Swindon Town lose second game in a row against Bradford City

The game was deadlocked at the break as Swindon struggled to find any rhythm against a Bradford side being energised by the home crowd.

Bobby Pointon tapped home from close range to score the winner for Bradford early in the second half.

Kevin McDonald becomes the second Bradford caretaker manager this century to win their first game in charge, as Swindon slipped out of the play-off places into ninth in League Two.

Michael Flynn made one change from the starting line-up that lost for the first time this season against Notts County on Tuesday, as Tyrese Shade came in to replace Tariq Uwakwe. Academy prospect Miles Obodo came onto the bench as Jake Young was ineligible to face his parent club.

McEachran was finding space in the early stages (Image: Callum Knowles)

Swindon started well, immediately taking control of possession. George McEachran and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy worked the ball well in the right half-space, before squaring the ball across goal to Charlie Austin. With the goal at his mercy, a defender got back and put him off enough to send his effort wide of the mark.

Town were caught overplaying at the back after 12 minutes, allowing Jamie Walker to intercept high up the pitch. He drove forward and laid the ball out to Bobby Pointon, who came back inside but saw his shot blocked by Tom Brewitt.

Walker again picked up on sloppy defending, stealing in on the edge of the area to win the ball back. He turned sharply and quickly took aim, forcing Murphy Mahoney to push the ball away from the bottom corner.

Swindon had plenty of early possession (Image: Callum Knowles)

Those early moments of promise and effort from their side saw the home crowd become increasingly loud as the first half went along. Swindon had the bulk of possession but struggled to get anything going against a side that were growing in confidence in direct proportion to the decibel levels increasing.

Just before the half-hour mark, more overplaying saw Andy Cook win possession and drive towards the penalty area. He shot across goal, but pulled his effort wide of the mark.

Town did manage a rare venture into dangerous territory when McEachran and Hepburn-Murphy exchanged passes, allowing the midfielder to take aim but he never caught hold of his shot and it skidded wide of the post.

Town struggled to find a spark in the first half (Image: Callum Knowles)

Late in the first half Swindon again found some inspiration as they got in behind the Bradford midfield. Dan Kemp drove forward and looked to shoot from 25 yards out, but sent the ball narrowly wide of the post.

Half-time arrived and, for the first time this season, it was an opening 45 minutes that was low on excitement. Swindon will have been the happier side to go into the dressing rooms, as it gave them the opportunity to recompose after becoming slightly rattled during the first period.

Straight after the break, Kemp made a great run in behind, found a position to cross, and picked out Austin, who made a good near post run. However, when the ball came to the striker, he scythed it off the outside of his boot.

Swindon failed to make the most of their early chances (Image: Callum Knowles)

Town had another early chance as good play on the edge of the box saw McEachran slip Shade into the box. He lifted the ball over Harry Lewis, but the ball rolled wide of the far post.

After Swindon passed up those early chances, Bradford pounced. Mahoney spilled a shot from the edge of the area, allowing Walker in to take the ball away from him and set up Pointon to score from underneath the crossbar.

A minute later it could have been two as Andy Cook was allowed space on the edge of the area. His low strike crashed off the post and out to Adam Wilson, who could not divert his shot back on target.

Bradford City took control of the second half (Image: Callum Knowles)

Hepburn-Murphy missed a glorious chance as Remeao Hutton found him at the far post, but he could only connect with the cross using his chest and allowed Lewis to make the save.

Cook had a big chance to double Bradford’s advantage when he was found with a great cross, but tried to be too precise with his header and nodded wide.

Swindon fell to their second defeat in five days (Image: Callum Knowles)

BCAFC starting XI: Lewis, Halliday, Ridehalgh, Platt, Smallwood, Walker, Cook, Gilliead, Stubbs, Pointon, Wilson.

BCAFC substitutes: Doyle, Taylor, Smith, Kelly, Oyegoke, Tomkinson, Afoka.

STFC starting XI: Mahoney, Hutton, Blake-Tracy, McEachran, Khan, Kemp, Hepburn-Murphy, Brewitt, Godwin-Malife, Shade, Austin.

STFC substitutes: L. Ward, Genesini, Uwakwe, Kinsella, Minturn, Obodo.

Attendance: 16,788 (559 away)