The Voice - Match preview #28: Bradford City vs Doncaster Rovers Saturday 31st January 2026 12:30pm

EFL League One Fixture #28
Saturday 31st January 2026 2026 12:30
Bradford City (5th) vs Doncaster Rovers (21st)
University of Bradford Stadium (AKA Valley Parade)

Record:
Games Won: 36
Games Drawn: 26
Games Lost: 32

Last 5:
05 Mar 2024: Bradford City 1 – 1 Doncaster Rovers
26 Oct 2024: Bradford City 1 – 2 Doncaster Rovers
26 Apr 2025: Doncaster Rovers 2 – 1 Bradford City
06 Sep 2025: Doncaster Rovers 3 – 1 Bradford City
11 Nov 2025: Doncaster Rovers 3 – 1 Bradford City [EFL Trophy]

Doncaster Rovers:
Doncaster Rovers currently sit in 21st place, inside the relegation zone on Goal Difference, but just 3 points off 15th place having made a recent rally. A side that has prospered in the cup despite an indifferent league campaign, it might come as a surprise to Bradford City fans to see their South Yorkshire rivals struggling to such an extent, at least based on their 3-1 thrashing of the Bantams back in early September. That victory would precede a truly terrible string of results, however, that spanned 3 full months whereby the Rovers won just 1 game in 17 league outings.

Wouldn’t you just know it, though, the one-time high flyers (who won 5 of their 7 opening league fixtures) have mounted something of a recovery in recent weeks, and are now unbeaten in 4 having just dispatched Leyton Orient 3-0 at the Eco-Power Stadium. Top scorer Owen Bailey (10) netted twice, with their second highest goalscorer Luke Molyneux (5) netting the other from the penalty spot. Prior to that, Donny let slip a similar 3-0 lead against Wigan Athletic, eventually drawing 3-3 – but showing that Grant McCann’s side are once again showing signs of real attacking prowess.

Last season’s League Two Champions, more was expected from Doncaster, but a faltering back line has put paid to any hopes of achieving back-to-back successful seasons (barring a phenomenal resurgence, that is). On the plus side, Doncaster Rovers fans have enjoyed a trio of impressive cup runs that accounted for a 4-0 win over Middlesbrough among others, and earned them a home tie against Southampton (FA Cup) and an away day at Tottenham Hotspur (EFL Cup), both of which Donny ultimately lost. Still part of the EFL Trophy, Doncaster Rovers will face Huddersfield Town next, having won all 5 of their previous fixtures in the tournament – including another 3-1 win over Bradford City.

All of that means that Doncaster Rovers’ overall record this season is 17 wins, 6 draws, and 15 defeats – the kind of record that would have Rovers in the top half of the table in all likelihood. Unfortunately for them, replicating their impressive cup performances hasn’t come easily in the league, though there are (at last) signs that things might be coming together. A 1-1 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers, in a game Doncaster Rovers might feel they deserved more from, was followed by a crucial 1-0 away win at AFC Wimbledon, followed by the glut of goals in the Wigan (3-3) and Leyton Orient (3-0) home fixtures. Now they travel to an out-of-sorts Bradford City who have looked distinctly gun-shy in early 2026.

While the Bantams chase a new forward (possibly among other recruits), Grant McCann feels his business has been done already with the recruitment of 6 new faces and no more outgoings expected. Left back Bayley McCann has arrived from League Two rivals Barnsley for an undisclosed fee, while defensive midfielder Darren Robinson has arrived from Derby County on a free transfer. Hakeeb Adelakun, a highly successful loan capture back in 2024, has returned, this time on a free transfer from Cheltenham Town. Then, on loan, the trio of centre forward Francis Okoronkwo (Everton), goalkeeper Zander Clark (Hearts), and centre back Neill Byrne (Bradford City) have all arrived on loan.

4 of the 6 new arrivals played against Leyton Orient in that resounding 3-0 win, and Okoronkwo duly opened his account the game prior against Wigan Athletic. Unlike at Bradford City, then, the influx of new faces for Donny has had a promising impact on proceedings…

Doncaster Rovers 3 – 0 Leyton Orient


Doncaster Rovers 3 – 3 Wigan Athletic


Bradford City:
Bradford City suffered their 4th defeat in 5 games on Tuesday evening, as well as their second 3-0 drubbing in that same span. A dour performance at Huddersfield Town in the middle of those hammerings wasn’t punished to the extent it might have been, and while there was some promise attached to the 2-1 away win at Blackpool as well as the spirited effort in a 2-1 defeat to league leaders Cardiff City, concerns are mounting for Graham Alexander’s side – and, in particular, the club’s use of the January transfer window.

None of the three new loanees have made much of an impression so far, with Harrison Ashby, Joe White and Louie Sibley being largely anonymous (if not outright poor) in their early outings. Chants of “Sign a striker” went up at Lincoln City during their humbling defeat which saw the Bantams fail to record a single shot during the entire first half – similar to the Huddersfield Town first half performance – and, even more damning, fail to complete a single cross (out of just one attempt). Statistics cannot get any more damning than that, and quite where this spell of abysmal performances has come from is anyone’s guess. It doesn’t help the morale of the fanbase, however, when popular senior players leave without being properly replaced.

Rumours that Paul Mullin may be about to sign from Wrexham on loan have elicited a mixed response from a fanbase who have been starved of quality signings but remain sceptical of blowing large wages on players that haven’t performed in recent years. Mullin, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Wigan Athletic, scored just 5 goals in 26 appearances, and will probably do no better at City unless frequent chances are being made. That’s a huge question mark over a team who aren’t even getting down the wings anymore, much less asking serious questions of opposition defences.

But it’s not all doom and gloom; City remain 5th in the League One table, and while this particular run of games has left a lot to be desired, few teams are as good as the likes of Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town. Doncaster Rovers, for their part, are at the opposite end of the table and should be an easier game on paper. That said, Rovers’ recent recovery has come at just the wrong time for the Bantams.

Saturday afternoon will be a huge test, then, at a very difficult time. Bradford City fans aren’t likely to look past the table too much, and won’t be in the mood for bad omens, or the ‘law of the ex’, or bogey teams. There simply isn’t the appetite. Bradford City simply must perform.

One fears that if there is a repeat of the recent no-shows lacking all spirit, fight, and press, then the sentiment in the stands might turn ugly. There are already cracks showing, not just because Bradford City are losing, but because they aren’t even doing the very basics correctly. It’s all gone horribly wrong – but the situation is far from terminal.

Turn it round here, get a hard fought result, and the fans will likely be in a forgiving mood. Every side has rough spells, and every fan has to expect that – but those rough spells don’t usually involve entire halves of football where the club aren’t getting any shots on goal at all, much less spending a full 45 minutes without completing a single cross… Yes, it’s been bad, but surely it’s not irrecoverable.

Lincoln City 3 – 0 Bradford City


Huddersfield Town 1 – 0 Bradford City

 

Prediction:
While I’m struggling to explain how things have fallen off so badly of late, I’m also reticent to condemn this City side to the scrapheap just yet. I think Graham Alexander and the boardroom have got their timings all wrong, letting well-liked players go so early in the window and not bringing in even a single replacement in certain areas – not least the striker’s position. If the club had thought Andy Cook wasn’t contributing enough post-injury, that’s one thing – but there doesn’t seem to be any logical reason to turf him out on loan so soon with no replacement on the horizon until, perhaps, very recently.

The pressure now mounts on all, not least Cook’s replacement. If it’s to be Paul Mullin, then much of the hopes of the fan base will rest squarely on his shoulders with Will Swan, Stephen Humphrys and Calum Kavanagh all struggling (or at least not being trusted, in Kavanagh’s case) to lead the line. Those aren’t necessarily the ideal terms by which to bring in a striker – yes, goals will be expected of any highly rated striker, but with the dearth of quality up front for City at present, it’s not just an expectation, it’s an absolute necessity for Mullin or similar to hit the ground running.

In any event, that might not be a factor at the weekend, and even a deal is completed on time, we’re probably only looking at a cameo of the bench at best. That means I would expect Humphrys to start up top once again, but hopefully this time with better back up than the rather desperate-looking offering of Tyreik Wright and Tommy Leigh. One might have forgiven City fans at Lincoln to have considered making a u-turn straight for the exits upon hearing that surprising line up, and little will have changed in hindsight. It never looked a good plan on paper, and it never came close to working once put into action.

Let’s hope that’s the last time we see that experiment!

That said, it sounds as though all of Sibley, Swan and Sarcevic will be missing, with Sibley possibly the most likely to make the cut if he can pass a late fitness test. Bobby Pointon, rested after some indifferent performances, may be called back into action, and who better than ‘one of our own’ to lead City to a morale-boosting return to form?

Doncaster Rovers, for their part, will relish their newly rediscovered form, and will be confident of yet more goals. Having scored 10 goals in their last 4 outings in both league and cup, Doncaster Rovers have hit a vein of form predicated, perhaps, on some good signings – but also the consistent form of players like Owen Bailey, who is now into double figures for the season.

Bradford City fans might dread the idea of playing the likes of Jordan Gibson and Billy Sharp, who have had a knack of sticking it to the Bantams, but neither have been relied upon overly much of late. Billy Sharp has largely been a late replacement (such as Andy Cook might have been in different circumstances), and Jordan Gibson hasn’t made a league start so far in 2026. Instead, less familiar names may prove their tormentors this time around, and Doncaster will be relishing the chance to score more against a distinctly off-colour City side.

I would love for City to claim a win here and begin their recovery, but I just don’t see where the threat is going to come from against a side who really do have goals throughout the team of late. The pick will be for Donny to out-gun City and compound the misery, prompting a frenetic final day or so of the January transfer window. A recovery is still not out of the question, and hopefully a result as predicted below proves to be the lowest point of the season. They can only get better hereafter, surely.

Final Score:
Bradford City 1 – 4 Doncaster Rovers