Match Report

Vale midfielder David Howland fired home a second half winner to send promotion chasers Bradford City crashing to a fourth defeat on the bounce.

The Bantams lost at home in the league for only the second time this season and manager Stuart McCall faces an uphill task as he tries to revive their faltering play-off challenge.

Howland finished off a smart counter-attack three minutes after the break and the visitors defended resolutely as City pressed late on.

Dean Glover's Vale side set out their stall to frustrate City early on and their organisation got its reward as the home side stuttered in front of their increasingly anxious fans.

There were few clear-cut chances in a stop-start first half and an erratic display by referee Steve Bratt did little to help the game flow.

City gave home debuts to Keith Gillespie and new on-loan signing Paul Mullin and struggled to create any sustained pressure against their hard-working rivals.

Bradford were cursing their luck as several goalmouth scrambles failed to produce the breakthrough and they were stunned when Howland put the the visitors ahead soon after the interval. Gillespie's wayward pass caught his team-mates on the back foot and as Paul Marshall surged forward City's defence always looked stretched.

The Vale man enjoyed the luck of the bounce when he rode Matt Clarke's challenge and the ball fell to Howland he calmly beat keeper Rhys Evans with a low shot from 14 yards.

Bradford skipper Graeme Lee posed a threat from corners and free-kicks and the City man was unlucky to see two of his headers booted off the line.

Substitute Chris Brandon almost snatched a dramatic equaliser when he fired a volley over and Lee saw another header go straight into the arms of Joe Anyon.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides