Peterborough United 0 Bradford City 4
The Bantams recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory on the road to get back to winning ways in style with a dominant display at Peterborough United. James Hanson headed City in front on the stroke of half time on his 300th appearance for the club, and then Kyel Reid fired a low drive past Ben Alnwick from the edge of the area. Hanson headed a third before substitute Steven Davies diverted one into the back of the net to round of a superb afternoon at the ABAX Stadium.
City went close early on with Rory McArdle heading narrowly wide of the bottom corner after connecting with Tony McMahon’s free kick into the area before seconds later, down the other end, Tom Nichols lashed a shot wide and over from 20 yards after latching onto Adil Nabi’s pass.
Undoubtedly the better side in the opening half, City went close to opening the scoring through the returning Reece Burke, who hadn’t played a minute of the last two fixtures; McMahon’s corner into the box and the West Ham loanee saw a snapshot from 12 yards forced a smart save out of Alnwick.
The Bantams were very much in the ascendancy in the game and they were certainly knocking on the door in search of an opening goal; Lee Evans was the next to come close after volleying over the bar from the edge of the area when McMahon had headed Reid’s cross into his path.
Wes Thomas came in for his first start for the club and he produced an impressive display, not giving the Peterborough defenders a second of peace and after he had gone close, Hanson scored on the stroke of half time; Reid floated a cross into the area and the big frontman got in front of Gabriel Zakuani to plant a header into the bottom corner to leave Alnwick helpless.
Peterborough came flying out of the traps in the second half and Stephen Darby had to make a simply jaw-dropping block to keep Jon Taylor at bay after Adil Nabi had seen his shot by the near post kept out by Ben Williams.
Michael Smith went close with a shot from 12 yards out that went over the bar after Meredith could only head Jack Baldwin’s cross into the his path before Reid doubled the advantage down the other end of the pitch.
Evans’ long throw dropped into Reid’s path and he stood up his man, shifted the ball onto his favoured left foot and then rifled a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Not long after the euphoria of the second goal, a third one found the net; Meredith was the provider on this occasion and his cross from the left hand side was met by the head of Hanson and he looped one over Alnwick and into the back of the net via the inside of the far post.
City were in rampant mood and scored a fourth to well and truly consign the home side to a resounding defeat; the home side were pushing men forward and Phil Parkinson’s men were punishing them down the left hand side once again. Meredith’s cross went all the way through to McMahon and his shot was diverted past Alnwick by Davies just a few minutes after coming off the bench.
Williams still had a bit of work left to do to keep his clean sheet though; Nabi curled a free kick towards goal from 20 yards out and the City stopper made a superb one handed save, earning his clean sheet after another solid performance between the sticks.
A great win for City, gets the push back on track. We now look forward to a Tuesday night fixture against fellow play-off contenders Southend United at the Coral Windows Stadium.