npower League 2
Bradford City 3 (Hanson 47, Connell 55, Davies 57)
Barnet 0
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 9,566 (70 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Gary Chadwick
Three unanswered goals in ten second half minutes for Phil Parkinson's men was enough to secure a third straight home victory for a workmanlike City.
After a quiet opening half, James Hanson got the ball rolling for the Bantams when he headed home from close range only two minutes after the restart.
Strike-partner Alan Connell, fresh from his stunning equaliser at Accrington Stanley seven days ago, then doubled City's advantage after Barnet 'keeper Graham Stack could only parry a low Kyel Reid cross into his path.
Less than two minutes later, Andrew Davies completed the scoring and effectively wrapped up the points for Parkinson's side when he headed home a searching Gary Jones free-kick into the area.
MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Bradford City 3 Barnet 0
Nurse is booked for a foul late on it the match.90+2min: YELLOW CARD -
There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.90min:
.Perhaps with Tuesday's match against Morecambe in mind, Phil Parkinson replaces Reid and Doyle with Garry Thompson and Will Atkinson respectively82min: SUB -
Reid leads forward a City counter-attack as Barnet's defence rapidly retreats towards its own area. Wells is in a perfect position to be played in on goal but Reid delays before eventually over-hitting a pass through to Stack.79min:
. Barnet take off Jamal Lowe and bring on Anthony Edgar77min: SUB -
Hanson heads narrowly over from a Jones corner.74min:
A driven effort from Doyle from just outside the area flies into the mid-drift of Stack.72min:
City bring on Nahki Wells for Connell.70min: SUB -
Jordan Brown produces a goal-saving tackle to deny Hanson a simple tap-in from barely yards out following Connell's low centre across goal. Hanson does get his head on the ball shortly afterwards following a Hines cross into the box but the downward header is simple enough for Stack.67min:
Barnet bring on Luke Gambin for Oster.67min: SUB -
Doyle is booked for bringing down Clovis Kamdjo just inside City's own half.66min: YELLOW CARD -
60min: Curtis Weston steers a cross-come-shot across goal but luckily for City, Rory McArdle is in position to eventually clear the danger.
57min: GOAL! Bradford City 3 Barnet 0 - The Bantams grab their third of the match shortly afterwards! A long free-kick into the area from Jones finds Davies lurking at the near post and the defender steers a looping header past a rooted Stack and into the far corner.
55min: GOAL! Bradford City 2 Barnet 0 - City double their lead through Connell! Stack can only push out a low fizzing cross from Kyel Reid into the path of Connell, who just about flicks the ball home from close range.
50min: Connell tries his luck from distance but his first-time left-footed effort is sliced wide of Stack's goal.
47min: GOAL! Bradford City 1 Barnet 0 - City make the breakthrough thanks to Hanson. A Jones free-kick is flicked into the path of Oliver by a glancing header from centre-half partner Andrew Davies. Oliver prods at the ball and it sits up invitingly for an unmarked Hanson to head home from around eight yards out.
46min: Barnet restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 0 Barnet 0
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first period.
45min: A looping Jon Nurse header at the far post is easily gathered out of the sky by Jon McLaughlin.
44min: Gary Jones strikes for goal from an indirect free-kick around 25 yards out but his shot has all the sting taken out of it by a Barnet deflection and the ball eventually bounces harmlessly through to Stack.
40min: YELLOW CARD - Luke Oliver is booked for a late tackle on Ricky Holmes out on Barnet's left flank.
23min: Nathan Doyle lets rip with an effort from distance but the drive flies comfortably wide of Stack's goal.
19min: Pearce climbs to meet a Jamal Lowe corner but his header is mistimed and loops harmlessly wide of goal.
11min: James Hanson nearly has a sight of goal when he brings down a Kyel Reid cross inside Barnet's area. The ball gets away from the City striker slightly, however, and that gives Krystian Pearce just enough of an opportunity to intercept before Hanson can pounce.
5min: Massive opportunity missed for City! A stray attempted back-pass from John Oster only succeeds in finding Alan Connell, who is in aches of space inside Barnet's own half with only Graham Stack to beat. Connell tries to round Stack just inside Barnet's penalty area but eventually can only clip an effort into the diving frame of the visiting shot-stopper.
The Bantams kick off the match. They will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first half.0min:
BRADFORD LINE UP
McLaughlin, McArdle, Meredith, Davies, Oliver, G Jones, Doyle, Reid, Hines, Hanson, Connell
Subs: Duke, Darby, Ravenhill, Thompson, Atkinson, McHugh, Wells
Bradford changes
Wells for Connell (70), Thompson for Reid (82), Atkinson for Doyle (82)
Bradford cautions:
Oliver (40), Doyle (66)
Bradford dismissals:
BARNET LINE UP:
Stack, Fuller, Brown, Kamdjo, Pearce, Oster, Weston, Lowe, Holmes, Stephens, Nurse
Subs: O'Brien, Fortune, Saville, Lee, Gambin, Abdulla, Edgar
Barnet changes:
Gambin for Oster (67), Edgar for Lowe (77)
Gambin for Oster (67), Edgar for Lowe (77)
Barnet cautions:
Nurse (90+2)
Nurse (90+2)
Barnet dismissals:
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Robert Lewis
Assistant Referee: Warren Broadbent
Assistant Referee: Paul Davison
Fourth Official: Daniel Meeson