BANTAMS LEAVE IT LATE AT POSH
ADRAMATIC comeback can kickstart struggling Bradford City’s season according to boss David Hopkin after a thrilling draw at Peterborough.
Posh led 2-0 heading into the 84th minute against their fellow League One opponents, thanks to goals from Ivan Toney and Siriki Dembele.
But a wonder strike from defender Kelvin Mellor, which found the top corner from nearly 30 yards, was followed by an 89th-minute equaliser from substitute Luca Colville, that found its way in from the edge of the area via a deflection off Posh centre-half Rhys Bennett.
The Bantams are bottom of League One but, asked if the comeback can spark their season, Hopkin said: “I think it always does.
“Going in at half-time twonil down I was disappointed. I challenged the players to make sure we are still in hat on Monday. This feels like a victory for us and the fans.
“It was a fantastic strike from Kelvin Mellor to beat a goalkeeper of six foot eight. I thought it was special at the time and it gave us momentum.
“I think Bradford fans will turn up in numbers for the replay. By then we will know who we will have in the next round. Peterborough will be favourites, but we will have the crowd at home.
“I’ve been delighted with the way we’ve been playing over the last six weeks. And we’ve shown great character to come back today.
“Plymouth on Saturday will be another difficult game – both teams need to take something out of it.”
Toney had opened the scoring in the 29th minute, finishing at the back post from a Marcus Maddison cross, before playing in Siriki Dembele in the first minute of first-half injury time to finish precisely across goal.
Those goals appeared to have sealed a fourth year in a row for Posh in the third round until Mellor and Colville struck late.
Peterborough manager Steve Evans said: “We can only be disappointed. They’ve had two efforts at goal – one was a wonder strike and the other was a ricochet which beat the goalkeeper.
“We had numerous chances in the first half – we were outstanding in the first half. We were not so fluent in the second, but had numerous overflows.
“The big moment for me is when the assistant gives a free-kick against Maddison when he is clean through on goal – it’s never a free-kick.
“But credit to Bradford as they were down and out. You know you’re going to have withstand five or six minutes of pressure, but they get the luck of the deflection. We didn’t get any luck, it’s hard to take. But two-nil up we should see it through.
“In the second-half we almost wanted to walk the ball into the net and we were punished, but we live to fight another day in 10 days’ time.”