Match Report:
Shrewsbury Town 0
Bradford City 1 (Nsiala O.G. 55)
Saturday 25th November 2017 | Sky Bet League One | Montgomery Waters Meadow
The Bantams battled their way to a hard-earned victory on the road at Shrewsbury Town thanks to an Aristote Nsiala own goal. City were required to show all their defensive qualities for long periods against the league leaders, but an own goal by Town's central defender Nsiala from an Alex Gilliead cross proved the difference.
Town started the game at a strong tempo, taking the game to the Bantams, and their first chance came inside the first couple of minutes. James Bolton delivered a cross from the right-hand side and Ben Godfrey was a header at the far post go over the bar.
The hosts should really have taken the lead inside the tenth minutes but for some fluffed lines by Stefan Payne. Jon Nolan's scuffed shot from the edge of the box fell into the path of the powerful forward but he made a mess of his effort, despite beating the offside trap.
Nathaniel Knight-Percival had City's first opportunity of the game but he could only help the ball wide of the target after Gilliead had latched onto Tony McMahon's corner to shoot towards goal when he found himself in space inside the penalty area.
Shaun Whalley was a constant menace in the first half and after setting up Alex Rodman to go close with a header, he then saw a shot of his own from 20 yards go narrowly over the bar after cutting inside from the right-hand side onto his weaker left foot.
Nolan went close with a curler before Payne moved away from Knight-Percival to hammer a rasping strike over the bar. Payne turned away from the City defender again shortly afterwards but this time his attempt was held onto by Sattelmaier low down at his near post.
Early in the second half, City took the lead from a swift break forward. Charlie Wyke picked up the ball from a McMahon pass to thread a pass through to Gilliead and he tried to pick out Paul Taylor in the centre before Aristote Nsiala turned the ball into his own goal.
Just after the hour, Knight-Percival headed into the side netting after latching onto McMahon's free-kick and then Wyke found the net with a header after a goalkeeping error from Dean Henderson. Unfortunately the referee chalked off the goal after the ball had apparently already gone out of play before McMahon crossed the ball into the box.
Gilliead went close with a low drive that was held onto by Henderson before the hosts began to really knock on the door in the latter stages of the game. Sattelmaier held onto Rodman's low drive before the German stopper made two really important saves to deny Carlton Morris and Shaun Whalley.
Sattelmaier took one for the team with a booking in added time but he had a very admirable display between the sticks in Colin Doyle's absence.
Shrewsbury had one late chance to scramble home an equaliser in the final second of injury time but City threw their bodies at the ball to sit out the danger.
A very resolute performance all round by Stuart McCall's side and three away victories on the bounce now!