Stevenage lost 2-0 to Bradford on Saturday, a result that sent the hosts to the top of Sky Bet League One. Antoni Sarcevic's 79th-minute penalty and Will Swan's 87th-minute finish decided an open contest where Stevenage had started brightly but faded after the break.
Dan Kemp forced an early save from Jon McCracken inside the first minute, but Bradford grew into the game. The hosts made a triple substitution at halftime, introducing Nick Powell, Stephen Humphrys and Will Swan. The move paid off when Powell was tripped by Stevenage goalkeeper Tommy Setford, allowing Sarcevic to convert from the spot. Swan then pounced on a loose ball after Setford failed to claim a Humphrys cutback to double the lead.
Stevenage, now ninth in the table with 12 points from eight games, threatened through Ibou Touray and Michael Mellon but found McCracken in resilient form. The defeat ends a recent positive run of form for Steve Evans's side, who had won three of their last five league matches before this trip to Valley Parade. Their recent form now reads three wins and two losses from the last five, following a sequence of results that included a 1-0 win over Wigan and a 2-1 victory against Leicester earlier this month. The team has scored 12 goals and conceded eight this season, giving them a goal difference of plus four.
Manager Michael Duff said the win was Bradford's first under his management and took them to the summit. Stevenage must now regroup quickly ahead of a tough home fixture against league leaders Plymouth on Tuesday night. That match on Tuesday 20 October presents a significant challenge against the side sitting seven points clear at the top of the table.
More detail at Sky Sports
