Bradford City 3 Southend United 0 - Bantams back to winning ways

Bradford opened the scoring after five minutes when Callum Cooke sent a low, left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net from 14 yards.

Southend came close to equalising when on-loan Arsenal midfielder James Olayinka charged into the box before shooting wide of the right post.

But Bradford were soon back on top and doubled their lead with a well-worked goal in the 33rd minute as a neatly constructed counter attack resulted in Clayton Donaldson rolling a pass into the path of Elliott Watt who drilled home a low shot from 20 yards.

And things got even better for City two minutes before the break when Clarke’s right-wing free-kick was headed home from close range by Harry Pritchard.

Southend improved after the break with former Bradford midfielder Timothee Dieng twice going close to scoring.

But City still threatened when stepping up the gears, with Donaldson wasting their best opportunity of the half after having his 12-yard shot well saved by Shrimpers goalkeeper Mark Oxley before Pritchard also went close late on.

Bradford City: O’Donnell, P O’Connor, A O’Connor, Staunton, Hosannah, Cooke, Watt (Cousin-Dawson 90), Wood, Pritchard, Donaldson (Mottley-Henry 78), Clarke. Unused substitutes: Hornby, Longridge, Samuels & French.

Southend United: Oxley, Hobson, Dieng, Lennon, Bwomono, Demetriou, Olayinka, Clifford, Nathaniel-George (Rush 85), Acquah (Sterling 90), Goodship (Egbri 85). Unused substitutes: Seaden & Phillips.

Referee: M Edwards (Tyne & Wear).

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