Stuart McCall fury over Cambridge’s late winner against Bradford City

BRADFORD City manager Stuart McCall was unhappy with referee Nicholas Kinseley after two late goals saw the Bantams slip to ninth.
Jake Reeves: Struck for 
Bradford City.Jake Reeves: Struck for 
Bradford City.
Jake Reeves: Struck for Bradford City.

Harry Darling and Harvey Knibbs struck in the final six minutes after Jake Reeves gave the visitors an early lead.

Reeves struck his first goal for Bradford in the 17th minute with an effort from outside the area which took a deflection past Callum Burton.

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Despite extended Cambridge pressure after the break, Lee Novak was denied by Burton 13 minutes from time, and they were made to pay.

Darling equalised six minutes from the end when substitute Idris El Mizouni’s chipped cross found its way to the centre-back, and he lashed in a first-time finish.

It looked like the hosts would be denied a winner when El Mizouni’s effort from outside the area crashed off the bar, but a fellow substitute found the winner in the first minute of stoppage time. Samir Carruthers carried the ball into the area and found Knibbs, who turned in home from close range.

McCall believed there was a “blatant” foul on Harry Pritchard in the build-up to the winner.

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“I don’t think it’s the players that we can point a finger at. I’ve just watched the incident and I hate whingeing about referees but it’s the most blatant free-kick ever seen on Pritchard. How he doesn’t think that is a free-kick – and the linesman too – they must have had their eyes closed. It’s so blatant to everyone in the ground. So that’s disappointing.”

Cambridge United: Burton, Knoyle (El Mizouni 80), Darling, Taylor, Dunk, Davies, O’Neil (Carruthers 72), Lewis, Maris, Adeboyejo (Knibbs 72), Mullin. Unused substitutes: Mitov, Taft, Dallas, Lambe.

Bradford City: O’Donnell, Henley, Anthony O’Connor, Richards-Everton, Wood, Mottley-Henry, Reeves, Akpan (Pritchard 79), Middleton (Connolly 70), Novak, McCartan (Paudie O’Connor 66). Unused substitutes: Donaldson, Ismail, Taylor, McGee.

Referee: N Kinseley (Essex).