Bradford cut further adrift after defeat against Doncaster

Posted Sunday, April 07, 2019 by PA

Bottom club Bradford’s League One survival hopes suffered another blow as they went down to their fifth successive defeat – 1-0 to their South Yorkshire rivals and play-off contenders Doncaster Rovers.

Defeat leaves the Bantams marooned at the bottom, seven points adrift of safety with only five matches left to play while Doncaster are five points clear in sixth place.

The winning goal came in the 73rd minute after a quick breakaway when Bradford lost the ball on the edge of the Doncaster penalty area. Substitute Alfie May played the ball quickly up field to Mallik Wilks, who raced forward before beating the diving Richard O’Donnell with a left foot shot from the edge of the box.

Bradford began the game brightly and almost scored in the ninth minute when Billy Clarke’s cross from the left found Eoin Doyle unmarked and the striker was unlucky to see his header rebound off the far post.

It was the nearest either side came to scoring in an evenly fought first half.

David Ball went close with a 20-yard shot four minutes after half time, but the Doncaster defence held firm and, after O’Donnell did well to turn away an effort from May in the 70th minute, Wilks scored the decisive goal thee minutes later.