PAYNE IS GOING TO PAY PRICE – HURST
GRIMSBY manager Paul Hurst, angered by the sending-off of Stefan Payne for appearing to headbutt team-mate Filipe Morais, admits Payne may not feature for the club again this season.
The incident occurred at the end off the first half, three minutes after defensive midfielder Anthony O’Connor had scored what proved to be Bradford’s winning goal with a close-range header from Gareth Evans’ cross.
Payne, apparently annoyed that former Bradford player Morais had delivered a misplaced pass, then appeared to headbutt his own player and was shown the red card by referee James Bell as the players left the field after a minute’s stoppage time had been allowed.
Hurst, who came close to being appointed Bradford manager after Stuart McCall was sacked last December, said: “I am angry. It is something you can’t defend. The two players have let the club down, the pair of them. They have let their team-mates down and fans down.
“He (Payne) will get a three-match ban for being sent off, but I have got some thinking to do before I decide whether he plays again for the club before the end of the season.”
In an even opening half, it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that Bradford took the lead.
In a battle of limited chances, Andy Cook saw a diving header deflected for a corner after the Grimsby defence failed to clear Connor Wood’s left-wing cross.
The visitors could only partially clear the resulting corner, and when Evans returned the ball into the goalmouth, O’Connor scored with a diving header from close range as Morais flicked the ball towards his own goal.
After the departure of Payne, Grimsby made a determined bid for an equaliser, with their best effort coming in the 74th minute when Bradford keeper Richard O’Donnell did well to block a fierce shot from substitute Harry Clifton.
Wood came close to increasing Bradford’s lead with a shot that hit the crossbar, but the victory was theirs.
The result leaves the Bantams three points off a play-off place and Bradford manager Mark Trueman said: “It was a hard-earned three points. We knew the qualities Grimsby had got.
“They came into the game with an eight-match unbeaten run and we had to be aware of the threat they posed and find our way to win.
“Their aerial threat is key to their game and we had to keep our concentration.
“We were disappointed we hit the crossbar in the second half. That was our biggest chance to increase our lead, but I will take a 1-0 win at this stage of the season. All we can do is to keep winning matches and see where we end up.”