Crewe Alexandra 0 Bradford City 1: Bantams moving on up thanks to in-form Jamie Proctor

JAMIE PROCTOR got Bradford City back to winning ways on the road after his fourth goal for the club moved Phil Parkinson's team up to sixth.
ON TARGET: Bradford 
City's Jamie Proctor. Picture: Tony Johnson.ON TARGET: Bradford 
City's Jamie Proctor. Picture: Tony Johnson.
ON TARGET: Bradford City's Jamie Proctor. Picture: Tony Johnson.

The Bantams had not claimed all three points away from Valley Parade since the end of February against Blackpool.

But Fleetwood loanee Proctor popped up with his third goal in four games as the Bantams cemented Crewe’s place at the bottom of the League One table – with their winless run now extended to an agonishing 10 games.

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Brad Inman was Crewe’s catalyst throughout a quiet first-half at Gresty Road.

The Australian produced a nicely weighted through-ball as Lauri Dalla Valle fired wide with the first chance of the game before having appeals for a penalty turned down after going down inside the Bantams’ box.

Proctor almost broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time as the visitors counter-attacked down the left through Tony McMahon, only for Proctor to glance his header over the bar.

It was a mix-up in the Crewe backline that gave the Bantams a deserved lead just after the restart.

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Defender George Ray missed his clearance header from Nathan Clarke’s long-ball as Proctor ran in behind to smash home past a helpless Ben Garratt.

Steve Davies timed his run brilliantly to beat the offside trap and latch onto McMahon’s pass, with Garratt up to the task of keeping him out at the near post.

Referee Kevin Wright waved away shouts for a Bantams’ penalty with five minutes left as Davies skipped past David Fox before being bought down by a strong challenge from Jon Guthrie.

Crewe Alexandra: Garratt, Turton, Ray, Guthrie, Bakayogo, Ainley (Cooper 82), Fox, Bingham, Kirk, Inman, Dalla Valle (Udoh 70). Unused substitutes: Davis, Nugent, Richards, Jones, Hitchcock.

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Bradford City: Williams, Darby, N Clarke, Routis, Meredith, McMahon, Knott, Thorpe, Reid (Morris 90+3), B Clarke (Davies 72), Proctor (Hanson 73). Unused substitutes: Leigh, Morais, Anderson, Cracknell.

Referee: Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire).

Wigan closed the gap on League One leaders Burton with a 1-0 win against 10-man Rochdale – extending their unbeaten run to 18 matches.

Substitute Conor McAleny bundled home the winner midway through the second half at the DW Stadium after Rochdale striker Ian Henderson had been shown a straight red.

Burton are a point ahead of Wigan after a 2-0 defeat at Millwall last night.