Sloppy Bradford City let their standards slip

City were 2-0 down inside 25 minutes after goals from Byron Moore and Joe Edwards.

A second-half own goal from Niall Canavan gave the visitors a chance but they eventually slipped to their first away league defeat since September.

“Ultimately, we were second-best in the first half,” reflected a disappointed Bowyer. “For the first time this season the standards we delivered were nowhere near those we set.

“You cannot come here to play against a good team with good players and give them a two-goal head start. It’s not good enough.”

Aramide Oteh missed an early chance for City and Plymouth, who have now won four league games in a row, struck moments later.

Richard O’Donnell denied Moore’s initial effort, but the veteran turned home the rebound.

O’Donnell was at fault for the second as he failed to clear his lines with Edwards coolly doubling Argyle’s advantage.

The Irish goalkeeper produced a fine stop just before the break to tip Antoni Sarcevic’s strike wide.

Bowyer’s Bantams got back into the game six minutes after the restart as Anthony O’Connor’s cross was put into his own net by Canavan.

Zeli Ismail did well to sneak behind the defence before firing wide and Canavan nodded wide before being denied by O’Donnell.

Plymouth Argyle: Palmer; Sawyer, Wootton, Canavan, Sarcevic; Edwards, Mayor, Grant (Taylor 84), Moore (Telford 69); McFadzean, Grant. Unused substitutes: Cooper, Taylor, Grant, Clarke, Randell, Cooper.

Bradford City: O’Donnell; Richards-Everton, O’Connor, Henley, Wood; Pritchard, Cooke (Mellor 45), Akpan (Devine 63), Connolly; Vaughan, Oteh (Ismail 45). Unused substitutes: Sykes-Kenworthy, O’Connor, Reeves, Anderson.

Referee: O Yates (Staffordshire).