Bowyer delighted with first win but wants Bradford to maintain standard

Posted Sunday, March 10, 2019 by PA

Gary Bowyer was delighted with his first win as Bradford manager and expects the standard set by the players in the 3-1 home win against Peterborough to continue in the remaining 10 games of the season.

Bradford are still next to the bottom of the League One table despite their first win in six matches, but now only four points from safety.

A tight, evenly fought match changed dramatically as Bradford scored three goals in 16 second-half minutes.

Jacob Butterfield, who had struck the woodwork with a free-kick in the seventh minute, broke the deadlock in the 70th minute with a low left shot from the edge of the box.

Leading scorer Eoin Doyle added a second in the 83rd minute with a low, left-foot shot from just inside the box after taking a pass from David Ball and Lewis O’Brien added a third from close range in the 86th minute from Doyle’s pass.

Marcus Maddison scored a consolation goal for Peterborough two minutes later after he had been fouled by Paul Caddis.

Former Blackburn and Blackpool boss Bowyer said: “This is how it must be in every game. The players have set the standard – they, themselves, spoke about it in the dressing room after the match.”

Bowyer added: “I am absolutely delighted for the players and the supporters. This is a massive club with fantastic supporters and you could see that today.

“From the time we came out of the tunnel the reception we got from the supporters gave us energy and the players fed off that energy. I thought we grew in confidence as the game went on. We have a good bunch of footballers and I am delighted with the response I have had all week.

“My only slight regret is that is that we didn’t get a clean sheet. The penalty was a poor decision. For me, it was a great tackle.”

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson said: “We have to look at ourselves. Today was not good enough.

“The first half we were in control of the game apart from Bradford hitting the bar from the free-kick. We just needed to make better decisions around the box.

“In the second half we lost our discipline and one goal became three and the game was over.

“I thought Callum Godden was onside when he headed the ball in the net early in the game, but I am not using that as an excuse. The game changed when their first goal went in.

“Our second-half performance wasn’t good enough, but credit to Bradford. We knew they would be organised under Gary. They would have been pleased with the 0-0 half-time score line and then lifted their game and were clinical when they took their chances.”