Bradford boss Graham Alexander felt the officials did not give his side a fair crack of the whip in their 2-1 League Two defeat at Walsall.
Saddlers substitute Danny Johnson’s 88th-minute winner settled a pulsating affair in which each side enjoyed dominant spells but spurned multiple chances.
“It’s difficult to digest that we didn’t come out with a point because I felt we deserved that over the whole game,” said Alexander, after a second defeat in three.
“Walsall were the better team in the first 20 minutes and put us under a lot of pressure – they caused us problems because their front two were allowed to compete.
“We got nothing from the (referee for) 50-50 duels – both teams had a big striker, one was allowed to compete, one wasn’t.
“At 1-1 we bring on a bit of extra firepower to try to win the game but unfortunately Vadaine wasn’t allowed to compete at the same level as [Walsall’s] Jamille Matt.
“We lost two centre-halves [to injury] and had to change shape but I thought the team was excellent in the way they approached the second half. It was constant pressure from us.
“With everything that went against us, we were still trying to get the winner and their second goal is a sucker punch.”
Walsall sit fourth after a fourth win in six games, earned through Johnson’s late header from fellow sub Albert Adomah’s cross.
They ended their penalty curse – having missed three spot-kicks already this season – when Taylor Allen tucked home after Richie Smallwood’s foul on Charlie Lakin.
But Bradford punished one-on-one misses from Walsall strikers Nathan Lowe and Matt when Olly Sanderson levelled.
Bradford’s Clarke Oduor missed a sitter from six yards as the Bantams bossed the second half before Johnson rewarded a late Walsall rally with the winner.
“After 35 minutes we could have been three or four up, I thought we were absolutely brilliant,” said Walsall boss Mat Sadler.
“The threat we posed was evident, we had worked on how we wanted to hurt them and we were doing that over and over again.
“We had to show a different side in the second half – there was clearly a 10-minute spell where they were on top and we had to defend for our lives in the penalty area, and we did that.
“But we thoroughly deserved the win, we had to win in loads of different ways and that’s what makes me most proud.
“When you score late goals like we did today and like we have done in other games already, it shows the energy in the team and the willingness to keep running.
“Danny had three chances on goal after coming on and that shows our willingness to be on the front foot.”
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
