League Two: Bradford City shocked by Barrow as Doncaster Rovers lose at Sutton while Harrogate Town surrender 2-0 lead against Crewe Alexandra
Bradford City 0-1 Barrow
Barrow claimed their first win in seven games at the expense of promotion-chasing Bradford. Josh Kay scored the only goal at Valley Parade to clinch a memorable double over Mark Hughes’ Bantams, who had been looking for a third successive win.
Barrow survived Bradford’s fast start to keep the home side at arm’s length – and were rewarded with a goal on 24 minutes. Kay dispossessed Adam Clayton on halfway, Harrison Neal led the counter-attack and Kay continued his run to finish Ged Garner’s low cross in the box.
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Hide AdBradford failed to test goalkeeper Paul Farman once and were booed off at half-time. Niall Canavan almost doubled Barrow’s lead against his previous club early in the second half but failed to make contact from Kay’s knockdown in the six-yard box.
Barrow midfielder Robbie Gotts had a shot comfortably saved by Harry Lewis but Bradford were unable to come up with anything on target. Their closest moment came from a late header from Sam Stubbs that flew over the bar.
Sutton United 2-0 Doncaster Rovers
Sutton continued their surge towards the League Two play-off places with a 2-0 victory over Doncaster. Second-half goals from Coby Rowe and David Ajiboye ended Rovers’ run of three successive wins without conceding a goal as the U’s secured the points at Gander Green Lane.
Sutton came closest to opening the scoring as skipper Harry Beautyman forced a save from Jonathan Mitchell before the stopper also kept out Lee Angol’s long-range effort. Opposite number Jack Rose made a good low stop to push away Charlie Lakin’s low effort from the edge of the area.
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Hide AdThe first five minutes of the second half proved vital as Rowe made a brilliant block to deny George Miller a certain goal. Two minutes later he nodded Sutton in front after Ben Goodliffe headed a corner back across goal.
Will Randall almost doubled the lead with a curling effort while sub Caolan Lavery wasted Rovers’ best chance to equalise when he shot over with his first touch. Ajiboye clinched the points when he was slid through by Ali Smith’s superb pass two minutes from time.
Harrogate Town 2-2 Crewe Alexandra
Substitute Tariq Uwakwe snatched an unlikely point at Harrogate Town with his first goal for Crewe Alexandra. The ex-Chelsea Under-21 hopeful, who had not netted in 38 previous outings for the Railwaymen, secured a 2-2 draw in the 89th minute.
His team-mate Dan Agyei had only reduced the deficit from the penalty spot six minutes earlier after Jack Muldoon and Kazeem Olaigbe had put the hosts in the ascendancy. Harrogate showed the greater first-half attacking enterprise with Anthony O’Connor’s header and a Luke Armstrong follow-up effort requiring a smart double save from visiting keeper David Richards.
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Hide AdAn Olaigbe attempt was then blocked on the line by a cluster of Crewe bodies before the on-loan Southampton winger’s deft flick teed up Muldoon for a 15-yard opportunity that the ex-Lincoln striker drilled inside Richards’ left-hand upright in the 34th minute. Home keeper Mark Oxley preserved that lead going into the break by reacting brilliantly to deny Elliott Nevitt and Callum Ainley in quick succession.
The Sulphurites doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute when Matty Foulds’ inswinging corner from the right was headed out by Connor O’Riordan only for Olaigbe to drill a firm 15-yard drive home through a crowded penalty box. But Agyei claimed his ninth goal of the season, placing to Oxley’s right and sending him the wrong way from the penalty spot having had his heels clipped by O’Connor, and Uwakwe then spun in the box and fired in from 10 yards despite Warren Burrell’s attempt to clear off the line.