Port Vale leapfrogged Bradford in the League Two promotion race after securing a dominant 2-0 victory at Vale Park.
The win moved Vale level on points with Bradford, marking their first Tuesday night league win since March 2022 and denting the Bantams’ hopes of securing an automatic promotion spot. However, Bantam’s boss Graham Alexander shouldered the blame for the defeat after making changes.
Vale Open Scoring
The match was defined by two well-taken goals in the first half, with Swiss striker Lorent Tolaj opening the scoring early in the 11th minute with a curling effort that left goalkeeper Sam Walker with no chance. Vale remained dominant, controlling the game and keeping Bradford pinned in their own half for long stretches.
Port Vale’s second goal came just before the half-hour mark when Mitch Clark converted from close range after a well-placed cross from Jack Shorrock. The Bantams struggled to break down Vale’s defense and failed to register a meaningful effort on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Bradford, backed by over 2,400 away fans, came out with more urgency after the break but couldn’t find a breakthrough. Calum Kavanagh’s effort was easily saved by Ben Amos, and their best chance came from Brad Halliday’s angled shot, which was brilliantly turned away by Aden Baldwin.
The game seemed to be slipping away from Bradford when they were awarded a penalty late on, following a foul by Clark on Kavanagh. Richard Smallwood stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Amos made a crucial save, pushing it away to preserve Vale’s clean sheet.
Graham Alexander Quotes
“We wanted fresh legs. It was the same backline who played against Port Vale the other month. Stockley is an extremely physical striker and very experienced, and Hunty managed him really well last time,” said Bradford City manager Graham Alexander, taking full responsibility for his unforced changes to the backline that failed to pay off.
The result marked Bradford’s third loss in five matches, and despite remaining in second place, they now find themselves only ahead of third-placed Port Vale on goal difference. The pressure is mounting for Graham Alexander’s side as they look to bounce back from their recent struggles.
Writer’s View
Port Vale’s dominant performance shows they are very much in the promotion race. Their clinical first-half display will give them confidence as they look to finish the season strongly. Bradford, meanwhile, will need to regroup after this defeat, as they are no longer in control of their automatic promotion destiny and must address the inconsistencies that have plagued them recently.
