Written by Jason McKeown (images by John Dewhirst)

This feels bigger than a good start. It feels like a team announcing itself.

What was expected to be Bradford City’s toughest test yet instead became another demonstration of their growing authority, as they showed remarkable poise to lay down a significant marker about their credentials.

Aden Baldwin’s second-half winner was a huge moment, capping a performance that sent a message to the rest of League One. City look like they are going to be a real force. They ooze character, are full of purpose and brimming with confidence. Three league games, three wins, and not a single goal conceded. There is obviously a long way to go, but you couldn’t ask for more.

Maybe this was a good time to play Sheffield Wednesday – expected to be up there, fuelled by rebirth aspirations, but with the scars of last season yet to heal. As soon as they experienced further hardship here, their lack of resilience was telling.

Teams that come down can find the adjustment unexpectedly awkward. There are often creases to iron out and early setbacks to navigate. The talent is there for Wednesday, though. They will probably get going. And if they do, this victory will look even more impressive from City.

And it really was impressive.

They marched into a Hillsborough stadium that was rocking, and there were certainly periods where the visitors could easily have been blown away. But the way City stood up to those moments, kept their composure and slowly wrestled control showcased every quality Sheffield Wednesday ultimately lacked. The match momentum completely changed after half time, and City blossomed. Winning and winning their way.

Which for this season undoubtedly involves taking greater risk and retaining conviction in what they want to do. As a demoralised Wednesday struggled to get anywhere near City’s box in the second half, it was hard to believe this was the same game that had begun with them having four efforts inside the first seven minutes.

They flew out the traps. The first home game under new ownership sparked a carnival atmosphere that they initially thrived in. At one point, Jon McCracken had made more saves than Jake Beesley and Kayden Jackson had each had touches of the ball. The Scot’s first block was to deny Barry Bannon – who’d earlier shot wide – after Callum Connolly had been pickpocketed in midfield and the home side surged forward. Moments later McCracken kept out a Jamal Lowe effort after a bad Josh Neufville touch had allowed Louie Barry in to set up the chance. Barry himself almost found the target with a lovely curling shot from distance that flew just past the post.

Like Peterborough on Saturday, Wednesday lined up in a 4-2-3-1, and for 20 minutes the front four were excellent. Lowe ran the channels well down the middle, wide forwards Barry and Harry Gray were full of tricks, and Callum Slattery popped up everywhere. Bannon in the centre was the real star, initially running the game with a display of skill, vision and masterful passing, if occasionally overdoing it.

It was an early storm that threatened to blow City away, aided by a Bantams midfield initially lacking in presence. Connolly giving the ball away for that Bannon chance didn’t bode well, and for a time he looked hopelessly outnumbered. Then Antoni Sarcevic dropped back and in doing so helped City settle down and get a grip. Belatedly, City began to curb Wednesday’s enthusiasm and keep the ball better.

This was the sort of game where Sarcevic had to restrain some of his own attacking ambitions to do a job for the team, and the skipper duly obliged. It wasn’t always noticeable, but Sarcevic just being there plugged the holes and stopped the home side’s dominance.

The gradual shifting of power didn’t translate into an effective first half attacking display. City didn’t register a shot until the 27th minute, when Sarcevic blazed over. They won a few corners and free kicks that raised hopes, but nothing came from them. Bobby Pointon – brought back into the side ahead of Will Swan – was starved of the ball. Beesley battled really hard but looked isolated. Jackson was City’s most effective first-half forward and had the visitors’ best chance when Neufville set him up inside the box. Faced with a choice between shooting from an angle or crossing, he chose the latter but couldn’t quite find Beesley.

Wednesday’s territorial advantage dipped for a time, but in the minutes before the interval they came on strongly again. Barry charged forward on the counter-attack and his effort was blocked by the excellent Matt Pennington. Slattery struck a shot from distance that flew narrowly wide, then Bannon set up Lowe for a shot that McCracken palmed away.

Alexander wrote reams of first half notes and clearly they were of value. Whatever he said in the dressing room during the break, it fixed some of the tactical problems and completely changed the game. Most impressive of all, Alexander’s solution wasn’t to retreat, but to get on the front foot and push even higher up the pitch.

And this is where City’s increased appetite for risk is paying dividends. The menace offered up by Slattery – just signed from a Motherwell side who greatly impressed last season – seemingly needed to be addressed, but wasn’t. City did not focus on trying to stop Wednesday, instead they became more front-footed, committed more players forward, and doubled down on deploying their trademark high press.

Which is what helped them take the lead two minutes into the second half. They won a corner which Ibou Touray swung over to Pennington who, without cleanly winning the ball, did enough to nod it towards the back post. There was Aden Baldwin, who got free of his marker and wonderfully volleyed the ball into the back of the net. A superb goal, scored from City’s first effort on target.

And from there, the Wednesday crumble began. They looked shell-shocked, with no idea how to regain control or stop Bradford City from being Bradford City.

The Bantams were simply outstanding. Touray had an absolutely storming game – so much so he earned his own chant that a sold out away end gleefully kept returning to. Neufville was also terrific on the other side. Sarcevic was getting forward again, helping the team press so well that it didn’t matter Connolly was on his own. Beesley was a non-stop pest and dominated Liam Cooper. Jackson and Pointon were influential. Macaulay Gillespie, Baldwin and Pennington bullied the Wednesday forward line.

The subs also played their part, with Will Swan especially a pressing monster who linked up brilliantly with Touray.

It took 76 minutes for Wednesday to register a shot after the break. They would end a miserable second half with no shots on target, only really going close right at the end when Jamal suddenly got a chance and messed it up. It would have been a travesty had it gone in.

To watch City be so authoritative on such a big stage offers so much excitement about their ceiling potential. They could have got more goals, with Beesley, Neufville, sub Adam Phillips and Connolly going close. Every second half set piece caused havoc in an Arsenal-esque way. The energy levels at both ends of the pitch are startling. When City go forward, they seem to outnumber their opponents. Yet when the opposition attack, the Bantams also seem to have more players behind the ball. Truly amazing commitment that must be so difficult for opponents to play against.

They just don’t give you a moment’s peace.

It all keeps City’s 100% record going. Starting with Rochdale in the cup, the opposition in each game has been a step up from the last – and yet City have remained pretty much flawless.

We naturally worry that the unorthodox midfield plan, the summer exits of key characters and the lack of squad depth in some areas will eventually be exposed. But so far, these possible issues are offset by what is looking like some really clever recruitment, an overall improvement in the quality of the team, and a bolder gameplan.

At some point, a good start becomes something more. Bradford City may just have reached that point.

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2026/27, BCAFC, League One, Sheffield Wednesday