Connor Taylor nets winner as Bristol Rovers hit back to beat Bradford

Posted Sunday, April 03, 2022 by PA

Connor Taylor got Bristol Rovers’ League Two promotion bid back on track with a second-half winner in a 2-1 comeback victory over Bradford at the Memorial Stadium.

The young centre-back was on hand to poke the ball over the line from inside the six-yard box after the visitors failed to clear a 75th-minute free-kick from the left.

Bradford had caught Rovers, looking to bounce back from their defeat at Carlisle last time out, cold at the start of the second half when Dion Pereira found space inside the box to guide a right-footed shot past James Belshaw.

But the home side responded in the 57th minute as Sam Finley sent a swerving 20-yard shot into the roof of the net following a corner, and Taylor then pounced to secure a ninth win in 12 matches for the Pirates.

Joey Barton’s men would have won more comfortably had Bradford goalkeeper Alex Bass not made second-half saves from Harry Anderson, Sam Nicholson and substitute Leon Clarke.

Rovers were also let down by wayward finishing in the first half, Elliot Anderson, Finley, Harry Anderson and Aaron Collins all off-target at the end of promising moves.

At the other end Jamie Walker volleyed over and Andy Cook headed wide for Bradford.