Bradford claim first win under new boss Graham Alexander against Accrington

By Sports Desk November 25, 2023

Bradford claimed a first win under new boss Graham Alexander, beating Accrington 1-0 to end a run of four consecutive league losses.

Tyler Smith scored a well-taken goal in the second half at Valley Parade – his sixth in six games.

The first half was a cagey affair with few incidents of note as the sides cancelled each other out.

The best moment fell for Accrington after 16 minutes when Korede Adedoyin got in behind marker Matty Platt but his shot was blocked at the near post by Harry Lewis.

Bradford got into some promising positions without threatening the Accrington goal.

Jamie Walker should have done better when Andy Cook chested Ciaran Kelly’s long pass into his path but fired well wide.

Centre-half Ash Taylor also should have hit the target with his header from Richie Smallwood’s free-kick early in the second half.

But Bradford broke the deadlock after 58 minutes when Kelly’s long pass picked out Smith to clip the ball over keeper Jon McCracken after Andy Cook had let the ball run through.

Related items

  • Messi 'will be our No.10 in 2026', hopes Inter Miami chief Mas Messi 'will be our No.10 in 2026', hopes Inter Miami chief Mas

    Inter Miami fully expect Lionel Messi to remain at the club beyond his current contract ahead of the 2026 MLS season. 

    Those were the words of Miami's club managing owner, Jorge Mas, who was speaking to the media following Gerardo Martino's resignation earlier on Friday. 

    Messi joined the MLS side in July 2023 on a two-and-a-half-year contract, leading the Herons to the Supporters' Shield and Leagues Cup during his time in the United States so far.

    His current deal is due to expire at the end of next year, though Mas made clear his desire to see Messi remain with the Herons at Miami Freedom Park, the club's new stadium that will open in 2026. 

    "He’s under contract through 2025. Leo and I will sit, and we’ll discuss the future,” Mas said. 

    “As I’ve said before, and I will repeat it now: I fully expect that in the opening of our new stadium in 2026 in Miami and the opening of our 2026 season, hopefully after a trophy-laden 2025 season, that Lionel Messi will be our No. 10.”

  • Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner

    Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training. 

    Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term. 

    The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.

    She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.

    But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.

    "We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said. 

    "But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.

    "So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.

    "The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.

    "But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."

  • Man United could be without Toone until Christmas, says Skinner Man United could be without Toone until Christmas, says Skinner

    Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training. 

    Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term. 

    The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.

    She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.

    But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.

    "We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said. 

    "But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.

    "So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.

    "The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.

    "But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.