The Voice - Match preview Bradford City vs Mansfield Town Saturday 4 February 2023 @ 3:00pm

League Two Fixture #27

Saturday 4th February 2023 15:00
Bradford City (8th) vs Mansfield Town (7th)
Valley Parade (AKA University of Bradford Stadium)

Most Recent Results:

1: Bradford City 1 – 0 Harrogate Town
2: Bradford City 3 – 2 Salford City
3: Bradford City 1 – 2 Rochdale
4: AFC Wimbledon 0 – 0 Bradford City
5: Stockport County 0 – 0 Bradford City

Form: DDLWW

1: Hartlepool United 1 – 2 Mansfield Town
2: Walsall 2 – 1 Mansfield Town
3: Mansfield Town 2 – 3 Barrow
4: Mansfield Town 1 – 1 Crewe Alexandra
5: Mansfield Town 4 – 1 Doncaster Rovers

Form: WDLLW

Head-to-Head Results:

Head-to-Head Form: WLWWW

17 Oct 2020: Mansfield Town 1 – 3 Bradford City
02 Mar 2021: Bradford City 1 – 0 Mansfield Town
21 Aug 2021: Mansfield Town 2 – 3 Bradford City
26 Feb 2022: Bradford City 0 – 2 Mansfield Town
08 Nov 2022: Mansfield Town 1 – 2 Bradford City

Head-to-Head Results (All Time):

Won: 28
Drawn: 17
Lost: 24

Biggest Margin of Victory:

10 Mar 1962: Bradford City 6 – 1 Mansfield Town

NEW FEATURE!

For Better or Worse:
First Half of the Season vs Second Half of the Season Analysis:

Harrogate Town: WIN followed by WIN - Equal
Salford City: WIN followed by WIN – Equal
AFC Wimbledon: DRAW followed by DRAW – Equal
Stockport County: DEFEAT followed by DRAW – Improvement (+ 1 point)
Mansfield Town: WIN followed by ???

Results so far: The second half of the season has seen an improvement by 1 point so far



Mansfield Town 2022/23:
The Stags leapfrog The Bantams following a 4-1 win over Doncaster Rovers

Nigel Clough steered his Stags' side back into the play offs courtesy of a resounding 4-1 win over Doncaster Rovers, pushing Bradford City down to 8th in the table – but there's a catch: Bradford City didn't play at the weekend, and therefore have a game in hand. It's essential, then, that Mansfield Town do not lose at Valley Parade if they are to remain above The Bantams.

That said, Mansfield Town's form is nothing to write home about, with just 2 wins in 7 league outings, and 1 win in 6 away games in all competitions. Despite the latter detail, Mansfield Town remain one of the better travellers, sitting 6th in the League Two 'Away' table – two points behind Bradford City in 5th.

Of Mansfield Town's 6 away wins this season, the first came against Doncaster Rovers, a team they have beaten on both occasions this season. Beyond that, Mansfield have made the most of away trips to strugglers like Rochdale, Gillingham and Hartlepool United, while AFC Barrow represent Mansfield sole away win over any team in the top half.

If that is music to Bradford City fans' ears, the fact City seem to have the Indian sign over Nigel Clough's current employers, with 5 wins in their last 7 encounters. The omens aren't good, then, for Mansfield Town – but should they be overly concerned?

Perhaps... at Field Mill, Mansfield Town enjoyed a tremendous amount of possession against City (63.1 % no less), and played 25 minutes plus stoppage time with a man advantage after the dismissal of Matthew Platt for a second bookable offence. Despite scoring just 4 minutes after Platt's red card, Mansfield Town were unable to find an equaliser, and in truth managed just 4 attempts on goal all game.

That's not totally unheard of for Mansfield Town under Nigel Clough, however. Astonishingly, in recent Mansfield's 4-1 home win over Doncaster, Mansfield were credited with just 5 shots in total, and 4 on target – a 100 % conversion rate for shots that found their mark!

Will Swan (9) is Mansfield Town's leading marksman despite making just 11 league starts (he's also made 11 substitute appearances), with George Lapslie (5), Lucas Akins (4), George Maris (4), Rhys Oates (3), Oli Hawkins (3) and Riley Harbottle (3) all backing him. Former Bradford City striker Jordan Bowery has netted twice this season, as has midfielder Ollie Clarke.

Perhaps disappointingly for Mansfield Town fans, second top scorer George Lapslie, and joint-third top scorer Oli Hawkins have both departed for League Two rivals Gillingham, although a six-figure fee will have softened the blow. In comes defensive midfielder Louis Reed from Swindon Town, as well as centre back Alfie Kilgour from League One Bristol Rovers. Striker Danny Johnson has returned to the club after scoring 15 goals in 30 appearances for Walsall this season, where he had been enjoying a successful loan period.

Johnson could return to the fold against City after sitting out the Doncaster game as an unused substitute.

Bradford City 2022/23:
Mark Hughes hopes to freshen up his Bradford City side with a 'new look'

Bradford City, likewise, have been freshening up their options in a variety of positions, with all of Tolaji Bola, Dara Costelloe and Adam Clayton starting in a creditable 0-0 draw at on-form Stockport County.

Despite the positive outcome, Bradford City fans were certainly not happy with Bradford City's attacking output, as they managed just 1 shot on target, as well as 1 shot off. Matching Stockport's physicality and containing them alone was not enough to sate growing fears that Bradford City are no longer able to hit promotion form after a period of just 4 wins in 13 league outings.

Still, back-to-back away draws against AFC Wimbledon and Stockport County had their upsides, particularly as Bradford City were reduced to 10 men for the final half hour against Wimbledon, and because Stockport had been looking rampant, particularly at home.

Perhaps it is the lingering spectre of City's disastrous home defeat against Rochdale that has demoralised the Bradford City faithful, a loss that came on the back of two straight home wins for the first time since September 2022 – a fact that compounded the disappointment and misery of the expectant home fans.

Mark Hughes has opted not to field Andy Cook from the start in any of the last 5 games, with Vadaine Oliver preferred – and in truth, City have lost just 1 of those games, perhaps vindicating that decision. But with back-to-back goalless draws behind them, Bradford City fans will be hoping for more attacking intent – and possibly changes – ahead of a crucial game against Mansfield Town.

Getting back into the play offs ASAP is certainly the order of the day, and if Bradford City can replicate their away win at Mansfield Town and rattle of a couple of goals, things will certainly start to up with just 1 defeat in 6.

Highlights:

Stockport County 0 – 0 Bradford City



Mansfield Town 4 – 1 Doncaster Rovers



Mansfield Town 1 – 2 Bradford City



Outlook:

This is a crucial game, both in terms of the league table and reinvigorating a jaded Bradford City support base. A glum Winter has seen Bradford City play just two home games so far this year, and 4 games in total. The stop-start nature of the season in recent weeks with postponements and cup weekends has been frustrating, and it seems strange to think Bradford City won't have scored a goal for 25 calendar days should they actually find the net on Saturday.

That's a grim stat, but then Bradford City have only played twice since then, both away from home, and endured half an hour in one such game with 10 men.

A boost, then, is what is needed, and there are plenty of new faces that can try and deliver. Whether it's Oliver or Cook up front, Matt Derbyshire should be moving closer to full fitness, while wingers Dara Costelloe and Thierry Nevers will be looking for their first goals in claret and amber. Adam Clayton impressed in a hardworking midfield three at Stockport, and more will be expected of him, while full back Tolaji Bola could potentially turn provider with foraging runs down the wings. Exciting winger Scott Banks is also thought to be closer to fitness.

Goals have been flying in for Mansfield Town, by contrast, as Stags fans have witnessed 18 goals in their last 5 games, both for and against – and results have been erratic, as well, with 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in that time.

All of these elements, including the squad overhauls on both ends, make this game a difficult one to predict – but if City can shut Mansfield Town down going forward, as they have with their last 2 opponents, that will give them a great platform to build on. Bradford City have scored in all 6 of their most recent league fixtures at Valley Parade, and given the stakes (7th place is on the line), the pressure is on to deliver once more.

Taking into account Bradford City's ability to either match or better results from the first half of the season, together with a good run of form against Mansfield Town specifically, as well as an improving defensive performance, the pick is a narrow, possibly nervy home victory for Saturday.

Let's hope so, anyway.

Odds:

6/4: Bradford City
9/4: Draw
7/4: Mansfield Town

Predicted Outcome (THE VOICE):

Bradford City 2 – 1 Mansfield Town