The Voice - Match preview #17: Bradford City vs Accrington Stanley Saturday 23rd November 2024 3:00pm * Game offf

EFL League Two Fixture #17
Saturday 23rd November 2024 15:00
Bradford City (9th) vs Accrington Stanley (16th)
University of Bradford Stadium (AKA Valley Parade)

Record:
Games Won: 7
Games Drawn: 5
Games Lost: 8

Last 5:
13 Oct 2018: Accrington Stanley 3 – 1 Bradford City
01 Jan 2019: Bradford City 3 – 0 Accrington Stanley
08 Aug 2023: Accrington Stanley 1 – 1 Bradford City [EFL Cup]
25 Nov 2023: Bradford City 1 – 0 Accrington Stanley
09 Mar 2024: Accrington Stanley 0 – 3 Bradford City

Accrington Stanley
A truly dismal start to the season saw John Doolan’s Accrington Stanley locked in a head-to-head battle with Derek Adams’ Morecambe for last place, but things have since improved significantly for ‘Owd Reds. After picking up just 3 draws from their first 8 league games, as well as suffering defeats in both the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy, the League Two trapdoor seemed to be beckoning for the Lancashire side.

It would be a 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Morecambe back in early October that would begin their climb up the League Two table. Ex-Bradford City loanee Dara Costelloe netted a double in that crucial foot-of-the-table clash, and though an EFL Trophy defeat to Tranmere Rovers (who also beat them in the EFL Cup First Round) came next, Doolan led his side to two further league wins over Gillingham and Barrow. 9 points from a possible 9, then, and suddenly Accrington were no longer the team everyone wanted to play!

MK Dons narrowly beat Stanley 2-1 in a scarcely-deserved defeat for Doolan’s troops, after which high flyers Walsall went to the Crown Ground and could only claim a point following a 0-0 draw. That defeat to MK Dons on 22nd October has been their most recent defeat, with Stanley recording wins over Everton U21’s in the EFL Trophy and Rushall Olympic in the FA Cup, before picking up 5 points from a possible 9 with a win and 2 draws against Chesterfield (3-0), Swindon Town (2-2) and AFC Wimbledon (2-2). By no means an ‘easy’ set of opponents, it was Accrington’s entirely ruthless and resounding win over Chesterfield that really caught the eye. John Doolan’s men needed just 22.5 % of possession to secure victory through Josh Woods, Zach Awe and Jimmy Knowles, but proved that possession really can be the weakest statistic of all – it’s not how much of the ball you have, it’s what you do with it!

Things haven’t entirely gone Accrington Stanley’s way, however, as they will have been disappointed to only pick up a point in a game against Swindon Town that saw them have a full 16 shots on goal, and it’s possible the nature of their 2-2 draw against AFC Wimbledon this past Tuesday night could have taken some wind out of their sails. Accrington found themselves 2-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in the 90th minute – but still failed to hold on to win!

Nelson Khumbeni had netted a screamer to set Accrington on their way in the 58th minute, and when Dara Costelloe netted his 5th league goal of the season so far on the 75th minute, it looked like curtains for their on-form opponents. But if the fat lady was warming up to sing, something must have caught in her throat when Alistair Smith halved the deficit for the Dons in the 89th minute! A long, hopeful free kick lofted into the area was not dealt with well after a solid-enough punch from Accrington goalkeeper Billy Crellin, and Smith somehow found the ball lined up for a clinical volley from the edge of the area. The late drama wasn’t over, nor was that goal a mere consolation. James Tilley sent the home fans into raptures with a long range effort defied Crellin securing the unlikeliest of points!

John Doolan must now pick his side up after back-to-back draws – both games Accrington Stanley were ahead in – as they visit off-form Bradford City. That said, it should be easy enough to motivate a team that have lost just 1 game in 9, and who no longer look like realistic relegation candidates.

AFC Wimbledon 2 – 2 Accrington Stanley

Accrington Stanley 2 – 2 Swindon Town


Bradford City:
As Accrington Stanley get it together at last, Bradford City have hit a patch of poor-to-middling form that has seen them drop out of the playoff picture – for now. Still just 2 points off 7th place, the fact several teams around them (including AFC Wimbledon, Gillingham and Fleetwood Town) all have games in hand on them suggest they may be in a false position sat in 9th place. Things will look increasingly grim if Accrington Stanley are able to make a successful raid of the University of Bradford Stadium on Saturday, as that would see the one-time relegation candidates just 2 points behind City in the table. It would also, of course, extend Graham Alexander’s sides’ 4-game winless run in League Two competition.

The sole victory since Bradford City bested Gillingham at home on 19th October was a 3-1 win over non-league Aldershot Town in the FA Cup – and even that game was not going well for the duration of the first half. Still, Bradford City will feel they deserved all 3 points against draw specialists Colchester United, and quite where referee Carl Brook found 10 additional minutes of stoppage time is really anybody’s guess. Still, Danny Cowley was not impressed by Bradford City’s performance, accusing City of “time wasting” from the “moment they scored”. Cowley also bemoaned a penalty appeal that went unawarded by Brook when Richie Smallwood made a clumsy sliding challenge on Lyle Taylor and felt his side could have had the full 3 points themselves.

Regardless of those differing perspectives, the fact is City failed to defend a 1-0 lead before going on to lose to Rotherham United 1-0 in the EFL Trophy (despite hitting the woodwork 3 times). Getting back in the win column is now more pressing than ever for a City side that still hold some hope of mounting a promotion charge this season.

David Sharpe, Bradford City’s Head of Football Operations, spoke on Radio Leeds this week to underline that investment would be made in the right manner this January, blaming injuries as major disruptive factors to City’s progress. While ruling out ‘unsuitable’ contracts for players the club aren’t sure about (a knock, no doubt, on Mark Hughes’ bevvy of 3 year deals), Sharpe alluded to the realistic possibility of loan signings – but seemed to suggest money would also be available for the right players.

January is still a long way away, however, and Bradford City fans will not wish to look so far ahead with a full 7 league games yet to be played between now and then.

Over to you, then, Graham Alexander. With Bradford City in their worst form of the season, it’s important to stem the bloodless with immediate effect. It won’t be lost on anyone the impact of last season’s shocking run of 4 league losses through a dismal March that ultimately cost City any chance at the playoffs. All points lost at this stage of the season with City outside the playoffs will only serve to chip away at the confidence of the fans.

Colchester United 1 – 1 Bradford City

Fleetwood Town 1 – 0 Bradford City

 

Prediction:
Accrington Stanley still seem to have a soft centre to their defence despite making significant improvements in the last 10 or so games. While John Doolan’s men were able to hold high-flyers Walsall and then playoff chasers Chesterfield at bay, back-to-back 2-2 draws – including a late double hammer blow from AFC Wimbledon – underline that the one-time bottom side can be ‘got at’. That will require Bradford City to be on the front foot from the off, however, and City’s recent form hasn’t been where it needs to be in order to make that happen.

Improvements will need to be seen, then, based off of City’s last 3 away games. While Valley Parade has been a happy hunting ground for Bradford City this season, the fact remains the Bantams lost on home soil for the first time last time out in the league – and drew another blank in a losing effort in the EFL Trophy against Rotherham United. Goals, then, seem to have abandoned Bradford City somewhat. Andy Cook still took his chance at Colchester United with an instinctive finish, and also scored a late consolation against Doncaster Rovers in that losing effort, but 3 goals in their last 4 league games is clearly not good enough.

While centre backs Neill Byrne and Jack Shepherd both helped out with goals in October, there has been nothing from City’s other strikers or attacking midfielders, with Vadaine Oliver, Calum Kavanagh, Bobby Pointon and Jamie Walker all suffering tepid spells of form in front of goal. Contrast that with Accrington Stanley, who have seen their last 7 league goals all scored by 7 different players, and it’s clear that Accrington are not only the side in much better form – they’re also showing they have goals throughout their starting XI.

It might be Dara Costelloe, though, who is most eager to make his mark this Saturday. The former City loanee had a dismal, goalless spell up front under Mark Hughes in 2023, and had only scored once across 3 different loan spells before striking his first vein of any real form at Accrington Stanley. 5 goals now for a player most City fans probably wrote off to some extent, and even thought 4 of those came in early October, the pressure has been taken off his shoulders by the rest of the team. Unlike Bradford City, perhaps, Accrington’s good form has come about regardless of Costelloe’s individual performance in front of goal, and that bodes well for them. Every team wants the division’s top scorer, but nobody would wish to become entirely reliant on them at the same time.

Saturday looks a slog – but a winnable one. City’s recent record against Accrington Stanley is good, and there must be some impact of AFC Wimbledon’s late double salvo on Tuesday night as the games start to come thick and fast for Stanley. The expectation is that Accrington will score, but Bradford City have it all to prove and no excuses for underestimating a now on-form opponent. The pick will be a 2-1 win for Bradford City that relieves some of the pressure building on a squad that – even with injuries – is expected to challenge for promotion and no mistake. At the core of this prediction lie doubts about Accrington's defence, and their ability to deal with Cook in particular - but also those around him in desperate need of goals.

Final Score:
Bradford City 2 – 1 Accrington Stanley