Bradford City 3 - 2 Coventry City

Sky Blues fall to defeat in dramatic circumstances at Valley Parade



The Sky Blues’ league season opened in bitter frustration as James Hanson’s injury-time header tipped the scales for Bradford barely a minute after Reda Johnson had hauled the visitors level for the second time in a game.

Steven Pressley gave Ryan Allsop the nod over home-produced Lee Burge in goal and paired new arrival Josh McQuoid with Marcus Tudgay up front but the main surprise was in midfield where summer signings Danny Swanson and Jim O’Brien were both included with John Fleck on the bench.

Coventry almost made an instant breakthrough as Pugh swung in a dangerous low cross and Clarke, arriving late at the far post, nudges if over the bar.

Another Pugh raid produced a deep diagonal ball that found O’Brien running through the Bradford back-line but he was off balance as he swivelled for a left-foot shot that slid wide of the far post.

Swanson blasted an ambitious 30-yard free-kick into the Bradford wall after O’Brien had been chopped down by Hanson but the Bantams produced their first real threat in the 21st minute when Sheehan pumped in a deep free-kick and Bradford angrily demanded a penalty for a shove on Davies.

That seemed to gee up the home side who developed a spell of pressure that eventually led to their breakthrough.

The Sky Blues escaped twice in as many minutes as Sheehan’s left-wing cross was headed back inside by Clarke but Hanson couldn’t connect cleanly and Allsop dropped on the ball as it bobbled towards the line.

Coventry were then stretched by a classic counter-attack from their own corner as Pickford’s punt sent Clarke haring down the right flank. His low cross again picked out Hanson but the ball didn’t quite slot into his stride and he miscued an improvised back-heel flick.

Three minutes later, however, it paid off perfectly for the Yorkshire outfit as Clarke again made good progress down the right and slung the ball over for Hanson to beat Allsop with a trademark glancing header.

The Sky Blues seemed to think that Tudgay had been fouled in the build-up but they nearly found themselves 2-0 down in the 31st minute as Yeates cut inside for a left-foot shot but Allsop reacted well to turn it wide.

Bradford had some real momentum at that stage but the Sky Blues levelled four minutes before the interval as Kennedy hacked down Swanson on the left wing to concede a free-kick that was lofted to the far post where Webster’s challenge forced a corrner. Pugh trotted over to fire in an inswinger and it was Johnson who rose highest in the six-yard box to direct his header down and past Pickford and into the corner of the net.

The second half started disastrously for Coventry as Clarke conceded a cheap corner and referee Dean ruled that Johnson had shoved Hanson as they challenged for the ball – a soft penalty but slickly accepted by Sheehan who sent Allsop the wrong way.

A good Coventry break gave Swanson the chance to shoot but Darby reacted splendidly to intercept with a diving header. And Allsop was soon in action at the other end as he came out well to block Hanson’s tight-angled shot.

The City fans were appealing for a penalty when Davies slid in on McQuoid after a fine combination with Tudgay but they had to settle for a corner. And they were somehow denied an equaliser 15 mintues from time when Pickford missed Swanson’s corner but Bradford scrambled it away as Webster and O’Brien both tried to force it over the line.

Fleck had Pickford at full stretch with a 30-yard snap shot but it was Johnson, pushed up front as an emergency centre-forward, who hauled the Sky blues level in the 88th minute, ramming home from point-blank range after Tudgay’s ehader from Pugh’s cross had been blocked.

Even as the away fans celebrated, however, Bradford broke down the left and Hanson pounced for another header that left Allsop with no chance.

And although Coventry threw everything forward in the closing stages, the Bantams defence held on – Fleck booked for a dive as he looked for the penalty that could have earned them a last-gasp reprieve.

Bradford City (4-4-2): Jordan Pickford; Stephen Darby, Andrew Davies, Rory McArdle, Alan Sheehan; Gary Liddle, Jason Kennedy, Billy Knott (72 mins, Matthew Dolan), Mark Yeates; James Hanson, Billy Clarke (86 mins, Aaron Mclean). Substitutes: Matt Unwin (goalkeeper), James Meredith, Mo Shariff, Filipe Morais, Niall Heaton.

Coventry City (3-5-2): Ryan Allsop; Jordan Willis, Andy Webster, Reda Johnson; Jordan Clarke (77 mins, Shaun Miller), Jim O’Brien, Conor Thomas (65 mins, John Fleck), Danny Swanson, Danny Pugh; Marcus Tudgay, Joshn McQuoid. Substitutes: Lee Burge (goalkeeper), Shaun Miller, Billy Daniels, Aaron Phillips, Ryan Haynes, James Maddison.

Referee: Mike Dean

Bookings: Billy Knott (33 mins, foul on Webster), Jason Kennedy (39 mins, foul on Swanson), Marcus Tudgay (70 mins, foul on Liddle).

Attendance: 14,621 (Away 1,406).