Bradford City vs Accrington Stanley. Sky Bet League One.
University of Bradford StadiumAttendance16,318.
Report and highlights as Bantams continue promotion surge
Tuesday 1 January 2019 18:55, UK
Bradford's revival continued as they claimed a 3-1 win against Accrington - their fourth victory in five matches.
The Bantams, who were bottom of Sky Bet League One less than a month ago, have scored 13 goals in their last five games and conceded only one - in the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Boxing Day.
Accrington dominated the early stages, but it was Bradford who took the lead in the 21st minute through Lewis O'Brien.
Jack Payne's goal-bound left-foot shot hit a defender and went behind for a corner on the right and that led to the goal. Payne's short corner found O'Brien unmarked on the edge of the penalty area and he scored with a fine shot.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men five minutes later when Offrande Zanzala was sent off for a poor challenge on O'Brien, which resulted in the 19-year-old midfielder having to be substituted with a foot injury.
Bradford took advantage of their extra man on the half hour when Eoin Doyle hammered the ball into the net from 15 yards through a crowded goalmouth to give them a 2-0 half-time lead.
They increased their advantage in the 49th minute when man-of-the-match Payne laid the ball into the path of substitute Connor Wood and he scored with a superb left-foot strike into the top corner from 20 yards.
Michael Ihiekwe and skipper Sean McConville had Accrington's best second-half efforts, but home goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell had few direct shots to save.
