Bradford City couldn’t buy two things at the start of this season: luck and goals. Perhaps the tide is turning.
After an exciting 4-4 drawn FA Cup tie vs Peterborough, won by the Posh on penalties, Bradford City have gone and smashed Walsall 4-0 at home.
It was a game that saw a beleaguered Bantams enter proceedings just one point shy of bottom place AFC Wimbledon. With games coming thick and fast over the busy Christmas period, a win and three points was almost a must for a side in the Bantams position.
It wasn’t so much as a win as a humbling, mid-table Walsall being put to the sword in a second-half display that blew the Saddlers away.
It is a much improved Bradford City at the moment, and whilst luck may still be lacking at times, the goals are starting to flow. Today’s four against Walsall followed the aforementioned four against Peterborough and three in the game against Plymouth last weekend.
First-half: Bantams edge a decent 45
Today’s game at Valley Parade was tight in the opening exchanges, and in all honesty an even encounter. After much to-ing and fro-ing, it was the Bantams who opened the scoring through free agent signing Paul Caddis (35′).
⚽️ 35′ | GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL | Lewis O’Brien flashes a cross across the face of goal, it runs wide and Paul Caddis smashes it past Liam Roberts! City have the lead!!!
🐓 1-0 🔴⚪️#BCAFC
— Bradford City (@officialbantams) December 15, 2018
That goal gave Caddis his second of recent games and the first in League One for the former Celtic and Birmingham City right-back.
Walsall didn’t give up and continued to push hard in the first-half, with Andy Cook coming the closest to equalising after his shot hit the bar. It was a storm that Bradford weathered, the home side entering the half with a 1-0 lead.
Second-half: Bantams rampant in knocking down Walsall
Whilst it may have been an even opening 45, there could be little doubt the second period belonged to City. They’d already come out of the traps much quicker that they did at the start of the game, had already been threatening before extending their lead.
When it did come, that second goal was scored by David Ball (52′), the on-loan striker from Rotherham hitting his second of the campaign for the Bantams after scoring in the 2-0 victory over Oxford United.
two for the campaign quickly became three as Ball again popped up (62′) to smash in his second of the game to put City three goals to the good.
⚽️ 62′ | GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL | Lewis O’Brien puts a ball into the box, it’s missed by George Miller, it rolls back to David Ball – and he doubles his tally!
🐓 3-0 🔴⚪️#BCAFC pic.twitter.com/8lcRyah6Zg
— Bradford City (@officialbantams) December 15, 2018
With just 30 minutes left, and facing a three-goal deficit, it was always going to be an uphill struggle for the visitors. They plugged away, but a tails-up City unit smelled blood and were going for the kill.
Ball nearly scored his hat-trick goal as the home side went looking for more spoils on a day where, despite the inclement coldness, they were glowing. It was substitute Eoin Doyle who was the scorer of City’s fourth goal (84′).
⚽️ 84′ | GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL | Kelvin Mellor breaks into the box, finds Eoin Doyle and he scores a FOURTH for the Bantams!!!
🐓 4-0 🔴⚪️#BCAFC pic.twitter.com/0qiCTCyMV5
— Bradford City (@officialbantams) December 15, 2018
The 30-year Dubliner, signed from Preston North End at the start of this August, scored his fourth League One goal of the season, his first since scoring in the 3-1 defeat to Accrington Stanley in mid-October.
The win lifts City to 22nd in the Sky Bet League One table, placing them just a single win away from climbing out of the relegation zone.
It’s not quite a renaissance just yet, but Bradford City’s fortunes could be on the cusp of changing for the better.
