Match ends, Bradford City 4, Stevenage 1.
BradfordBradford City4StevenageStevenage1
Andy Cook scored a first-half hat-trick as Bradford maintained their unbeaten start to the League Two season with a win over Stevenage at Valley Parade.
It was Stevenage's first defeat of the campaign, having previously won three in a row - two in the league and one in the League Cup.
Bradford made the perfect start, Cook putting them ahead in the first minute. Charles Vernam fed left-back Liam Ridehalgh on the overlap and his cross from the left found Cook unmarked at the far post to head the Bantams into the lead.
Stevenage equalised against the run of play in the 17th minute when the Bradford defence failed to clear and Elliott List scored with a low shot from 15 yards.
Bradford were given a great chance to restore their lead in the 30th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Luther Wildin tripped Vernam in the box.
However, Lee Angol, who scored Bradford's last-gasp winner from the spot against Oldham last Saturday, saw his penalty saved by Joseph Anang.
The miss was not costly, however, because the ball went out for a corner on the left and when the visitors' defence failed to clear Cook scored Bradford's second with a left-foot shot through a crowded goalmouth.
Cook completed his hat-trick - the first by a Bradford player for almost four years - in the 38th minute when he chased a long ball out of defence from right-back Finn Cousin-Dawson and muscled his way past a defender before beating the advancing Anang with a right-foot shot.
Cook and Callum Cooke came close to adding to the Bantams' lead in the second half before defender Niall Canavan put the seal on a richly deserved victory with a fourth goal - a close-range header from Ollie Crankshaw's cross when Cooke's corner was only partially cleared.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Bradford
Formation 4-4-2
- 1O'Donnell
- 24Cousin-DawsonBooked at 13mins
- 4O'Connor
- 5Canavan
- 3Ridehalgh
- 11Gilliead
- 8Cooke
- 18Watt
- 15VernamSubstituted forLaveryat 79'minutes
- 9CookSubstituted forSongo'oat 90'minutes
- 19AngolSubstituted forCrankshawat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Songo'o
- 13Hornby
- 14Foulds
- 16Kelleher
- 17Evans
- 23Crankshaw
- 29Lavery
Stevenage
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Anang
- 2Wildin
- 15Vancooten
- 5CuthbertSubstituted forProsserat 40'minutes
- 3Coker
- 10Carter
- 8Taylor
- 4Reeves
- 14LinesSubstituted forOsborneat 50'minutes
- 7ListSubstituted forReidat 64'minutes
- 9Norris
Substitutes
- 6Prosser
- 11Osborne
- 13Bastien
- 17Daly
- 20Reid
- 23Smith
- 24Marshall
- Referee:
- Martin Coy
- Attendance:
- 14,257
Match Stats
Home TeamBradfordAway TeamStevenage
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away3
- Corners
- Home10
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bradford City 4, Stevenage 1.
Post update
Jake Taylor (Stevenage) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Callum Cooke (Bradford City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bradford City. Yann Songo'o replaces Andy Cook.
Post update
Corner, Stevenage. Conceded by Paudie O'Connor.
Goal!
Goal! Bradford City 4, Stevenage 1. Niall Canavan (Bradford City) header from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Oliver Crankshaw following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Terence Vancooten.
Post update
Corner, Bradford City. Conceded by Luke Prosser.
Post update
Jamie Reid (Stevenage) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Dangerous play by Paudie O'Connor (Bradford City).
Post update
Foul by Jake Taylor (Stevenage).
Post update
Callum Cooke (Bradford City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Ben Coker (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Crankshaw (Bradford City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bradford City. Caolan Lavery replaces Charles Vernam.
Post update
Charlie Carter (Stevenage) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Paudie O'Connor (Bradford City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Jake Reeves (Stevenage) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Hand ball by Jamie Reid (Stevenage).
Comments
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A team like Bradford gets attendances regularly around 15,000 so there must be so many Bantam fans being completely unaware.
Such a shame BBC isn't pushing this, welcome initiative.
As always: 'Up the Paraders!'