Written by Jason McKeown (images by John Dewhirst)

It’s still not done. This curious jeopardy, where Bradford City teeter between self-sabotage and sealing a play-off berth, continues. They gained a point here – and it really was a point gained – after scoring a late equaliser in a nerve-shredding, emotional rollercoaster of a match. It might be enough, but it isn’t – not yet.

Luton Town’s own late twist keeps City just within reach. And so, it goes down to the final day.

Which means another week of fretting over permutations. Of worrying about what-ifs. Of anxiety. City travel to an Exeter side who themselves must win to have any chance of avoiding relegation. Claim at least a point, and City are definitely in the play-offs. Anything less leaves them in big trouble if both Stevenage and Luton win. 

Work to do, but it could have been worse.

Kayden Jackson’s wonderfully struck equaliser could prove absolutely huge in the final reckoning. Without it, City would have to muster a win in Devon to be absolutely certain, and there is nothing certain about their patchy away form. So celebrate Jackson’s goal we must, as indeed we did inside the stadium when the ball hit the back of the net to spark wild scenes.

Jackson’s strike got City out of a hole. It’s fair to say they were second best to a Bolton side brimming with quality, who were the better side for long spells. Two points dropped for the Trotters perhaps, but the point they did collect did at least rubber stamp their own play-off place. And if City do indeed join Bolton, on this evidence the Bantams will do well to avoid coming face-to-face with them again.

That City were second best is certainly no disgrace. The disparity in budgets is obvious. And Bolton’s quality reflected how well they’ve used resources City simply do not have. And yet, the Bantams competed with commendable tenacity. They never let their heads drop, even after a dominant second half from the visitors resulted in Johnny Kenny opening the scoring. Their spirit, character and never-say-die attitude is so impressive. They do not lay their weapons down.

The approach Graham Alexander adopted to counter Bolton’s considerable strengths was certainly interesting. He chose game 45 of the campaign to go without a back three for the first time all season. A 4-2-3-1 formation was utilised, which incorporated some of the positive aspects of the Plan B tactical reshuffles introduced midgame against Barnsley and Plymouth this week.  

It brought opportunity, but also risk.

Aden Baldwin was deployed at right back, with Josh Neufville on the right wing ahead of him. Stephen Humphrys operated from the left wing, and Jackson led the line. The trade-off was clear: City would commit more bodies forward, but leave their full backs exposed against Bolton’s dangerous wide players, namely the impressive Ibrahim Cissoko and Amario Cozier-Duberry.

It was a significant gamble. At times, an uncomfortable one.

The theory, you assume, was the potential reward. If Humprhys wasn’t going to give Ibou Touray any protection – and he certainly didn’t – Cissoko similarly wasn’t going to help Bolton left back Cyrus Christie, who was making just his 10th start of the season. Christie came into the side because of Jordi Osei-Tutumade’s red card at home to Huddersfield last week.

Alexander and City reckoned that a pushed up Neufville could cause damage against the Bolton understudy. And maybe that would have been true, but Neufville struggled and looked hampered by an early booking.

The reality is City’s 4-2-3-1 didn’t quite work against a Bolton side deploying the same set up. George Lapslie played in the hole but was crowded out. This was Humphrys’ big chance to finally start as a wideman and it didn’t go well at all[i]. The odd flash of exciting dribbling with the ball, undermined by poor decision making. An awful lot was asked of Touray to manage Cozier-Dubbery by himself. As for Baldwin, you have to feel a bit sorry for being handed such a thankless task of playing out of position against Cissoko, one of the best wingers in the league.

From Bolton’s first attack of note, five minutes in, Cozier-Dubbery got half a yard on Touray and smacked the bar. Cissoko – arguably the best player on the pitch – hit a looping shot from distance that Sam Walker did well to tip over. Bolton looked really clever in their movement, but tellingly most of their efforts came from distance. The Bantams backline of Joe Wright and especially Curtis Tilt were outstanding in stemming the Bolton tide.

It wasn’t one-way either. Neufville had a decent shout for a penalty when he was seemingly kicked in the box but stayed on his feet, and from the same attack Jenson Metcalfe’s shot was cleared off the line. There were bursts of first half home pressure, though Bolton’s periods on top certainly lasted longer. Chris Forino did an especially brilliant job keeping Jackson quiet.

The second half saw Bolton up it – seriously up it. Touray produced a superb clearance off the line to deny Kenny, after Cozier-Dubbery’s cross-field pass allowed Cissoko to wreak havoc in the box. Josh Sheehan’s free kick was clawed away by Walker, who made an even better save soon after when he magnificently tipped behind a powerful Kenny shot after the Bolton number nine broke through on goal. The City keeper has faced criticism of late, but was inspired here.

Nevertheless, the period between the start of the second half and Bolton finally scoring saw increasingly heavy visitor pressure. Over this spell Bolton had 62% of the ball, mustering eight attempts to City’s three. It felt like a matter of when, rather than if, they would score.

Before they did find the breakthrough, Alexander rolled the dice in an intriguing way. Off went Metcalfe and Neufville, on came Nick Powell and Will Swan. A return, it seemed, to the 4-2-4 adopted late on when trailing against Plymouth midweek – with Jackson and Humphrys out wide, and Lapslie dropping back into midfield alongside Max Power.

City were finding it tough, and their attack-minded set-up wasn’t really working – yet Alexander doubled down and went even more adventurous. Well then…Let us not accuse the City manager of being cautious anytime soon.

It might have gone down as a managerial mistake. Moments after the change, a hopeful Bolton ball forward was not dealt with. Mason Burstow controlled and slipped a precise pass beyond Wright and through to Kenny, who turned Tilt and curled beyond Walker. It was a fine finish – and, at the time, a damaging one.

It also continued a worrying trend. This was the eighth time in nine matches that City had conceded first. They keep giving themselves mountains to climb. It’s a habit they need to ditch quickly, especially as they’ve only lost two games all season when scoring first.

Kenny’s goal here delivered scenes of jubilation from Bolton’s sold out corner of Valley Parade. And on an afternoon of checking phones for scores elsewhere, it left City praying that Luton wouldn’t get back in front against Barnsley (latest score 1-1), and that 10-men Plymouth would fail to hold onto their advantage over Port Vale (they didn’t, but in the end that doesn’t matter).

Yet through the heightened nerves came the noise. Valley Parade did not turn on its team, it just turned the volume up. A crescendo of positive noise rattled around the ground. As Bolton sat back (Kenny’s goal would prove to be their last shot of the game), the home players responded to the belief shown in the stands and came roaring back.

Which is how Jackson came to equalise. A Power delivery into the box caused confusion, Bolton failed to clear, and Tilt teed up Jackson, who took a touch before driving a low half-volley into the net. It was a moment of quality – and of significance.

And wow. The noise it generated. Valley Parade has been the scene of so much claret and amber joy this season, but this was as good a moment as any.  

For a few glorious minutes, it seemed that the job would be done and Jackson’s strike would be City’s crowning glory. Then came news that Luton had gone 2-1 ahead, closing the gap from five points to three on the live league table. Could City find a winner? In keeping with the afternoon’s approach, they risked it all to try and grab that elusive victory.

In contrast Bolton, like Plymouth midweek, retreated after going in front and found it difficult to switch the gears back after City levelled. They knew a point was enough for themselves and made sure that happened, as they repelled some late home pressure. That said, Swan had a decent late shout for a penalty that might have changed the complexion of this play-off race.

As it was, Bolton got to celebrate climbing over the line. Luton held on against Barnsley. And that means City still aren’t there.

It remains highly likely that City will finish in the play-offs – Opta calculates it at 95.38%. But there is some frustration that it has not yet been secured. The Easter Monday win at Wycombe had seemingly put them on the brink. But they’ve since gone four without a win (albeit drawing three). Zoom out a bit further, and it’s only two wins from their last nine.

So the tension remains. To paraphrase Kevin Keegan, we’ve still got to go to Exeter and get something. Nails will be chewed. Prayers will be uttered for the return to fitness of Antoni Sarcevic and Bobby Pointon. But though City are finding this run-in tough going, they continue to display tremendous courage and pluckiness.

If they finally get it done, it will because of these qualities.  

[i] We’ll be doing a deeper dive on Humprhys this coming week, stay tuned!

Categories: Match Reviews

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