Mark Hughes praises Bradford keeper Harry Lewis after victory
Posted Sunday, September 04, 2022 by PA
Manager Mark Hughes was grateful to goalkeeper Harry Lewis after Bradford’s tense 2-1 win over Walsall.
Lewis saved a penalty and produced several other stops to extend their unbeaten home record in League Two.
Goals from Andy Cook, his seventh of the season, and Jake Young just before half-time earned Bradford their third victory but Lewis was the real hero.
Hughes said: “We didn’t have the best of starts conceding the penalty. The lad got the wrong side of Romoney Crichlow and has then looked for the contact, in my view.
“We were indebted to Harry to come up with a great save – one of many that he came up with today.
“We’ve got the three points to continue our good results here, but our play needs to be better.
“We have to play our game and not get sucked into one we are unfamiliar with.
“Harry’s getting better, he’s a big vocal presence not only on the pitch but around the place as well. That comes from having confidence in what he’s doing.
“It’s the sign of a good keeper then when called upon he’s there to make key saves. Good goalkeepers win you points and we’re grateful for his performance.”
Walsall started strongly and won a penalty after two minutes when Crichlow brought down Tom Knowles. But Lewis guessed right to keep out Danny Johnson’s spot-kick.
Lewis denied Johnson again and then pulled off an even better close-range save from Knowles.
Bradford then struck twice in the last five minutes of the half.
Cook rifled home from Brad Halliday’s cross before Young curled an effort inside the far post.
Walsall narrowed the deficit on 57 minutes as defender Donervon Daniels fired through a crowd of bodies. But Lewis saved again from Taylor Allen as the visitors’ pressure could not find an equaliser.
Walsall manager Michael Flynn said: “That’s the best we’ve played, even better than the first game of the season when we won 4-0.
“We dominated the game bar five or 10 minutes. It’s very frustrating.
“But we’ve got to be better in both boxes. There was poor finishing, poor decision-making, we missed a penalty and we weren’t good enough around our defensive box.
“Any goal you concede is disappointing but especially when you’ve been working on them all week on the training pitch.
“Andy Cook is a very good finisher at this level and in form. He gets a free shot because nobody closes him down.
“We also worked on stopping their wide men coming inside and getting shots in – and let their man come in and pick his corner.
“We weren’t professional enough when we were on top. You’ve got to step on their throats.”
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