Matchday Guide | Bradford City (H)

3 May 2023

Crewe Alexandra will entertain Bradford City in their final home game of 2022-23, on Wednesday (7.45pm).

The Railwaymen will aim to extend their recent unbeaten record at Mornflake Stadium to six games, but it will be a tough task against Mark Hughes's promotion-chasers.

The Opposition

Bradford start the game seventh in League Two, needing just one point from their final two games to be sure of a Play-Off spot. Victory over Crewe would mean automatic promotion is still possible.

A super-consistent run from the Bantams in the second-half of the season has seen them lose just twice in their last 23 outings.

The Gaffer

Manchester United legend Mark Hughes has managed at the highest level with the likes of Manchester City, Blackburn, Fulham and the Welsh national side.

After almost four years out of the game, he took the Bantams job in February 2022 and is now looking for promotion in his first full season in charge at Valley Parade.

Fighting Talk

Lee Bell: "I’m sure the teams in and around Bradford will want a favour, but we have to concentrate on what we want to do, what we want to leave the crowd with, so we have lots of targets to still aim for."

Mark Hughes: "Everything is there for us, we just have to keep going. Keep on doing the right things and good things will happen for us. We enjoyed our win on Saturday, but now we will be working towards Wednesday."

Team news

Lee Bell will run the rule over the likes of Rio Adebisi, Tariq Uwakwe, Charlie Colkett and Charlie Finney, who are all carrying knows. Elliott Nevitt (toe) will miss the final two games.

Adam Clayton is fit and available for Bradford after missing six games through injury.

Head to Head

Crewe have beaten Bradford 36 times, but City have got the upper hand on 43 occasions. The clubs have shared 20 draws.

Officials

Adam Herczeg has been appointed as referee. Assistant referees are Adam Ricketts and Wayne Grunnill, while Simon Mather is fourth official.

Ticket Details

2022/23 League Match Ticket Prices *(Member rate in brackets)*
	Boughey Stand	Rhino Safety Stand	Andrew Connolly Financial Planning Stand
Adult	£25 (£21)	£23 (£20)	£23 (£20)
Senior (65+)	£19 (£16)	£17.50 (£15)	£17.50 (£15)
17-19 Years	(£14.50)	(£13.50)	(£13.50)
Student	(£12.50)	(£12.50)	(£12.50)
12-16 Years	£12 (£10)	£10 (£9.50)	£10 (£9.50)
Under 11	£7.50 (£6)	£6.50 (£5.50)	£6.50 (£5.50)
Disabled	£19 (£16)	£17.50 (£15)	£17.50 (£15)
Family Ticket	N/A	N/A	£23.00*

Click here to purchase your tickets.

How To Find Us

For details on how to get to Mornflake Stadium via rail or road, click HERE.

Can't Make The Game?

Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can watch the clash with Bradford live on iFollow.

An iFollow match pass for Crewe fixtures includes graphics and replays – all for just £10 (or local equivalent).

The action is complemented by commentary from the BBC Radio Stoke team of Graham McGarry and Peter Morse.

Click here to secure your iFollow match pass today and make sure you don’t miss a minute of the contest.

Alternatively, you can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!

Match Reports

Match Report | Crewe 3 Bradford 2

3 May 2023

Long wins it for Alex deep into stoppage time
Brace for Agyei takes tally to 16 for season
Railwaymen make it five home wins on spin

Christopher Long’s 101^st minute penalty sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory for Crewe Alexandra over Bradford City at Mornflake Stadium.

The striker smashed home from the spot deep into stoppage time to make it five home wins on the spin for The Railwaymen.

Earlier, Dan Agyei’s super first-half double had put Crewe in charge at the break, as he took his tally to 16 for the season.

But goals from Andy Cook and Jamie Walker soon after the restart had put the game back in the balance.

However, Lee Bell’s men came through to finish 2022-23 seven unbeaten at home, and move up to 13^th in League Two.

The Manager made two changes to the side that beat Swindon at the weekend. Lachlan Brook’s sparking cameo off the bench in the 2-1 win earned him a starting place at the expense of Courtney Baker-Richardson. And Zac Williams came in at left-back, in place of the injured Charlie Finney.

Bantams skipper Richie Smallwood was booked for tripping Ryan Finnigan as he burst through early on, and Agyei’s effort from the resultant free kick hit the wall.

But on 17 minutes Agyei stormed in from the Alex left with pace and power, and when keeper Harry Lewis advanced, he lifted the opener over him into the far corner.

Kelvin Mellor headed wide as Crewe looked for a second, and Joel Tabiner brought a comfortable save from the away keeper after a run from halfway.

On 40 minutes keeper Tom Booth was called into serious action for the first time and he got down well to his right to palm a Scott Banks drive around the post.

And just before the break Crewe made it 2-0 with a super goal. Trickery from Christopher Long down the left saw him beat Brad Halliday and cross for an easy Agyei tap-in.

Cook pulled one back with a free header from a corner immediately after the restart, and the Bradford fans turned up the volume.

Booth made a good save from a Banks strike from an angle, but on 54 minutes it was 2-2.

A free-kick was lofted into the box and when the ball dropped to Walker, he made no mistake.

Agyei whistled a curler just past the junction of post and bar on the hour mark, and Brook stuck the hands of Lewis from a rifled effort 20 yards out.

Long was close with an outrageous effort from fully 35 yards as Crewe began to get on top again, while at the other end Booth did well to hold a Smallwood drive from a set-piece routine.

The busy Booth was again called into action to deny Banks from an angle as the game entered its final 10 minutes, and had a simple save to make from a Cooke header shortly after.

The referee signalled 10 minutes of injury time, and sub Courtney Baker-Richardson was inches wide after bustling through on goal just as the fourth official’s board was raised.

The game could have gone either way, as Bradford pushed to try to keep their hopes of automatic promotion alive.

But it was Crewe who nicked it, as Callum Ainley found fellow sub David Amoo in the box, and he was fouled.

Long kept his composure amid the commotion to rifle home from 12 yards and send the Alex faithful home happy.

Crewe (4-3-3): Booth; Mellor, O’Riordan, McDonald, Williams (Adebisi, 46); Thomas, Tabiner (Amoo, 94), Finnigan; Agyei (Ainley, 88), Brook (Baker-Richardson, 68), Long.

Subs not used: Richards, Griffiths, Colkett.

Booked: Williams, Agyei, Baker-Richardson.

Bradford (4-4-2): Lewis; Halliday, Stubbs, Crichlow, Ridehalgh; Banks, Gilliead, Smallwood, Eisa (Osadebe, 70); Cook, Walker (Derbyshire, 90).

Subs not used: Doyle, Platt, East, Pereira, Clayton.

Booked: Smallwood, Gilliead.

Referee: A Herczeg.

Attendance: 6,123 (2,314).