Saturday 30 September 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 2 (Wyke 18, Knight-Percival 42)
Doncaster Rovers 0
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance 20,430 (889 visitors)
Despite not being at their very best for long periods, Stuart McCall's Bantams were able to dig in and return to winning ways with a hard-fought victory over Doncaster Rovers.
Following Tuesday's disappointing home loss to Fleetwood Town, McCall's men were able to bounce back at the Northern Commercials Stadium thanks to two first half headers from Charlie Wyke and Nathaniel Knight-Percival.
In a fairly even opening period, Doncaster had their moments but City arguably looked the more threatening going forward.
Wyke had already been denied from close range by alert defending from Rodney Kongolo before he headed City in front in the eighteenth minute from Adam Chicksen's cross.
Wyke then saw a second goal chalked soon after when his scrambled effort from close range was disallowed for a foul on Doncaster 'keeper Marko Marosi.
The striker was involved again before the break when more watchful defending from Doncaster - this time by Niall Mason - prevented Wyke from tapping in Dominc Poleon's pass across the six yard box.
City weren't to be denied for long, however, with Knight-Percival grabbing his second goal of the season with a thumping header the resulting Tony McMahon corner delivery.
The closest Doncaster came in the opening half to scoring was when the game was still goalless, Romain Vincelot deflecting an Alfie May cross onto the outside of the post.
The visitors enjoyed large spells of possession after the break as they looked for a way back into the game, although Poleon could have put the game seemingly beyond Doncaster just two minutes after the restart.
Shortly after Colin Doyle had saved alertly from May, City countered the resulting Rovers corner and Paul Taylor, making his first league start for the Bantams, put Poleon through on goal.
Poleon looked to put the ball through Marosi's legs but the shot-stopper got just enough on the shoot to deflect the effort behind for a corner.
Following his earlier save from May, Doyle was also required to repel efforts from Harry Toffolo, Ben Whiteman and Tommy Rowe later in the half.
Doncaster continued to push and ask questions as the second period wore on but City saw out the danger to collect a clean sheet and the win.
FT: Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
90+5min: Mandeville’s cross deflects off Knight-Percival and narrowly past the near post for a Doncaster corner.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
90min: SUB – The Bantams bring on Luke Hendrie for Gilliead.
87min: Play is stopped briefly while Mr Backhouse has a word with Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson. Play continues soon after.
86min: McMahon’s effort on goal direct from a free-kick roughly twenty-five yards out is held by Marosi.
84min: Rowe’s goalbound header from a Coppinger corner is blocked on the line via the chest of Gilliead before City clear their lines.
81min: YELLOW CARD – Mason booked for a late challenge in the air on Vincelot as the pair clash for the ball midway into City’s half of the pitch.
80min: SUB – Doncaster bring on Liam Mandeville for Jordon Houghton.
80min: YELLOW CARD – Following a break in play, Vincelot is booked for an earlier late challenge.
78min: Coppinger takes aim from outside the box but his curling shot goes some distance wide.
76min: Whiteman’s resulting shot for goal from the free-kick that follows has to be pushed behind by Doyle.
75min: YELLOW CARD – Chicksen is booked for a forceful challenge on Kongolo roughly twenty-five yards from City’s goal.
74min: Coppinger’s curling cross-come-shot from a wide position inside the area is headed out for a corner by Knight-Percival.
68min: SUB – Doncaster bring on James Coppinger for Toffolo.
67min: Mason’s low ball into the middle finds Rowe, but the midfielder snatches at his shot from just outside the box as Vincelot goes to close down and the effort flashes comfortably wide.
66min: The ball breaks to Butler just outside the box and the central defender curls a left-footed effort narrowly past the post.
60min: SUBS – The Bantams bring on Nicky Law and Omari Patrick for Taylor and Poleon.
57min: Wyke is back up on his feet and play resumes once again.
56min: Play is halted briefly as Wyke receives knock while challenging for an aerial ball inside Doncaster’s half of the pitch.
54min: Rowe’s downward header from Mason’s floated ball from deep towards the far post is held by Doyle.
53min: Whiteman’s drive into the box is cleared twice by Knight-Percival to prevent any Doncaster players from pouncing for a close range shot on goal.
52min: Marquis shot across the six yard box is cleared in the middle by Matthew Kilgallon.
51min: Ben Whiteman’s curling effort from the edge of the box is held by a diving Doyle.
50min: Toffolo takes aim from distance over by Doncaster’s left flank but his driven angled drive towards goal is held by Doyle.
48min: YELLOW CARD – Jake Reeves takes a booking for his troubles to deny Doncaster a swift break forward. With Doncaster breaking in numbers, Reeves drags May down around the halfway line to halt the attack.
47min: So close from Poleon! City counter-attack from the resulting Doncaster corner, Paul Taylor plays Poleon through on goal but the striker’s shot is somehow put behind by the legs of Marosi.
46min: Doncaster burst forward with purpose into City’s penalty area. May receives the ball back from Marquis but his shot from a tight angle deep inside the box is blocked behind by the frame of Doyle.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
45+2min: There is a brief break in play as Joe Wright receives treatment for a blow to the face. Wright is eventually able to continue.
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
42min: GOAL!!!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 0 – Knight-Percival doubles City’s lead with his second goal of the season! From McMahon resulting corner delivery following Wyke’s chance, Knight-Percival powers a header past the despairing dive of Marosi and into the bottom corner.
41min: Wyke denied! Dominic Poleon robs Andy Butler of possession before bursting clear down City’s left flank. Poleon slides the ball across the six yard box but Wyke is prevented from finding the net from close range by a great sliding tackle from Mason.
39min: Vincelot moves into the box after reaching a neat flick on by Wyke but he does down under a challenge from Kongolo. Vincelot isn’t happy about the tackle but play is waved on.
33min: Marquis goes for goal from distance but Doyle is able to watch the effort sail wayward.
28min: There is a brief break in play as Vincelot recovers from an apparent whack to the face as he looked to defend a Doncaster throw-in up the line from just inside City’s half. The Frenchman is soon able to continue and play resumes once again.
25min: Mason’s long ball over the top causes a moment of hesitation for Knight-Percival. As the defender lets the ball bounce just outside his area, Marquis tries to nip in for a run at goal. The pair tangle for possession before the ball rolls through to Doyle. Marquis feels he may have been impeded but referee Mr Anthony Backhouse allows play to continue.
20min: GOAL!.....NO! City think they have doubled their lead through Wyke but the goal is disallowed for a foul on Doncaster ‘keeper Marko Marosi. The initial threat from City comes when Matthew Kilgallon heads goalwards from a Tony McMahon corner. Marosi repels the first effort but he isn’t quite able to fully cling onto the ball. Wyke eventually scrambles the ball over the line but the foul is already given.
18min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!Bradford City 1 Doncaster Rovers 0 – The Bantams take the lead through Wyke! Adam Chicksen’s right-footed cross into the box finds Wyke unmarked in the middle and the striker sends a downward header into the bottom corner!
16min: Harry Toffolo’s ball down the channel ends up putting May in with a clear run into City’s penalty area. With Knight-Percival behind him trying to put some pressure on, May seems to slips over as he looks to get a shot in at Doyle’s goal and the ball rolls through to the Bantams shot-stopper.
12min: Doncaster hit the woodwork. May’s driven ball across the six yard box defeats off Romain Vincelot before hitting the outside of the post and going out for a corner.
10min: Niall Mason’s cross-field pass finds Alfie May inside the box. May takes the pass down on his chest but his low strike for goal lacks the power to trouble Doyle.
9min: Rodney Kongolo denied Wyke an almost certain goal! Alex Gilliead’s teasing cross from the byline towards the far post looks set to give Wyke a simple close-range header but Kongolo is crucially in the right position to head behind for a corner.
7min: Marquis’ deflected shot from outside the box is held by City ‘keeper Colin Doyle.
6min: Tommy Rowe’s scuffed shot across goal from deep inside the box is kicked clear by Nathaniel Knight-Percival ahead of the lurking John Marquis.
5min: Charlie Wyke heads over following Tony McMahon’s wide free-kick delivery into the box.
0min: Doncaster Rovers kick off. The Bantams will attack towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Chicksen, Reeves, Vincelot, Gilliead, Taylor, Poleon, Wyke
Subs: Raeder, Thompson, Law, Field, Hendrie, Jones, Patrick
Bradford City substitutions:
Law for Taylor (60), Patrick for Poleon (60), Hendrie for Gilliead (90)
Bradford City cautions:
Reeves (48), Chicksen (75), Vincelot (80)
DONCASTER ROVER LINE UP:
Marosi, Mason, Wright, Butler, Toffolo, Houghton, Whiteman, Kongolo, Rowe, Marquis, May
Subs: Jones, Williams, Coppinger, Garratt, Mandeville, Ben Khemis, Alcock
Doncaster Rovers substitutions:
Coppinger for Toffolo (68), Mandeville for Houghton (80)
Doncaster Rovers cautions:
Mason (81)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Assistant Referee: Alan Clayton
Assisant Referee: Paul Graham
Fourth Official: Kevin Mulraine