League Two: Bradford booed off after blow to play-off hopes

The Bantams had hoped to close to within four points of seventh-placed AFC Wimbledon, and two of Newport County, by responding to their home hammering by Mansfield last weekend.

However, they were once again booed by their fans at Valley Parade after being leapfrogged by the Magpies.

Macaulay Langstaff, with his 25th goal of the season, and two from Alassana Jatta sealed a comfortable 3-0 win for Stuart Maynard’s side, who had picked up just one point from their previous six matches.

It was only the Magpies' second win since the turn of the year, with the other being their 3-1 triumph at Rodney Parade.

They are long shots for the top seven – four behind the Exiles, six off the play-offs – after their disastrous run of form but boss Stuart Maynard liked what he saw in Yorkshire.

League Two (Image: EFL)

The manager, who replaced Luke Williams after he left for Swansea, said: “I feel it is just a start. It’s been coming within the group.

“The confidence has stayed very high and the performance levels have been very good. The work ethic from everyone was outstanding.

“It was a huge credit for the lads to play the way they did with the ball on the ground on that pitch.

“The message at half-time was that we needed to keep playing with the same intensity and you saw the answer.

“You have to be brave when you come to somewhere like Bradford and the expectation they have. To keep moving the ball and take the sting out the game is huge.”

It was a third home defeat in a row for Bradford, whose supporters let their feelings known as the season drifts to a disappointing end.

Manager Graham Alexander said: “That was nothing like Saturday. I thought the players committed to the game and the supporters responded to that.

“There was loads of energy and we had enough opportunities in the final third before they scored.

“But the first time they enter our box, a deflected shot lands on their striker’s toe three yards out and he pokes it in.

“I was wanting to see how the players reacted and they responded well. The supporters could see that.

“We hit the post but then the opposition have gone up the other end and scored.

“I don’t want it to be a narrative that pre-empts the next few games. We can’t just talk about luck because we have to be more clinical when we have those chances.

“I think they showed why they’ve scored 70-odd goals this season and over 100 last season – and why we have struggled to score the goals we need to win.”