Hopkin delighted to see Bradford end losing run

Posted Sunday, September 30, 2018 by PA

Head coach David Hopkin was delighted to see Bradford end their five match losing run with a 0-0 home draw against Bristol Rovers but claimed his side ought to have been awarded a penalty in the second half during a strong spell of pressure.

The incident came in the 64th minute after Sean Scannell hit the post with a right foot shot after substitute Jack Payne put him through on goal.

The ball rebounded to Eoin Doyle and Hopkin claimed defender Tony Craig handled the ball when he cleared the Bradford striker’s shot off the line.

“I have just seen it again,” said Hopkin. “It was a penalty. The ball was handled with the player’s hand above his head. I hoped there was someone who must have seen it.”

Hopkin also claimed Bradford ought to have had a goal in the 74th minute when George Miller put the ball in the net, but was the effort was ruled out for offside.

He said: “These are massive calls.”

This was the first point for Hopkin, who had seen his new team lose their first three matches since he took charge at Valley Parade in early September and he was full of praise for his young, injury-hit side.

He said: “The application of the players was fantastic and the back four were magnificent. We were just happy that they didn’t break away and score after all the hard work we had done.

“I brought on Jack Payne, he got on the ball and changed it and I thought there was only one team that was going to win the game in the second half.

“I was delighted with the clean sheet – that is a building block – and I thought we deserved the three points.”

After a bad start to the season, Rovers have now been beaten only once in their last five League matches, but manager Darrell Clarke said: “We have got to keep improving.

“I thought we had a lot of control in the first half. Fair play to Bradford – they came into it in the second half, but I still think we created the better chances.

“The back three worked well, but defensive work starts from the front and the two strikers did well backed up by a strong defensive line behind them.”

Clarke, who thought his side deserved to win said he did not see the alleged handling offence that Hopkin highlighted.

Both sides hit the post in the first half. Ed Upson struck the upright in the fifth minute for the visitors after the Bradford defence failed to clear a corner and then George Miller raced 30 yards only for his angled shot rebound off the upright in the 24th minute.

Bradford goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell denied the visitors in the 83rd minute with superb diving save from substitute Liam Sercombe.