The Voice - Match preview #45: Bradford City vs Bolton Wanderers Saturday 25th April 2026 3:00pm

EFL League One Fixture #45
Saturday 25th April 2026 15:00
Bradford City (4th) vs Bolton Wanderers (3rd)
University of Bradford Stadium

Record:
Games Won: 15
Games Drawn: 19
Games Lost: 19

Last 5:
05 Sep 2020: Bolton Wanderers 1 – 2 Bradford City [EFL Cup]
27 Oct 2020: Bolton Wanderers 1 – 0 Bradford City
06 Mar 2021: Bradford City 1 – 1 Bolton Wanderers
22 Nov 2025: Bolton Wanderers 0 – 0 Bradford City
02 Dec 2025: Bolton Wanderers 3 – 0 Bradford City [EFL Trophy]

Bolton Wanderers:
Every bit as hard to beat as automatic promotees Cardiff City (8 defeats), Bolton Wanderers’ (8 defeats) propensity for draws has cost them an easier path back to the Championship. 17 draws is not only the most in League One, but the highest of any team in the entire EFL. Only Bournemouth have produced a higher draw percentage, with 16 ties from 34 Premier League games representing a whopping 47 % draw rate to Bolton’s 39 % - but the Cherries will still need 1 more to match the Trotters overall tally!

The upside is Bolton Wanderers have lost just 8 times in League One, with their 2 most recent defeats coming against sides at the opposite ends of the table – Port Vale bested Bolton Wanderers 1-0 at Vale Park in late March, before Cardiff City rubber stamped their superiority on the battle for 2nd place with a 2-0 win at the Cardiff City Stadium on April 11. Before that, Wanderers went 13 games unbeaten, a run dating all the way back to January 10th when Peterborough United bested them 3-1 on home soil.

Spotted the pattern? 7 out of Bolton Wanderers total 8 defeats were inflicted on the road, where they have picked up just 6 wins from 22 attempts. That’s still good enough to have Bolton sat in 5th place in the ‘Away’ league table, such are the troubles so many sides have faced away from home this campaign. At home, Bolton Wanderers are an entirely different proposition; Steven Schumacher’s side have tasted defeat at the Toughsheet Community Stadium just once all season, though 8 draws at their own ground have, ultimately, cost them any chance at automatic promotion.

So what can we expect here, in a game where both sides have almost certainly achieved a playoff position? Taking into account the reverse league fixture, a 0-0 draw that Bolton Wanderers probably deserved to sneak, this will be a tight game and a tough out for both teams – though ultimately a draw likely suits both sides to some extent. Bolton Wanderers might be spurred on by their 3-0 defeat of the Bantams in the EFL Trophy, a game in which Ibrahim Cissoko helped himself to a brace before former Premier League forward Marcus Forss added some panache with a third, but neither player has been able to cement a starting position in league competition. Instead, top scorer Mason Burstow (12) has often been preferred, all be it with a heavy dose of squad rotation. Sam Dalby (10), a former striker-cum-midfielder, has also helped himself to double figures this season, while Amario Cozier-Duberry (8) made a blistering start to life in League One – but has since scored in just 1 game in his last 19 outings across all competitions.

6’2 Burstow and 6’3 Dalby provide an obvious threat, though of late Irishman Johnny Kenny (5) has been preferred to Burstow and his goal rate (he’s started just 9 times and made 2 substitute appearances) go some way to indicating why. Also 6’2, the Celtic loanee and former Sligo Rovers man looks a real talent at the tender age of just 22.

Height, however, is not everything; Johnny Kenny’s eye-catching high press is perhaps the attribute that has caused defences most problems in League One, while Mason Burstow is arguably a more athletic style of centre forward, making good runs and carrying the ball well.

Expect Bolton to dominate periods of play despite their foibles away from home, with Schumacher’s men having the second highest ball possession stat in the division (59.02 %), and it will be up to the Bantams to counter that with a high intensity style both offensively and defensively. One thing I perhaps wouldn’t anticipate is the flood of goals that has seen them post a 5-1 win over Stevenage and a 3-3 draw against Huddersfield, both at home. Their most recent away days have looked nothing like those goal fests, with Bolton having failed to score in either game, so a tighter game looks more likely here.

Bolton Wanderers 3 – 3 Huddersfield Town


Bolton Wanderers 5 – 1 Stevenage


Bradford City:
Bradford City’s directive was to avoid defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle, and the players duly achieved that. Full credit to Graham Alexander and his troops, then, as they continued to make do and mend without any of Antoni Sarcevic, Bobby Pointon or Tyreik Wright – 3 of their top 5 goalscorers this season. The 2 other members of the top 5 club, Stephen Humphrys and Will Swan, would combine for the all-important leveller after a superb run and shot from Humphrys fell kindly for Swan to fire home from close range.

That undid the good work of Plymouth, who opened the scoring through Brendan Wiredu as early as the 8th minute, and potentially puts an end to their playoff ambitions – particularly as both Stevenage and Luton Town posted wins to leave the Pilgrims 4 points off 6th place with just 6 points to play for. If Plymouth Argyle do somehow make the playoffs, however, it’s unlikely City will see much to fear should they cross paths. The Bantams, having picked up a 1-0 away win earlier in the season, probably shaded the match overall, leaning heavily on a superior second half display. That they didn’t win another tight game means City have now not won any of their last 3 games, which will be a slight concern ahead of what promises to be an incredibly tight playoff campaign, and all eyes will be on the next game, an equally tough home outing against 3rd place Bolton Wanderers.

While this could, ultimately, be the ‘battle for third place’, Stockport County will also have designs on snatching 3rd despite falling to defeat on Tuesday night at home to Mansfield Town. Just 3 points behind Bolton and 2 behind the Bantams, Stockport County’s say in the final standings cannot yet be overlooked, the Hatters having a game in hand over both teams. That game will take place next Tuesday and will be against newly relegated Port Vale, a game they would fully expect to win.

Regardless, Bradford City can only dictate their own performance, and a win against Bolton Wanderers would be extremely welcome – and could come at the perfect time to send a message to their playoff rivals-to-be. Graham Alexander will likely continue to be without some of his star players, and could even choose to rest a couple of others, though that remains to be seen. For his part, Sarcevic might be available to play against either Bolton Wanderers or Exeter City, no doubt a major boost to Alexander. Pointon and Wright still look a little further off, though Tyreik was out on the grass in training recently, and Pointon could be eyeing the fastest possible route back – even if it means further injury, per the manager.

Bradford City 1 – 1 Plymouth Argyle


Barnsley 2 – 2 Bradford City

 

Prediction:
In what could be a prelude to either a playoff semi-final or even a playoff final at Wembley, Bradford City will host Bolton Wanderers this weekend with the promise of one side (or both) taking their destiny into their own hands. A win will absolutely confirm Bradford City’s top 6 standing, while a point would suffice for the visitors, but this game could be more than that; it could be about sending a message. Bradford City have played Bolton Wanderers twice this season and have yet to score against them, while taking a 3-0 hammering in the FA Trophy. Scoring a goal or two and picking a win would be a huge statement, though there is also the possibility that – because a point a piece would likely suit both parties, realistically – we get something akin to a preseason friendly in terms of performance if not atmosphere.

Surely not, though?

Right?

Bradford City aren’t at their strongest, and haven’t been for a couple of games now, with their most threatening attacking players sidelined. That could continue here, with only Sarcevic sounding like he’s anywhere near contention for a start. Playing any of Sarcevic, Pointon or Tyreik Wright sounds like a major risk, though, and one Graham Alexander and company might not fancy at such a critical stage of the season.

Bolton Wanderers are near full strength, and recent home performances have underlined that the Trotters are a massive goal threat, but away days haven’t produced the same results as we have seen at the Tough Sheet Stadium with back-to-back blanks on the road.

For what it’s worth, I feel like Bolton Wanderers will get a break through tomorrow, particularly with the fine form of natural sharpshooter Johnny Kenny (or Mason Burstow if he’s preferred), but I think with Bradford City having more to play for and – arguably – more to prove here, they should be the ones dictating the urgency in this game. Bolton Wanderers like to have the ball; if they get it, expect prolonged periods where they try to work openings, and it will be down to the Bantams to prevent them from finding their rhythm.

I think Bradford City will be able to do that. This prediction could be miles off, given the unique nature of both sides’ standings ahead of the playoffs, but the pick will be a 2-1 home win, with City starting strongly and finishing strongly after a bit of a mid-game lull where Bolton Wanderers take over. Bolton’s tactics might just suit City here, on home soil, and let’s hope some of the fringe players take their chances and further press their claims for a starting berth in the hugely important games to come. George Lapslie and Kayden Jackson in particular could lay down a major, major marker.

Final Score:
Bradford City 2 – 1 Bolton Wanderers