The Voice - Match preview #33: Bradford City vs Rotherham United Tuesday 24th February 2026 7:45pm

EFL League One Fixture #33
Tuesday 24th February 2026 19:45
Bradford City (5th) vs Rotherham United (23rd)
University of Bradford Stadium

Record:
Games Won: 29
Games Drawn: 14
Games Lost: 38

Last 5:
07 Nov 2017: Bradford City 0 – 3 Rotherham United [EFL Trophy]
23 Jan 2018: Rotherham United 2 – 0 Bradford City
19 Nov 2024: Bradford City 0 – 1 Rotherham United [EFL Trophy]
04 Feb 2025: Rotherham United 0 – 1 Bradford City [EFL Trophy]
02 Oct 2025: Rotherham United 2 – 2 Bradford City

Rotherham United:
Rotherham United find themselves deeply entrenched in a relegation battle, sat second-from-bottom and 5 points from safety. Burton Albion, the team currently sat in 20th place and therefore the team Rotherham United must chase down, compounded the Millers misery with a 1-0 victory at the Pirelli Stadium, while Doncaster Rovers beat Rotherham 2-1 at the AESSEAL New York Stadium in all-South Yorkshire affair to put some much needed distance between themselves and the drop zone.

Those are two results Matt Hamshaw’s men could scarcely afford, extending their losing streak to 3 games. There as hope for Rotherham United in late January, however, after back-to-back wins over Northampton Town (H, 2-1) and Exeter City (A, 4-0), as well as stemming from a period from October right through to early December when the Millers never lost a game, going 13 games unbeaten in both league and cup. Quite how that form (which began with a 2-2 home draw with Bradford City on October 2) evaporated from December through to mid-January, however, is anyone’s guess. 8 straight defeats, 7 of them in league competition, have done severe damage to Rotherham’s prospects of League One football next campaign, and Millers fans will be hoping this current skid doesn’t develop into as lengthy a losing run this time around.

Sam Nombe has tried to do his part. The 7-goal top scorer has missed long periods this season, having amassed his tally from just 10 starts and 6 substitute appearances, and he was on target again from the penalty spot in the losing effort at home to Doncaster. That goal was just his second in 2026, however, having returned to regular game time on January 17 – when he scored his previous goal in another losing effort, this time 3-2 at Stockport County. In fact, the last 5 times Nombe has scored, his side have wound up on the wrong end of things, losing all 5 games.

Denzel Hall (3) is the only other Rotherham United player to have scored more than 2 league goals this season, though reliable midfielder Shaun McWilliams and Kian Spence have managed 3 if you include cup goals, while Josh Benson contributed a hattrick in a 7-2 win at Salford City in the EFL Trophy taking his total goal count to 5 for the season so far. Slim pickings, then, for a Rotherham United side who must halt the slide with a tough away trip to one of the division’s veritable fortresses in Valley Parade.

Matt Hamshaw, for his part, admitted he was “desperate” for Rotherham to turn their form around after the defeat against Doncaster, pinning some of the blame on being unable to field his strongest side often enough this season. Hamshaw asked for the club and fans to be “united”, but admitted he understood fans’ frustrations given that relegation from the Championship came as recently as 2024.

Now, Rotherham United – the worst travellers in the division, having picked up just 11 points from a possible 45 away from home – must travel to the side with the second highest points-per-game statistic in the division, behind only Cardiff City. And yes, Cardiff City did beat Rotherham at their ground, and by the same score as they recently beat them away: 3-0.

Rotherham United 1 – 2 Doncaster Rovers


Burton Albion 1 – 0 Rotherham United


Bradford City:
“Dons Run Riot” is the eyecatching headline from the YouTube highlight package featured below, and boy did they as another embarrassing Bradford City away day get off to a great start for the home side on the 11th minute when James Tilley’s cross evaded everyone – including Sam Walker – and wound up in the back of the City net. Kayden Jackson was the man that allowed Tilley to cross, the striker having dropped deep but without displaying the defensive capabilities to do so.

James Tilley later had the City backline on toast once more, this time crossing in for Marcus Browne – AFC Wimbledon’s top scorer – to fire over from close range. Not to worry, though, the Bantams weren’t done gifting Browne chances, and Graham Alexander was left fuming when a simple throw in from deep inside the Wimbledon half caught the entire Bradford City defence napping, leaving Lee Evans and Ciaran Kelly as the only players trying to chase him down. They couldn’t, and Browne wasn’t going to reject a second gift-wrapped opportunity.

It got worse; James Tilley played a short corner in the second half, that only Bobby Pointon seemed alert to, but he was simply too far away and outnumbered two-to-one on the flank. Tilley received a one-two, slid a cross into the box that Lee Evans clumsily redirected straight to a Wimbledon shirt, and Matty Stevens became the recipient of more farcical defending. Substitute Stephen Humphrys would later take matters into his own hands, picking up a pass from Evans midway into the AFC Wimbledon half, before beating a couple of defenders to open up some space, and firing past Neal Bishop.

It put a little shine on an otherwise torrid evening for the Bantams that began with a 30-minute delay to kick off, and continued with a bizarre team selection from manager Graham Alexander that involved an all-new front three of Mullin-Jackson-Sibley, as well as the recalling of Ciaran Kelly to the middle of the three centre backs – a position he has rarely, if ever, played. Sibley and Curtis Tilt were withdrawn at half time, with Mullin and Jackson to make way just after the hour mark, but it was too little, too late for a Bradford City side that never looked like recovering, and have scarcely looked like hauling back a side with a multiple-goal lead all season.

Antoni Sarcevic, perhaps a sign of his age, never got on the pitch, though in truth I’m not sure what difference he could have made as a substitute in such a dour performance. The result extends City’s hapless away run to 2 wins in 15 games across both league and cup, and adds to some noticeably terrible recent outings such as Mansfield Town (3-0) and Lincoln City (3-0). It also continued a very unwelcome run of first half performances away from Valley Parade that have resulted in zero shots on goal, and very little attacking threat whatsoever.

Why the picture looks so different away than it does at home is anybody’s guess, but it’s Graham Alexander’s job to address it and find a solution. On Saturday’s evidence, he’s not exactly close to doing so… dear oh dear.

AFC Wimbledon 3 – 1 Bradford City


Bradford City 1 – 0 Stockport County


Prediction:
It’s sometimes hard to put such poor performances to the back of one’s mind, but by now the polarity of the home and away performances is unmistakable and unavoidable. Losing so badly at AFC Wimbledon does not necessarily beckon in a poor home performance against the worst away side in the division in Rotherham United, despite a temptation to overreact.

Rotherham United aren’t hopeless; as manager Matt Hamshaw has said, his team have performed well when all the resources have been available to him, and a long unbeaten run earlier in the season (that started with a draw against Bradford City) shows they can still stay up, at least. But they’ve also had prolonged runs of very poor form, and they could have embarked upon another having just lost their last 3 games, including a 3-0 defeat away at Cardiff City. While losing in South Wales is understandable, losing crucial games against relegation rivals like Burton Albion and Doncaster Rovers is much harder to forgive.

Rotherham United fans will presumably be in fine voice in the away end at Valley Parade, but they are likely to hold a grudge should things turn sour – which I would expect them to if Bradford City respond with their typical character (at least in the safe confines of Valley Parade). Graham Alexander must, however, put out a team somewhat stronger and more cohesive than the eleven that started at AFC Wimbledon… that’s the first step, and not one that can be skipped over in favour of resting key players, as City have found out on more than one occasion this campaign.

Assuming we aren’t treated to any surprises up front, it should be either Humphrys or Jackson starting up top, and surely Pointon and Sarcevic either side. Ciaran Kelly wasn’t necessarily the worst offender in the back 3 against AFC Wimbledon, though his distribution remains a clear weakness, which is perhaps more pronounced when playing the centre of the three defenders. Curtis Tilt’s withdrawal, after just 26 touches in the first half, was perhaps expected, though in truth the game had already gone courtesy of such slack defending against danger man James Tilley, who was involved in all three goals.

That can’t happen here against a Rotherham United side in a real relegation dog fight – and who are, realistically, losing that fight. Sam Nombe might grab a goal, but as pointed out above, usually when he scores, Rotherham still lose… the pick will be a 3-1 home win, then, but I have real doubts that City can score 3 goals in a game. Here’s hoping they can create/are gifted plenty of opportunities…

Final Score:

Bradford City 3 – 1 Rotherham United