Match Report:
Bradford City 0
Wigan Athletic 1 (Jacobs 90+1)
Wednesday 14th March 2018 | Sky Bet League One | Northern Commercials Stadium
The Bantams were made to suffer heartbreak as a late Michael Jacobs goal consigned City to defeat in Simon Grayson's first home game in charge. The game was a pretty tight and closely fought affair although Wigan should have led at half time after James Vaughan hit the post. City made the promotion chasers work hard and probably deserved a point for their efforts, but it wasn't to be as Paul Cook's side grabbed all three points with a stoppage time winner.
You always expected Wigan to come and try win the game and they were quick out of the traps. Michael Jacobs went down in the box with Callum Guy in close proximity - he was looking for a penalty but the referee Martin Coy wasn't interested in awarding the visitors an early spot kick.
Just after the quarter-hour mark, Wigan spurned a glorious opportunity to take the lead. Coming up against Simon Grayson, the man who took him to Sunderland last summer, James Vaughan connected with Nick Powell's cross with a deft shot that clipped the outside of the post.
City had their backs to the wall in the early stages to shut out the Latics and involved once again, Jacobs had an attempt at goal after being teed up by Powell but he skewed his shot well wide of Colin Doyle's far post to let the hosts off the hook.
Powell spurned a good opportunity himself; heading over the bar from close range after connecting with Nathan Byrne's cross and then Wigan's Dan Burn appealed aggresively but in vain for a penalty after his cross was blocked by Nathaniel Knight-Percival. Even if the ball did strike his arm, there was no way he could've got his arm out of the way in time to avoid it striking the ball, so certainly not a penalty.
Paul Cook's side had more of the play than the Bantams in the first half and certainly got into more promising positions inside the final third, but they couldn't break down a resolute defence as City battled excellently to ensure they'd get to the interval with honours even.
City were bright at the start of the second half with Tyrell Robinson causing one or two problems down the left-hand side, and Shay McCartan spurned a decent opportunity, heading over the bar after connecting with Tony McMahon's cross.
Latics star man Nick Powell hobbled off injured early in the second half, but he was replaced by leading scorer Will Grigg. It was Jacobs causing City some real problems and he came close to breaking the deadlock, but after evading Romain Vincelot he lashed a shot into the side netting.
City were fighting tooth and nail to at least take a share of the spoils and this was epitomised by Matthew Kilgallon who made a superb block to halt Max Power's shot - it was a block that left him hobbling for a few minutes afterwards; excellent defending by the Bantams number five.
It looked as if the game would be heading for a draw when the ball broke to Jacobs inside the area and he slotted the ball past Doyle in front of the Wigan supporters. The goal proved to be decisive for Paul Cook's men who went back over the Pennines with a three points in the bag.