The Voice - Match preview Newport County vs Bradford City Saturday 23rd September 3:00pm

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EFL LEAGUE TWO FIXTURE #9

Saturday 23rd September 2023 15:00
Newport County vs Bradford City
Rodney Parade

22/23 Results:

13 Aug 2022: Bradford City 2 – 0 Newport County
11 Mar 2023: Newport County 1 – 1 Bradford City

Head-to-Head Form: DWDDL

Won: 21
Drawn: 9
Lost: 18

Current League Form:

Bradford City: DDDWL
Harrogate Town: DLDWW

NEWPORT COUNTY

Newport County might be the right opponents at the right time for goal-starved Bradford City fans.

The Exiles have been one of the freest scoring teams in League Two this season, trailing only Wrexham, Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra with an impressive tally of 16 league goals scored so far this season. At the other end, though, Newport County have also shipped the joint highest number of League Two goals with 15 – only rock bottom Sutton United (20) have conceded more!

There are signs, though, that Graham Coughlan's men are starting to normalise their scorecards a little bit: a pair of 1-1 draws (most recently against Barrow, and previously against Brentford in the EFL Cup) have sneaked in, but only either side of a 4-1 thrashing at Crawley Town and a 4-goal draw at home to AFC Wimbledon. Still, for those City fans prepared to make the not-insubstantial trip to South Wales on the back of some less-than-thrilling performances, the hope will be a bevvy in goals more in line with their opponents than Bradford City themselves!

Indeed until a run of 3 draws from their last 4 games in all competitions, Newport County were very much a side who either won well or lost heavily. A crushing 3-0 opening day defeat did nothing to portend the 4-0 home victory over Doncaster Rovers, or indeed a 3-0 win over recently relegated Forest Green Rovers. A 3-1 win over Sutton United in late August was their last win, while a 4-2 drubbing at Crewe Alexandra was sandwiched in the middle of a markedly improved run.

So what to expect from this erratic and inconsistent Newport County side?

Well, expect Will Evans to be the main danger man for the Exiles, having netted 7 times in 8 league outings, plus another in the EFL Cup first round win over Charlton Athletic. While Evans has failed to net in either of his last 2 outings, his explosive early season form is reminiscent of the kind of run Bradford City enjoyed from Andy Cook last season. Only Swindon Town's Bradford City loanee Jake Young has scored more so far.

Omar Bogle may have only been a bit part player so far, but his return to first team contention in recent weeks has been very welcome. Outside of the centre forwards, Harry Charsley had been a bright spot for the Exiles – but having succumbed to injury, the ex-Everton and Bolton Wanderers midfielder will be out of action until November. Key defender Declan Drysdale will be kept 'wrapped up' to ensure his return to full fitness, and that could be important for Coughlan's side in terms of tightening things up at the back.

A side who do not rely on possession, Newport County will try to test the Bradford City back line with direct balls, crosses, and, where permitted by the opposition, set pieces. With Bogle up front with current hot shot Evans, that won't be easy to deal with for Bradford City, but nor is it specifically City's weakness.

At the back is where Newport have the greatest issues. The Exiles have conceded some alarmingly bad goals, both as a result of their own mistakes in possession and via players running straight through them at times. A glance at either the Wimbledon (2-2) or Crawley (1-4) highlights will show some very poor defending, coupled with severely sub-standard goalkeeping. Nick Townsend, who dons the gloves for Newport this season, put in a better display against Barrow last time out, but has hardly been convincing in some of their other games.

Will Rodney Parade play host to another lopsided goalfest this weekend? That will depend a lot on how their opponents line up – and don't Bradford City fans just know it...



Crawley Town 4 – 1 Newport County



Newport County 1 – 1 Barrow

BRADFORD CITY

Mark Hughes has issued a call for calm after the side's dismal 1-1 draw with Harrogate Town, the boss outlining that it's not so easy when side's come to Valley Parade and sit in – and you're missing your main attacking players.

That will be seen as an excuse by some City fans, who might point to games where players like Andy Cook and Alex Pattison were available, and The Bantams still failed to produce breathless attacking football – or, at times, even competent displays. Hughes is right in one sense: with an unbeaten home record and having lost just 2 of 10 total games across both league and cup, things aren't that bad. But at the same time, the draw-heavy nature of the results combined with Bradford's defence-first tactical displays hardly makes for engrossing watching.

There's no question that Bradford City were the better team against Harrogate Town. The Sulphurites offered very little in attack, or in possession. Their 'park the bus' strategy probably hampered some of their better attacking players, though Matty Daly did manage to get one over the club he spent a short while on loan with via a 78th minute goal that looked – for the longest time – like being the winner.

But Mark Oxley had a rush of blood to the head, and immersed himself fully in No Man's Land as Brad Halliday dinked a last ditch free kick into the area, and Jamie Walker rose tallest to nod into an empty net. Cue rapturous scenes?

Not on this occasion...

There is a sense among the Bradford City fan base that something needs to change, and while there is seemingly more resilience than there has been in previous seasons with an under-pressure manager, Mark Hughes does remain under at least some pressure – and it will only mount unless performances improve.

There's no question Mark Hughes did not envision playing Chisom Afoka up front with Bobby Pointon his main attacking midfield ally – but needs must, and City simply have to find ways of testing opposition goalkeepers far more than they are doing. While the regime state their dissatisfaction with aspects of recent home draws with Grimsby Town and Harrogate Town, the fan base has been much more vocal: They expect far more.

Such is the balancing act of managing a team with such high expectations.

The good news, maybe, is that Andy Cook might just be able to play at the weekend. While Hughes illustrated the issue he's had with his knee recently, it might prove better than nothing for a Bradford City side sorely lacking a focal figure up top. Jamie Walker performed manfully against Harrogate, and rattled off numerous shots, but seemed the only player willing to repeatedly have a go. There were flashes of promise from substitute Adam Wilson, who curled a fine effort narrowly over, but Bradford City just aren't threatening to score enough – and have only topped 1 goal once this season.

More attacking threat might allow the Bantams to convert some draws into wins, but at the minute, City fans have been reduced to watching a Bradford City side that seem only capable of matching teams (regardless of ability) – rather than putting them to the sword.

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THE BREAKDOWN

Newport County: 5/4
Draw: 9/4
Bradford City: 21/10

Teams that actually shoot against Newport County will score goals. Expecting Bradford City to shoot, however, is a topic of hot discussion.

Mark Hughes said the lack of efforts on goal isn't down to him: he pointed out he would be shooting all the time, harking back to a phenomenal playing career – but why is that not translating to this Bradford City side?

If Bradford City get their tactics spot on for the Newport County game, they will try to make the most of some rather glaring weaknesses. Defensively, Newport have struggled against sides that run directly at them, either via the wings or through the middle. The centre backs in particular have looked extremely uncomfortable with the ball on the deck. But unless someone does indeed run at them, and shoot against the erratic Nick Townsend in goal, Bradford City fans might once again be served up a low-percentage attacking performance most likely to end in yet another draw.

Put simply, City must turn it up a few notches at Rodney Parade.

Bradford City aren't bad defensively. They don't concede many goals, outside of the 3-0 humbling at Morecambe earlier this season, and a repeat of that doesn't look too likely at the moment – certainly not imminently, at least. If Newport do go direct to Bogle, that probably won't be a massive concern for the travelling faithful. Will Evans milling about on the best form of his career, however, will be more problematic for a back line often intent on dominating the ball and conceding what feels like the majority of chances through loose passes.

It's hard, then, to be too optimistic. A narrow in is possible, especially if Cook can return hungry for his first goal of the season, and the blueprint is there: Newport County's defence can be got it in a way that City's defence is harder to tear apart. A win is logical.

But form dictates it's not likely – unfortunately.

As Newport begin to level out and incorporate draws into their list of results, as opposed to one-sided beatings either way, they happen to line up against one of the draw kings of the division, a side who rarely punish other teams for even the most obvious weaknesses. Let's hope this prediction is wrong, but it looks to be trending for a low-scoring draw.

PREDICTION:

Newport County 1 – 1 Bradford City