By Adam Raj

City’s poor run of form away from home doesn’t look like ending anytime soon. Another miserable afternoon on the road makes it nine defeats out of the last 11 trips away from BD8.

I feel somewhat conflicted about my analysis of this game and the wider away form issue. Objectively, City are fourth and in with a chance of promotion in their first season back at League One level, which in itself presents as a very positive season. However, as someone who travels away week in week out, nine defeats from 11 is difficult to accept.

This game in itself wasn’t awfully dissimilar to the ones that have preceeded it. City started well, should’ve gone ahead, conceded from an individual error and then never looked like getting back into it.

There was a resounding acceptance amongst the travelling Bantams that the game was done as soon as Alex Hartridge’s header was palmed in by Sam Walker in the 41st minute. Such is City’s record when they fall behind, there wasn’t any real belief that they could muster enough to even retrieve a point.

City haven’t won a point from a losing position on the road since the trip to Rotherham in October. 18 away games in all competitions – 12 times they have been behind and not a single point has been retrieved. In fact, the midweek draw with Mansfield was the first time, home or away, that City had won a point from a losing position since the Rotherham game.

City are a side who need to score the first goal. Without that advantage, they struggle significantly. Going behind throws their game plan in the bin, the opposition sit back, take few risks in possession and maximise set piece opportunities. It negates everything that City are good at – the press becomes redundant, they’re not the biggest or most physical and they don’t possess players of sufficient technical quality to break down a low block.

It means City get forced into a game they don’t want to play and ultimately can’t play. First half, their reaction was to pump the ball long, second half it was a patient possession game. Neither worked and both made for pretty painful viewing.

Aside from the Aden Baldwin diagonal, City don’t seem to have a plan on how to progress the ball forwards. At this stage of the season, there isn’t a side in the division who don’t know how we play and who don’t try to stop our width.

Tyreik Wright had the freedom of the Pirelli in the opening stages of the game but as soon as the hosts fixed that issue, City’s attacking influence became nil.

Wright was denied an early opener by the feet of Brad Collins before Bobby Pointon shot wide from another good chance. They were chances that City had to score but ultimately didn’t.

And as sure as night follows day, City were made to pay. Baldwin conceded a petulant foul which allowed George Evans to deliver for Hartridge’s opener. It is a goal Walker should’ve saved – a header into the ground in the middle third of the goal but City’s keeper seemed slow to react, eventually pushing the ball into the roof of the net.

The hosts had got themselves ahead against the run of play in a first half where City were the better side, if not spectacular.

Second half however, was not good. Graham Alexander made a double change – Ethan Wheatley and Lee Evans coming on for Will Swan and Josh Neufville with Jensen Metcalfe being moved out to wing back. This was all after Antoni Sarcevic had been replaced late in the first half (gulp).

It’s fair to say the changes didn’t work. City were ponderous in possession and became error ridden in defence. 58 minutes on the clock and Tyreese Shade spun Baldwin before firing in low across Walker to double the hosts’ lead.

City managed very little in response. Stephen Humphrys’ free kick forced a good save from Collins in the 87th minute but it wasn’t until stoppage time that they created a big chance. Evans played a good chipped ball over the Burton back line which found Wright’s clever inverted run and he managed to poke home past Collins. It was probably the only time City attempted to create a chance through the middle of the pitch in the whole game. Still, it was too little too late.

City’s away form creates an over-reliance on games at home. It’s a sizeable ask to keep winning with Plymouth, Bolton and Stevenage still to visit Valley Parade who all still have plenty to play for in the play-off race. But it’s a situation they have created for themselves.

But we can’t just sweep the away form under the carpet. Let’s not forget, if City are to finish in the play-offs, they will face an away leg with obviously much more at stake than the regular league fixtures. Performances and results on the road since January suggest they would wilt under such pressure. However, early season results at Stockport, Blackburn, Stoke and Cardiff would suggest they can thrive.

It’s up to Alexander to find that Bradford City again.

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2025/26, BCAFC, Burton Albion, League One