‘There is still a lot of work to be done,’ says Bradford City chief Stuart McCall

Bantams manager Stuart McCall felt that victory over Plymouth Argyle at Valley Parade kept City in the play-off picture, after back-to-back defeats had seen them start to fall away from the top seven.

Bradford are just two points from the play-off spots after George Miller – a former City and Barnsley player – struck late for Scunthorpe United, McCall’s former club, in a 2-2 draw at Port Vale, who occupy seventh place in League Two.

The City manager insists he is not looking too far ahead but is relieved that his side still have something to fight for heading into the final 10 games of the season.

“We are not kidding ourselves, there is still a lot of work to be done,” said McCall.

“But it keeps the season going, it keeps us bubbling along.

“We are not looking too far ahead. It is a big game against Salford next week, we need to turn the away form round.”

Bradford have won just three times on the road this campaign, form which has left them scrapping for a place in the play-offs.

But the Bantams’ points return on home soil is keeping them in the hunt, as they have notched 11 wins in front of their own supporters and lost just twice at Valley Parade.

McCall added: “It would be nice if we could ring Salford and ask them if they could play at our ground next week.

“We know the stats, we have only been defeated twice at home but on the road it is not so good.”

Bradford had come into Saturday’s encounter having dropped eight points from winning positions in their four games under McCall.

They took a 2-0 lead into the half-time interval and despite a late scare, held on for a vital three points.

Ben Richards-Everton headed in a corner after six minutes before Dylan Connolly curled home a delightful goal from 25 yards.

Matters were made easier for the hosts when Plymouth captain Gary Sawyer was sent off for a lunge on Connolly, who was then fouled in the latter stages of the second half by Antoni Sarcevic, who was shown a second yellow, reducing Plymouth to nine men.

Despite the two red cards, Argyle hit back when Ryan Hardie’s shot went between Richard O’Donnell’s legs, who should have done better, with three minutes of normal time to play.

McCall feels his players can take a lot from the game, after seeing out a tense finish to record their 14th league win of the season.

He said: “It has got to give the lads a little bit of confidence that we can go ahead and stay ahead, for once.

“We have dropped eight points in three games from winning positions.

“If you want to be in the top part of the league you have got to do better.

“It is just a little bit annoying that when they went down to nine men we gave that goal away, I am surprised my hair didn’t go grey in the last five minutes.

“When you are on top, you need to make it count with goals and, thankfully, we did that.”

Connolly’s first-half strike was his first goal in English football, in what was his 50th appearance in all competitions.

The 24-year-old had a stint at Ipswich Town while he was still a teenager in the 2014-15 campaign before returning home to his native Ireland and signing for Bray Wanderers.

He then joined Dundalk before moving back across the Irish Sea to join AFC Wimbledon and eventually joined the Bantams on loan in September, making 28 Bradford appearances.

He was on the bench for City’s defeat at Newport County but returned to the starting line-up against Plymouth and grasped his opportunity with both hands.

“He has got pace and he will chase an empty crisp packet,” said McCall of Connolly, who was one of Bradford’s stand-out men against Argyle.

“He is really enthusiastic but he needs to improve on his quality and score more goals but against Plymouth he put that right.

“Hopefully, there will be more to come from him.”

Bradford City: O’Donnell; Mellor (Henley 74), O’Connor, Richards-Everton, Wood; Connolly, Reeves, Akpan (Cooke 83), McCartan (Mottley-Henry 77); Novak, Donaldson. Unused substitutes: McGee, Pritchard, Ismail, Cooke, Devitt. 

Plymouth Argyle: Palmer; Edwards (Hardie 45), Wootton, Canavan, Sawyer, McFadzean; Mayor, Bakinson (Telford 80), Sarcevic, Jephcott (Taylor 45), Moore. Unused substitutes: Cooper, Grant, Randell, Cooper. 

Referee: C Boyeson (East Yorkshire).