Harry Pritchard effort enough as Bradford claim much-needed Cambridge win

Posted Sunday, December 20, 2020 by PA

Harry Pritchard scored the decisive goal as Bradford gained their first win in eight League Two matches with a narrow 1-0 home victory over Cambridge.

Defender Paudie O’Connor had the ball in the net for Bradford in the 16th minute following a corner on the right from Elliot Watt, but the effort as ruled out for offside.

However, the home side put the ball in the net for a second time after 42 minutes and this time it did count.

Paudie O’Connor found Pritchard on the left and he controlled the ball on his chest before scoring with a superb half volley into the far corner from 25 yards to give them a 1-0 half-time lead.

Bradford almost doubled their lead after 57 minutes when the visitors’ defence struggled to deal with a long clearance from goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell.

The ball fell to Callum Cooke, who saw his shot hit the post before Lee Novak fired the rebound straight at Cambridge stopper Callum Burton.

The away side staged a late rally in search of an equaliser, their best chance falling to substitute Joe Ironside in the 88th minute, but O’Donnell made a superb point-blank save to block his shot.