George Pratt's second-half strike secured a gritty 1-0 victory for Bradford City at Notts County on Saturday. The win extends their current run to three consecutive victories and lifts them to fifth in the League One standings on nine points.
Pratt found the net in the 52nd minute, converting a decisive chance to break the deadlock at Meadow Lane. The goal proved enough as City's disciplined defensive display held firm against a Notts County side that enjoyed a slight edge in possession.
A scrappy first half
The match began with a flurry of early cautions for the visitors. Ibou Touray was booked in the 11th minute, followed by Antoni Sarcevic just three minutes later. Bradford suffered an early setback when Adam Phillips was forced off through injury in the 41st minute, replaced by Kayden Jackson.
Despite the interruptions, the teams went into the break level, with neither managing to create a clear-cut opening. The hosts registered nine shots over the 90 minutes but only forced one save from City goalkeeper Jon McCracken.
Pratt provides the moment
The game needed a moment of quality, and Pratt supplied it seven minutes after the restart. His finish gave Bradford a lead they would not relinquish. The scorer was later booked himself in the 71st minute for a foul, one of four yellow cards shown to Graham Alexander's side.
Notts County manager Micky Paterson made a triple substitution on the hour mark in search of an equaliser, but the City backline, marshalled by Matthew Pennington and Ash Taylor, stood firm. Nick Powell entered the fray for Jake Beesley in the 68th minute and picked up a late booking in stoppage time.
Alexander's reaction
Graham Alexander praised his team's resilience after the match. "It was a proper away performance," the manager said. "We had to dig in, show character, and we got our reward with a clean sheet and three points."
The result means Bradford City have now won their last three league matches, following victories over Leyton Orient and Mansfield Town. Their next challenge is a trip to face Luton Town, who sit eighth, on Saturday 19 September.
Graham Alexander hailed a "really positive" start to the season after the 1-0 win at Notts County. He said, "I still think there's more to come from us." The victory was City's third consecutive league win, lifting them to fifth. Pratt's decisive 52nd-minute strike was his first EFL goal. Alexander revealed he gave his players a half-time team talk, reminding them of their strong recent record. City now sit three points behind leaders Sheffield Wednesday. They travel to face Luton Town on Saturday 19 September.
