The Voice - Match preview Sutton United vs Bradford City Saturday 12th November @ 3:00pm

League Two Fixture #17

Saturday 12th November 15:00
Sutton United vs Bradford City
Gander Green Lane

Most Recent Results:

1: Salford City 0 – 1 Bradford City
2: Grimsby Town 0 – 0 Bradford City
3: Bradford City 1 – 1 Swindon Town
4: Bradford City 1 – 1 Crawley Town
5: Mansfield Town 1 – 2 Bradford City

Form: WDDDW

1: Sutton United 0 – 2 Tranmere Rovers
2: AFC Wimbledon 0 – 1 Sutton United
3: Sutton United 1 – 1 Walsall
4: Northampton Town 2 – 2 Sutton United
5: Stockport County 3 – 0 Sutton United

Form: LDDWL

Head-to-Head Results:

Head-to-Head Form: WD

11 Dec 2021: Bradford City 2 – 2 Sutton United
30 Apr 2022: Sutton United 1 – 4 Bradford City

Head-to-Head Results (All Time):

Won: 1
Drawn: 1
Lost: 0

Biggest Margin of Victory:

30 Apr 2022: Sutton United 1 – 4 Bradford City

Spoiler: Historic Results Analysis

Last season was the first time Bradford City had ever played Sutton United in any competition, so there are only two results to discuss!

The first, a 2-2 draw at home, saw City reduced to 10 men when Niall Canavan was dismissed on 31 minutes, and a resultant penalty converted by Robert Milsom put Sutton in the lead in their first ever trip to Valley Parade. 2 minutes later, Theo Robinson would equalise, only for the Bantams to fall behind again in the second half thanks to an Alistair Smith goal in the 76th minute. 5 minutes later, Lee Angol would level the scores again, and City would have to settle for a share of the spoils – which came after 5 draws in their previous 6 games under Derek Adams...

By the time the second game came around, Mark Hughes was in charge, and what a difference it made! Charles Vernam opened the scoring away at Sutton United on the 16th minute, and despite Alistair Smith making it 2 in 2 against City last season with an equalising goal, Vernam would go on to grab a second – with Yann Songo'o and Andy Cook adding late goals for good measure.

4-1 away at Sutton certainly isn't a bad result, and Bradford City fans might hope for more of the same at the weekend!

Sutton United 2022/23:

Don't be fooled by the recent 3-0 loss against Stockport County!

What the scoreline alone fails to impart is that Sutton United found themselves down to 10 men after just 3 minutes, Omar Bugiel dismissed for a high boot by referee Simon Mather – who had the ignominy of officiating Tuesday night's match between Mansfield Town and Bradford City.

Stockport were ruthless in making their numerical advantage count, but Sutton United were actually on a reasonable run of form prior to that. A 2-2 draw away at high flyers Northampton Town has of huge credit to Sutton, who fought back from 2-0 down to rescue a point with goals from the aforementioned Bugiel and Donovan Wilson.

Before that, Sutton saw Walsall rescue a late point at Gander Green Lane, something AFC Wimbledon could not do at the Cherry Red Records Stadium – Sutton United ran out 1-0 winners on October 15.

That run of three games without defeat came off the back of a five-game losing streak, which saw Sutton United slide perilously close to the relegation trapdoor. Under manager Matt Gray, a former defender who plied his trade in non-league before retiring due to injury at the age of just 25, Sutton United, then, have shown real character – something they will need whether looking up the table at the play offs (9 points away), or over their shoulders at the relegation zone (7 points away)...

The shape their season takes will be decided in the coming months, but in all likelihood, lower-midtable mediocrity isn't bad for the EFL's relative newcomers. Capable of frustrating the best in the division (they beat Mansfield Town 2-1 on home soil earlier in the season), Sutton United shouldn't be taken lightly – particularly in light of their ability to be extremely competitive in terms of possession stats and shots on goal.

Set pieces and crosses will likely provide Sutton United's best chances, although the big boys at the back including Louis John and Joe Kizzi have yet to register a goal this season. Instead, the goals have been shared out amongst a bevvy of midfielders and forwards, with Will Randall-Hurren the stand out goalscorer with 3. 5 other players have registered 2 goals apiece – Harry Beautyman, Omar Bugiel (suspended), Tope Fadahunsi (who has made 0 starts), Josh Neufville, and Donovan Wilson.

Last weekend's FA Cup exit against non-league Farnborough came courtesy of 2 late goals – a result Sutton United will be keen to put behind them.

Bradford City 2022/23:

Bradford City put their FA Cup blues behind them with an excellent blood-and-guts display at Mansfield Town – that saw them play 102 minutes of football, 37 of which they had just 10 men!

Referee Simon Mather (who sent off a Sutton United player in their last league game) was quick to brandish a second yellow card to defender Matty Platt after Platt was deemed to have kicked the ball away. Mark Hughes had little positive to say about that decision, or the overall performance of Mather, who added 10 minutes of injury time, but Mansfield Town were unable to capitalise, and The Bantams chalked up a momentum-changing victory.

On to Sutton United, then, as Bradford City search for a second straight win on the road. Bradford City's away record continues to be excellent, with the club second in the 'Away' table. City's 5 wins from 8 games on their travels in the league this season is quite the achievement, and the envy of fans who have been unable to make it to away games this season.

Sutton United will look like another very winnable game for Mark Hughes' men, though there is a question mark around the replacement for the suspended Matty Platt. Both Timi Odusina and Yann Sango'o will be looking to step into the breach, and both are likely to be tested by the set pieces delivery and crosses of Sutton United.

Andy Cook getting back on the score sheet in the Mansfield game was a welcome fillip for City fans, his tenacious battling and skilful control saw him pick the pocket of defender James Perch, before cutting back along the byline and wrong-footing goalkeeper Christy Pym. That goal doubled City's advantage after a fierce drive from captain Richie Smallwood had put them ahead earlier on, and Richie will hope that helps him put a poor patch of form behind him.

The return of Scott Banks, who played 88 minutes, was another welcome outcome of the Mansfield game, and he could have scored early on – only for Pym to deny him, as well as Tyreik Wright on the rebound. Dion Pereira might have to continue to settle for a place on the bench, although much will depend on whether Hughes wants to see Banks starting a second game in just 5 days having recently recovered from injury.

Highlights:

Bradford City 0 – 1 Harrogate Town (FA Cup)



Mansfield Town 1 – 2 Bradford City



Stockport County 3 – 0 Sutton United



Sutton United 0 – 2 Farnborough (FA Cup)



Outlook:

If the Stockport County result was an anomaly for Sutton United, losing to Farnborough in the FA Cup will have come as a very unwelcome continuation of poor form. A team that had fairly recently snapped a five-game losing run, Sutton United fans might fear the worst, as the team with the second-best away record in the division come calling.

Sutton United aren't bad at home; 4 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats have seen them collect the same number of points at Gander Green Lane as Bradford City have at Valley Parade, despite having played 1 fewer home fixture – but given that City fans have been bemoaning their home points tally, it would be inaccurate to suggest Sutton's haul at home is anything other than average. In fact, Sutton sit 14th in the home table, although they could rise as high as 4th with a win over City.

While the game has the hallmarks of a banana skin – Bradford City will do well not to dismiss Sutton United's capabilities – losing Omar Bugiel is a blow, and if the FA Cup game against Farnborough is anything to go by, they have yet to deal with that well.

All things being equal, it's hard to look past Bradford City's surging form away from Valley Parade, and the 2-1 scoreline against Mansfield Town could have been so different had the decision to red card Platt gone their way. Bradford City were looking at their comfortable best, without delaying attacks and over-focussing on possession.

Quick, incisive attacks and neat forward-driving moves, as well as good pressure on the defence, saw City put in their best performance since a 1-0 away at Salford City – and record their first two-goal haul since a 2-2 draw against AFC Wimbledon.

If City can put their lean spell in front of goal behind them, they should be significant favourites in this tie.

Odds:

8/5: Sutton United
11/5: Draw
17/10: Bradford City

Predicted Outcome (THE VOICE):

Sutton United 0 – 2 Bradford City