ box. On 57 minutes the brilliant Bantams took the lead.

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Jones was in the right place at the right time for a simple tap-in after Patrick’s initial strike was deflected into his path.

Five minutes later Jones struck again to put the visitors out of sight with a superb strike into the bottom corner from outside the box.

After letting a 3-0 lead slip on Saturday the Bantams were given a late scare as Sinnott pulled one back with 11 minutes to go.

But Hanson nabbed his first professional goal to restore the visitors’ two-goal cushion a minute later.

Late on substitute goalkeeper Colin Doyle made a top save to keep out Flores.

Former Sheffield United No 2 Lee Carsley has been appointed England Under-21 national specialist coach.