A six-match unbeaten run has seen Town nudge towards the fifty-point mark in our first season back in the EFL and Paul Hurst’s men will take that good run of form to West Yorkshire tomorrow to take on Bradford City.
Despite dominating throughout Tuesday’s match away to Crawley Town, the Mariners were pegged back by a late Dominic Telford penalty saw the hosts pick up a point in a 1-1 draw. That said, the Mariners currently sit in seventh-place in the six-match form table in Sky Bet League two, unbeaten in that time and only one league defeat in ten games.
That form will be tested tomorrow at Valley Parade against a Bradfor side who, like Town, find themselves in the midst of a lengthy unbeaten run.
Team News
Manager Hurst made four changes from the draw against Walsall for Tuesday’s match at Crawley Town with Luke Waterfall, Michee Efete and Ryan Taylor all absent from the squad while midfielder Kieran Green dropped to the bench.
Josh Emmanuel – in at right-back for Efete – impressed once again while Alex Hunt and Otis Khan came into the line-up to replace Green and Taylor. Harry Clifton was the other man who started, replacing Luke Waterfall in a change of shape from the three centre halves that Hurst has adopted in the second half of this campaign.
Owen Gallacher made his return to action when he came off the bench in the second-half along with fellow wide man Sean Scannell, the latter making his first appearance for the first-team since our home match against Salford City in December.
Bradford City
Tomorrow’s hosts sit in 7th place in League Two, occupying the final play-off spot with a three-point advantage over Mansfield Town who are one place below.
Each of their last four matches have ended in draws, the last of which coming against Carlisle United at Valley Parade.
The Bantams boast the league’s top-scorer this season in the shape of experienced striker and former Mariner Andy Cook, the 32-year-old having scored 22 goals for the West Yorkshire club so far this term. He spent two seasons with Town between 2012 and 2014.
Also in Bradford’s ranks are experienced EFL campaigners Richie Smallwood, Vadaine Oliver and Adam Clayton while defender Luke Hendrie is another former Mariner who could line up against Hurst’s men on Saturday afternoon.
Mark Hughes has been in charge of the West Yorkshire club since February last year with the former Wales boss taking up his first managerial job since leaving Southampton in 2018.
Previous Meetings
The reverse fixture of the match ended in a 0-0 draw at Blundell Park back in October. The two teams have faced each other 64 times in the past with the Mariners winning 18 of those compared to Bradford’s 29.
Our last victory over the Bantams came in October 1998 with the Mariners winning 2-0 at Blundell Park in Division One.
Referee
Charles Breakspear will be the referee tomorrow afternoon. His last Mariners match was our Emirates FA Cup Third Round triumph over Burton Albion He will be assisted by Black Antrobus and Dumitru-Ravel Cheosiaua.
Coverage
Our match against Bradford City will be available for overseas supporters to watch live on Mariners TV. Match passes are available for £10 HERE.
UTM
