Fleetwood Town 0-2 Bradford City
Bradford City took the points in a feisty affair at Highbury in front of a bumper crowd with James Hanson and Filipe Morais grabbing the goals.Despite dominating the first half the Cod Army went in a goal behind three minutes before the referee’s half time whistle as Hanson nodded in as Mark Yeates stood a right wing cross up to the back post.
Fleetwood didn’t let their heads drop in the second period and Jamie Proctor was only a post away from replicating his goal on the opening day against Crewe as Graham Alexander’s men looked for a deserved equaliser.
However, the Bantams found a second 12 minutes from time as Morias kept his cool to tuck a Billy Knott cross away after Jon Stead cleverly let the ball run.
FTFC boss Alexander made just one change following the 1-1 draw away at Coventry City with Stephen Dobbie coming in for Matty Hughes to partner Proctor upfront. Stephen Crainey was fit enough to return to the Town bench.
Phil Parkinson’s side were the first side to have an opportunity as ex-Blackburn Rovers striker Stead was thwarted by Chris Maxwell in the Town goal in just the fourth minute.
As the half progressed the Cod Army looked the more likely to score with the recalled Dobbie having three chances to find the back of the net. The best came on the quarter of an hour mark after Proctor released him on goal though he took the chance early and dragged it wide.
Moments early Danny Andrew let a ferocious effort go from 25 yards which whistled over the Bradford crossbar before he had to be replaced by Crainey seven minutes before the interval through injury.
Town luck took a further turn for the worse when Bradford took the lead just before the break with Hanson heading in from close range.
Soon after the half-time break both Gareth Evans and Proctor had efforts which went wide and over respectively as Fleetwood look to take the game to their visitors.
Following a neat passing play outside the Bantams’ penalty area Proctor crashed a shot against Jordan Pickford’s post. Maxwell then had to be at his best though to keep Fleetwood just a goal behind saving well from Stead.
The Bantams then took any of Town’s momentum out of the game as Morais doubled their lead from a Knott cross before Alexander replaced Evans with Tom Hitchcock in hope of finding a way past the visitors.
Town now head to Rochdale on Sunday for their final League One match of 2014.