Written by Jason McKeown (images by John Dewhirst)

The ticker tracking Bradford City League One games without victory rolls onto six, but here the Bantams rediscovered something that may prove much more important in the long run – their mojo.

Because, ultimately, this was a return to form. The confidence that had been trickling out of claret and amber shirts began to be restored. City reconnected with their pizzazz, rhythm and fluidity to climb back to performance levels not seen in weeks. It wasn’t quite enough to earn victory, but it did at least stop the division’s form team in their tracks. And the much-needed injection of self-assurance will do much for sagging spirits.

This was eventually a reminder of the quality within City’s ranks. Proof that their lofty league placing is no fluke. They’ve seized a point from the team with the best home record in League One. They’ve become the first team to stop Bolton scoring on their own patch this season. And because of that, they’ve just sent a message to the rest of the division about their own credentials.

They could have won it too. Deep in stoppage time, the superb Ibou Touray charged into the box and sent over a delicious low cross that reached George Lapslie. The City substitute flicked the ball at goal and was denied by a point-blank save from Teddy Sharman-Lowe. A scramble ensued where the ball could have gone anywhere but was eventually cleared.

And had Lapslie netted, it would have been rough justice on Bolton overall. But the boldness that City showed right to the end could easily have been rewarded. The longer the contest went on, the more comfortable City looked in their own skin. As the minutes ticked by, they grew as an attacking threat. The risks taken might have been punished by Bolton, who also showed attacking ambition right to the end. This was no cagey 0-0. Breathless is the only word.

Indeed, what characterised a pulsating second half played in front of 26,473 people – a remarkable turnout from both sets of fans, and another magnificent illustration of how much this country loves its football pyramid, in a way nowhere else in the world comes close – was the long gaps between chants.

It wasn’t that the stadium was quiet, but the absorbing end-to-end contest was so engrossing that you couldn’t help but lose yourself in what was happening, with only infrequent breaks in play a nudge for us all to strike up another chant. It was a wonderful thing to be inside a packed-out stadium that emanated an atmosphere of everyone simply enjoying the spectacle. The game had everything you want as a fan – apart from goals.

It didn’t always feel like the afternoon would prove so encouraging for City. The team news was…interesting, with Jenson Metcalfe brought in to play the wide right forward role as Antoni Sarcevic was at least able to make the bench. Metcalfe has many qualities – but with just one goal in his fledgling career so far, it’s fair to say his goal threat isn’t what springs to mind.

Playing a 3-4-3 with Metcalfe alongside Swan and Pointon, City were toothless for the first 45 minutes. 11 first half Bolton shots to City’s grand total of zero. Swan – who continues to look well off the boil – touched the ball just seven times. During that first half, Pointon only had 11 touches and Metcalfe a mere 13. It was especially awkward to watch Metcalfe struggle to work out what to do in the rare moments he had possession as he scanned his options. Just not his game.

A curious decision from Graham Alexander then, especially given he had the wide-forward-who-apparently-can-only-be-used-as-a-number-nine Stephen Humphrys kicking his heels on the bench. Not to mention Lapslie. The latter would come on to play right wing back – an initiative that probably accelerates the departure of Brad Halliday.  

Just behind City’s ineffective first half front three was a midfield that also initially struggled. Max Power made mistakes. Alex Pattison couldn’t surge. It was another opposition side electing to have an extra man in the middle with some joy. And initially City did not look comfortable on the ball at all.

But out of possession, the Bantams were really good. Sam Walker made some important saves, whilst Joe Wright and Matt Pennington looked much more solid after some questionable recent displays. With Bolton’s right-sided forward Amario Cozier-Duberry building a strong reputation after a series of devastating performances, Alexander elected to move Touray to left-sided centre back and entrust Tyreik Wright at left back. And though Cozier-Duberry was a menace, the pair handled him brilliantly.

It all led to a first half of Bolton pressure, with Kyle Dempsey initially thriving in the pockets behind a forward-thinking Power and Pattison. City gained a better handle of the game once Power dropped deeper, and Tyreik Wright and Josh Neufville tucked inside to congest the middle and prevent Bolton from breaking through. Still, as the teams went in at the break, Bolton must have been wondering how they weren’t in front.

The second half proved very different. Firstly, Alexander admitted defeat on the Metcalfe experiment by withdrawing the young midfielder for Antoni Sarcevic. He also swapped Swan for Humphreys. Early in the second half Pennington went down injured and had to go off. He was replaced with Aden Baldwin – fit again, at last, after two months out – and everything began to click.

In Touray and Baldwin, City had brave passers who were able to beat Bolton’s effective high press and send City on the attack. Power and Pattison gained greater authority. Tyreik Wright – who was the Bantams’ player of the match – grew in confidence and Neufville began to get more possession in areas that could hurt the opposition. And finally, City had a platform for their attackers to prosper.

Which they certainly did. Was this Humphrys’ best game in a City shirt? Very possibly. Sure, he still has that occasional maddening tendency to take the wrong option, but his running and movement was excellent. He almost opened the scoring with a powerful run and shot from distance that forced Sharman-Lowe into a brilliant save. This is the Humphrys we are waiting to burst into life. And this is surely the game where he cements the role of first-choice striker.

Sarcevic made a positive impression – certainly compared to Metcalfe – but he didn’t look match fit at all and could barely run. Pointon came to life and began to stretch play on the left, ably supported by a boundless Tyreik Wright.

It meant City had several spells of strong pressure. They pressed with purpose. They passed with a real slickness. They mixed up attacks by switching play from side to side. They knocked on the door. They committed players forward, with Joe Wright a rock who mopped up Bolton counter attacks.

And sure, City still need to be a more effective attacking threat. This blank means its just two goals from the last five games – and one of those was a penalty. But when you commit to doing the right things, the rewards eventually come. And in the second half here, City committed to doing a lot of the right things and unearthed that verve which had been lacking of late – and that bodes really well for the future.

It’s an immediate future that sees a fixture list of Exeter at home (20th in the league), Plymouth away (23rd), Port Vale away (24th), and Reading at home (18th). It is as kind of a run of games as you could hope for – and if the Bantams play as well in them as they did here, the ticker tracking Bradford City League One games without victory will soon become redundant.

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2025/26, BCAFC, Bolton Wanderers, League One