Wimbledon 0 Bradford City 1: Bantams play to the script to keep Kevin McDonald's winning run going

The Scot's first substitute, fresh from his midweek goal and red-card combination, Emmanuel Osadebe, had barely been on the field five minutes when he got on the end of a classic Wimbledon-style flick-on, held off his man and calmly found the net.

On an afternoon of few chances, that was game set and match.

As caretakers often do, McDonald has been talking down his chances of getting the manager's job permanently, insistent he wants to focus on squeezing another few years out of his playing career before transferring to the dugout If he is serious, he will have to be careful – he is in grave danger of playing himself into this job.

Bradford did well to stay in the game during the first 45 minutes – thanks in no small part to Harry Lewis' goalkeeping – but McDonald's changed and Osadebe's goal perked them up in a game higher on endeavour than quality. Sometimes you need that, especially in League Two.

There was a stroke of luck in the second half, Josh Davison hitting a post when he ought to have scored.

Lewis was the only goalkeeper who had to make any first-half saves, from the slightly fortunate to the very agile.

The Bradford goalkeeper's block with his shinpads as he came rushing off his line in the 1th minute was not the most convincing but it did the job, getting in the way of a shot from James Tilley.

He was called upon twice late in the half, making a low save when Armani Little hit a shot on the spin, then reacting very well to thwart Tilley once more.

Again he played sweeper-keeper, alert to a long ball over the top to Josh Davison, but could only get it as far away as winger Tilley, who had come inside.

But he quickly backpedalled into his area and got down low when Tilley swiveled onto a volley, his eyes lighting up at the empty net.

Bradford had started the game well, but Andy Cook's deflected shot in the third minute was the start of a frustrating afternoon for the striker, who seemed to get wound up by himself, referee Scott Simpson, his team-mates and just about everything else.

Simpson' pickiness added to a bitty game and Matty Platt was in the book as early as the seventh minute for a cynical foul on Omar Bugiel. The centre-back took a whack in the face just before Richie Smallwood pushed his luck once too often and was booked for his latest foul, Simpson's mood not help by the midfielder's chatter around some of his decisions.

Brad Halliday inadvertently created a good chance Wimbledon could not take in the 62nd minute.

He showed good awareness to get across and cut out a Tilley pass bound for Bugiel, only to knock it into the path of Davison. The striker could not control his shot.

It was more costly than either side could have imagined.

McDonald has tried to make the Bantams a touch more direct so it was fitting the goal came from a flick-on. It was also the Bantams first shot on target.

It could be the mind playing tricks but after the introduction of Osadebe for the ineffective Adam Wilson, Cook seemed more confident flicking the ball on. Rounding off a spot of head tennis at Wimbledon, Alex Gilliead nodded the ball forward, the centre-forward helped it on again and Osadebe held off Isaac Ogundere to score.

Six minutes later Wimbledon ought to have equalised from his ninth corner, Davison's header striking the frame of the goal.

A lovely Jamie Walker turn and shot from an Osadebe pass forced a save and Bugiel volleyed just wide of the opposite goal from a Charlie Lakin pass.

Wimbledon had late penalty appeals when Halliday challenged Tilley in the area.

But in truth this was a one-goal game and it was Bradford's.

McDonald is taking well to this management lark.

Wimbledon: Bass; Ogundere, Lewis, Pearce (McLean 81), Currie; Neufville (Sasu 68), Reeves, Little (Lakin 81), Tilley, Davison, Bugiel.

Unused substitutes: Sandford, Brown, Ball, Kalambayi

Bradford City: Lewis; Halliday, Stubbs, Platt, Ridehalgh; Smallwood, Gilliead; Wilson (Osadebe 58), Walker, Pointon (Oyegoke 80); Cook (Smith 85).

Unused substitutes: Taylor, Doyle, Tulloch, Afoka.

Referee: S Simpson (Staffordshire).