INSPIRED VICTORY THRILLS BOWYER
GARY BOWYER, delighted with his first win as Bradford City manager, said he expects the standard set by the players in the home win against Peterborough United to continue in the remaining 10 games.
The former Blackburn and Blackpool boss said: “This is how it must be in every game. The players have set the standard – they, themselves, spoke about it in the dressing room after the match.”
A tight match changed dramatically as Bradford scored three goals in 16 second-half minutes.
Jacob Butterfield, who had struck the woodwork with a free-kick in the seventh minute, broke the deadlock in the 70th minute with a low left shot from the edge of the box – his first goal for Bradford, the home town club he joined from Derby County on transfer deadline day.
Leading scorer Eoin Doyle added a second in the 83rd minute with a low, left-foot shot from just inside the box after taking pass from David Ball and Lewis O’Brien added a third from close range in the 86th minute from Doyle’s pass.
Marcus Maddison scored a consolation goal for Peterborough two minutes later from the penalty spot after he, himself, had been fouled by Paul Caddis.
Bowyer said: “I am absolutely delighted for the players and the supporters. This is a massive club with fantastic supporters and you could see that today.
“From the time we came out of the tunnel the reception we got from the supporters gave us energy and the players fed off that energy. I thought we grew in confidence as the game went on. We have good bunch of footballers and I am delighted with the response I have had all week.
“My only slight regret is that is that we didn’t get a clean sheet. The penalty was a poor decision. For me it was a great tackle.”
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson said: “We have to look at ourselves. Today was not good enough. The first half we were in control of the game apart from Bradford hitting the bar from the free kick. We just needed to make better decisions around the box.
“In the second half we lost our discipline and one goal became three and the game was over.
“I thought Callum Godden was onside when he headed the ball into the net early in the game, but I am not using that as an excuse. The game changed when their first goal went in.
“Our second half performance wasn’t good enough, but credit to Bradford.” The result leaves Bradford next to the bottom but now only four points from safety instead of six before this game.