Town turned in a resolute display to beat Bradford City 1-0 in the Sky Bet League One at The County Ground earlier this afternoon.
On a cold winters day at SN1, fans from both sides were kept entertained with chances arriving at either end of the pitch.
However, it was the home side who were on top and after peppering the Bradford goal with a flurry of efforts, it took a stunning strike from Anton Rodgers to nudge them ahead.
Mark Marshall and James Hanson were both off-target for Bradford as the Reds were able to take a 1-0 lead in at the break.
Bradford tried their best to get back into the game in the second-half but the Robins produced a real gutsy display to grind out the victory and claim the spoils.
Town made two changes to face The Bantams, with one of those enforced as Michael Doughty replaced the suspended Conor Thomas.
James Brophy returned from a spell on the sidelines to take his place in the starting XI, with Sean Murray dropping to the bench.
Jon Obika was once again tasked with leading the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and the striker was also handed the captain’s armband for the second game running.
Both sides flexed their attacking muscles in what was a frantic start to proceedings. Darnell Furlong flashed a header inches wide from John Goddard’s corner before Marc McNulty could only prod wide from close-range at the other end of the pitch after being teed up by Mark Marshall.
Town had made a real bright start to the game and were creating plenty of chances with Michael Doughty hammering over before Nathan Delfouneso saw his shot pushed around the post by Colin Doyle.
And the Reds were so close to taking the lead from the resulting corner as Lloyd Jones saw his header trickle across the line and Raphael Rossi-Branco then thudded an effort wide after Bradford could only half-clear the danger.
But that was a sign of things to come and Town were rewarded for keeping their foot on the gas just shy of the twenty-minute mark.
Awarded a free-kick about 30-yards out in a central position, Anton Rodgers stepped up to curl home a beautiful effort beyond Doyle and into the top corner.
It could have been even better for the hosts just minutes later but Doyle was alert to get a strong hand to push Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill’s drive out for a corner after the defender was played in by Delfouneso.
Bradford were very much on the ropes although they came close to an equaliser just before half-time with Marshall arrowing a shot just over the bar.
The Bantams then breached the Town defence once more but were again let down by wasteful finishing with James Hanson only able to blaze over from inside the area after being picked out perfectly by Nathaniel Knight-Percival.
Bradford started the second-half the brighter of the two teams and tried their luck in-front of goal on a couple of occasions early on.
Hanson saw his stooping header comfortably saved by Vigouroux before the latter did well to hold Josh Cullen’s venomous half-volley.
Town were then forced into a change with Tom Smith replacing the injured Ormonde-Ottewill.
Smith did brilliantly well to hook a high, bouncing ball with a Bradford attacker advancing behind him rapidly, before the Reds were a whisker away from doubling their advantage.
Furlong whipped in a dangerous looking ball into the area and Delfouneso leapt highest to meet the cross, but the striker was unable to get his header on target.
Town went close again in the final fifteen minutes with Obika doing well to turn his man on the edge of the area but he could only warm the palms of Doyle.
Town were having to do plenty of defending but were doing it well although they had a brief scare when Hanson’s header thumped against the post.
Hanson then saw his tame effort saved comfortably by Vigouroux and Obika lashed over at the other end before Romain Vincelot nodded wide in the dying minutes to ensure that Town ran out deserving winners.
TEAMS AND STATS:
SCORERS - Anton Rodgers (19)
TOWN - Vigouroux; Furlong, Rossi-Branco, Jones, Ormonde-Ottewill (Tom Smith 50); Rodgers, Doughty; Delfouneso (Luke Norris 72), Goddard, Brophy (Ellis Iandolo 45); Obika (C).
Subs Not Used - Henry, Evans, Murray, Young.
BRADFORD CITY - Doyle; Darby (Jordy Hiwula 82), Vincelot (C), Knight-Percival, Meredith; Marshall (Filipe Morais 72), Dieng, Law, Cullen; McNulty (Haris Vuckic 65), Hanson.
Subs Not Used - Sattelmaier, Kilgallon, McArdle, Devine.
Referee - Graham Horwood
BOOKINGS:
TOWN - Ellis Iandolo, Michael Doughty
BRADFORD CITY - Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Romain Vincelot
ATTENDANCE - 6,344
