David Hopkin takes positives despite sixth straight defeat for Bradford City

It was Pompey’s seventh away win and Bradford’s seventh home defeat.

“That was hard to take,” said City’s head coach. “I think we had five or six good chances. We had three free headers from set plays and we’ve had Hope Akpan’s chance at the end.

“But the application was great and there were a lot of positives to take from the game. I had a fantastic reaction from our 4-0 defeat Gillingham the week before. Even when we went 1-0 down we didn’t crumble, but we have to do better with the chances we had.”

Former Bradford player Gareth Evans, once a striker now used by Portsmouth as an attacking midfield player scored the winning goal in the 11th minute, controlling a left wing cross from Ronan Curtis before scoring with a shot high into the net from ten yards.

Bradford had chances to equalise, the best one falling to Apkan in the first minute of stoppage time. The midfield player fired over the bar with only keeper Craig MacGillivray to beat after being put through by substitute Sherwin Seedorf.

To compound Bradford’s misery they had left back Adam Chicksen sent off in the 83rd minute for a second bookable offence – a decision described by Hopkin as ‘harsh.’ It was Chicksen’s first match back after a ten week injury absence.

Bradford City: O’Donnell, McGowan, O’Connor, Knight-Percival, Chicksen, Miller (Seedorf 88), Akpan, L O’Brien, Wright (Payne 65), Ball, Doyle (Bruenker (80). Unused substitutes: Sykes-Kenworthy (gk), Wood, Isherwood, Goldthorp.

Portsmouth: MacGillivray, Walkes, Whatmough, Clarke, Brown, Thompson, Naylor, Lowe, Evans (Close 76), Curtis (Wheeler 87), Hawkins. Unused substitutes McGee (gk), Burgess, Pitman, Mason, Haunstrup.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne and Wear).