Saturday 23 November 2013
Sky Bet League 1
Milton Keynes Dons 2 (Bamford 35, Williams pen 72)
Bradford City 3 (Wells 21, Reid 43, Kennedy 84)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at stadiumMK
Attendance 8,970 (1,004 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Phil Smith - Milton Keynes Dons
City picked up an impressive victory at MK Dons to move back into the League 1 Play-Off places.
Goals from Nahki Wells, Kyel Reid and the recalled Jason Kennedy - his first for the club - were enough to secure all three points from an entertaining encounter for Phil Parkinson's men.
The victory was City's third on the road this season and lifts Parkinson's side up into sixth in the table.
Wells opened the scoring for the Bantams midway through the first half when he expertly steered a Gary Thompson cross into the far bottom corner with a neat finish from close range.
In truth, the goal had come against the run of play at stadiumMK following a bright opening from the hosts, but the Bantams gladly took the boost of leading thanks to Wells' thirteenth of the season so far.
MK Dons could have equalised just minutes later when winger Daniel Powell got in behind City's defences but Jon McLaughlin spread himself to make a vital block.
The hosts next went close roughly ten minutes before the interval when Patrick Bamford flicked a header wide from close range after Jordan Spence had helped a deep Dean Lewington corner back across goal.
Bamford did get his name on the score-sheet less than a minute later, however, when Darren Potter played the Chelsea loanee in on goal with a precise pass forward.
Bamford took on the strike first time and beat McLaughlin with a low drive that rolled into the corner.
Despite's Bamford's equaliser, City did still manage to hold the interval lead thanks to a slightly fortunate goal from Reid.
Following a purposeful run forward, Reid tried to pick out James Hanson with a cross from wide into the penalty area. The intended cross was over-hit for Hanson but it managed to find the top corner of Ian McLoughlin's net after the ball sailed over the head of the stranded MK Dons' 'keeper.
Buoyed by Reid's invention late in the first half, City started the second period in a positive fashion.
Hanson was inches away from doubling the Bantams' lead when he headed wide of McLoughlin's near post from a Gary Jones corner, while Wells hit the post with a free-kick from outside the area later in the half.
MK Dons were always a threat in the game, however, as they pushed for a goal of their own to level things up once again.
The Dons did indeed find their second goal of the afternoon with just less than twenty minutes to go when Wells was adjudged to have bumped into Dele Alli from behind just inside the area.
Despite Wells' foul on Alli looking quite clear, City initially thought they had got away with it until referee Mr Ward eventually gave the spot-kick after several seconds of deliberation.
Dons defender Shaun Williams took responsibility for the kick and he confidently slotted home the penalty to even up the score for the second time in the game.
City could have let their heads drop at this stage, but they kicked on once again to retake the lead for a third occasion with roughly five minutes of normal time remaining.
James Meredith's run forward was picked out by City substitute Mark Yeates to leave the Bantams left back in space deep inside MK Dons' area.
Meredith fizzed the ball across goal and Kennedy, who by this stage was playing on the right flank, stole in at the far post to beat Lewington to the low cross and tap into an unguarded goal.
Bamford was involved in a late scare for City when the striker knocked the ball past the on-rushing McLaughlin following the striker's drive into the box.
Luckily for City though, the effort went across goal instead of towards it and Alli over by the far post couldn't quite reach the ball in time to convert.
FT: Milton Keynes Dons 2 Bradford City 3
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
90min: YELLOW CARD - Meredith is booked for catching Alli on the byline as the defender looks to block a cross from the winger.
89min: YELLOW CARD - Alli is booked clashing with Meredith as the pair contest the ball over by the touchline.
88min: Bamford skips away from McArdle in a wide position inside City's penalty area before driving dangerously towards goal. Bamford just reaches the ball before the on-rushing McLaughlin to knock it across goal but the angle is too tight for Alli to get a strike in.
84min: GOAL!!!! - Milton Keynes Dons 2 Bradford City 3 - Kennedy fires City back into the lead! James Meredith's low centre across the six yard box is converted by Kennedy from close range, who steals in to tap home.
82min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Mark Yeates for Reid.
80min: Reeves fires narrowly wide of McLaughlin's goal with an angled strike from just inside City's penalty box.
79min: A forceful driving run from Alli eventually ends with the Dons attacker firing in a low strike from outside the area that whistles a yard or so wide of McLaughlin's goal.
77min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Nathan Doyle for Thompson. Jason Kennedy will now operate from City's right flank.
74min: Bamford fires comfortably over with a strike from an angle inside the Bantams' penalty area.
73min: YELLOW CARD - Thompson is booked for late challenge of Lewington deep inside MK Dons' half.
72min: GOAL - Milton Keynes Dons 2 Bradford City 2 - Williams slots the penalty home with relative ease, sending McLaughlin the wrong way in the process.
71min: PENALTY TO MK DONS - After seemingly taking an absolute age to make the decision, referee Mr Ward finally gives the hosts a spot-kick after Wells appears to bump into Dele Alli from behind just inside the area.
70min: The resulting corner drops invitingly into the path of Reeves but the attacker's shot from around ten yards is blocked behind for another corner.
70min: Powell turns inside of Darby inside the Bantams' penalty area before forcing McLaughlin to tip over his rising drive.
65min: Wells hits the post! The Bermudian's strike direct from the resulting free-kick seems to have the beating of McLoughlin's dive but it smashes against the goal-post and out for a goal-kick.
65min: YELLOW CARD - Spence is booked for hauling down Hanson a few yards outside the area as the City striker looked to run through on goal.
62min: The ball drops to Reeves just outside City's penalty area but his low first time effort is saved with relative ease by McLaughlin.
60min: SUB - MK Dons bring on Ben Reeves for McLeod.
54min: Reid's far post cross from a short City corner is headed back across goal by Rory McArdle. Hanson is first onto McArdle's header back across goal but his own effort drops wide of McLoughlin's goal.
52min: Ducking down to reach a Jones corner delivery, Hanson heads forward with purpose but his effort flashes narrowly wide of McLoughlin's near post with the 'keeper rooted.
49min: Bamford is involved once more as his teasing low centre across the six yard box whistles dangerously across goal, missing everyone in the process, before going out of play over on the far side for a goal-kick.
48min: Bamford takes aim from around 25 yards out but his angled drive sails comfortably wide of McLaughlin's far post.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT: Milton Keynes Dons 1 Bradford City 2
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
45min: Izale McLeod's low drive from a wide position inside City's penalty area is held with relative ease by a diving McLaughlin.
43min: GOAL!!!! - Milton Keynes Dons 1 Bradford City 2 - Reid fires City back into the lead in perhaps slightly fortunate circumstances. The winger does well to drive forward with real purpose before floating in a hanging cross from just outside the area. The cross is overhit for the waiting Hanson in the middle but the ball eventually drops over the head of the stranded McLoughlin before dropping into the far corner of his goal.
40min: A wide free-kick delivery from Gary Jones eventually finds Thompson over on the far side but his bicycle-kick effort from around twelve yards out sails comfortably over the bar.
38min: Bamford fires for goal from outside City's penalty area but his rising effort sails a yard or so over the bar.
35min: GOAL - Milton Keynes Dons 1 Bradford City 1 - The Dons equalise when Bamford is played in behind City's defences and the forward finishes in style by poking the ball past the on-rushing McLaughlin and into the corner with a first time shot.
34min: Jordan Spence's header back across goal from a Lewington corner looks to be threatening City's defence but the lurking Bamford can only glance a header wide of goal from close range while being challenged by a couple of City defenders.
28min: Reid skips past Darren Potter's challenge before letting rip with a 25 yard strike that whistles a couple of yards wide.
24min: Powell latches onto a clever forward pass to find himself in on goal with only McLaughlin to beat. The Bantams 'keeper spreads himself, however, and manages to block the effort with a fine reaction save.
23min: Reid's delightful cross into the area is contested by both Thompson and Dean Lewington. Thompson manages to block Lewington's attempted clearance only yards from goal but the ball then ends up rolling simply into the arms of McLoughlin.
21min: GOAL!!!! - Milton Keynes Dons 0 Bradford City 1 - The Bantams take the lead of the match through a fine finish from Nahki Wells! Thompson's teasing low cross into the six yard box finds Wells lurking and the Bermudian slots the ball into the far bottom corner with a neat side-footed effort.
18min: Bamford is played into space inside City's area thanks to a through-ball from Lee Hodson but the striker's shot from an angle sails high and wide of McLaughlin's near post.
14min: Bamford connects with Stephen Gleeson's corner but the Chelsea loanee's header for goal flashes narrowly wide of McLaughlin's near post.
9min: Garry Thompson's quick long throw-in into MK Dons' area causes a moment's panic in the home defence when James Hanson flicks it on into a dangerous position. For a second, it looks like Kyel Reid might steal in only yards from goal but Daniel Powell gets in a position to head the ball back to his 'keeper Ian McLoughlin.
8min: Patrick Bamford lets fly with a strike from just outside the area that goes a yard or so wide of the top corner of McLaughlin's goal.
6min: Shaun Williams is the first to threaten in the match when his free-kick from the very edge of City's penalty area is tipped onto the bar by the out-stretched hand of Jon McLaughlin.
0min: MK Dons start the match.
MK Dons starting line up:
McLoughlin, Hodson, Spence, Williams, Lewington, Powell, Gleeson, Potter, Alli, Bamford, McLeod
Subs: Burns, Flanagan, Smith, Reeves, Baldock, Banton, Carruthers
MK Dons changes:
Reeves for McLeod (60),
MK Dons cautions:
Spence (65), Alli (89)
Bradford City starting line up:
McLaughlin, Darby, Meredith, Bates, McArdle, Thompson, Jones, Kennedy, Reid, Wells, Hanson
Subs: Ripley, Yeates, Taylor, Connell, De Vita, Doyle, McBurnie
Bradford City changes:
Doyle for Thompson (77), Yeates for Reid (82)
Bradford City cautions:
Thompson (73), Meredith (90)
Match Officials:
Referee: G Ward
Assistant Referee: O Yates
Assistant Referee: S Daly
Fourth Official: N Hobbis
Club News
MK Dons 2 Bradford City 3
23 November 2013
Advertisement block