Swindon Town

JONATHAN Obika netted twice on his second Swindon debut to earn the Town a 2-1 win at Bradford City.

The deadline-day arrival from Tottenham Hotspur netted twice before the break after Mark Cooper’s men had fallen behind to Jason Kennedy’s goal.

Of Town’s deadline day signings, only Obika was included in the starting XI. Jack Stephens was not part of the matchday squad due to illness. There was also a recall to the side for the previously suspended skipper, Nathan Thompson. Josh Lelan and Andy Williams both had to be content with a place among the substitutes.

The game was just two minutes old when a slip by Nathan Thompson at the back allowed the home side a run on goal. Billy Clarke and Wes Foderingham went for a 50/50 challenge which Foderingham appeared to win. The referee, however, pointed to the spot. Alan Sheehan stepped up to the penalty but Foderingham dived the right way and pushed it away from danger.

Minutes later though, the home side did hit the front. A simple ball down the Town right flank allowed the Bantams to put the ball in the box where Jason Kennedy, under pressure from Nathan Thompson, slid in to guide the ball beyond Foderingham and into the corner.

At the other end, Yaser Kasim lined up a free kick and struck it left-footed towards the top corner. The ball appeared to be going in but at the last second, Jordan Pickford stretched out an arm to paw it away from goal.

Just over the midway point of the half, Mark Cooper’s men found the equaliser. A corner from the Town right was swung all the way across to Michael Smith who had peeled off his marker to take up a deep position. He helped the corner back into the danger area where Jonathan Obika was on hand to nod the ball into the back of the net.

Moments later, Town poured forward on the break and Massimo Luongo saw his effort go across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.

Before the break, Obika struck again to give the visitors the lead. Another set piece, this time from the right, was whipped in by Nathan Byrne towards the striker. The ball struck one of the bodies in the box and dropped at the feet of the striker who gleefully accepted the invitation to smash home high into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

Town started the second half where they had left off at the end of the first, putting pressure on the Bradford goal.

Rapha Branco headed over from a corner and Obika saw his effort blocked behind for a corner. Nathan Byrne’s vicious cross was also scrambled clear with Michael Smith lurking.

Wes Foderingham then took centre stage once more, turning Alan Sheehan’s free kick behind. The Bradford defender went close again when his free kick whistled past the post.

In the six minutes of added time, the Town stopper produced another wonderful save, throwing himself across to his left to push away a header that was heading just inside the post.

As the home side penned Town further back into their half, some stern defending kept the Bantams at bay before tempers boiled over with moments remaining. After Yaser Kasim was fouled on the touchline, the scuffle that ensued ended with Sheehan being given his marching orders.