Bradford 0 Newport 3: County go top of League Two

The Exiles triumphed at Valley Parade to leapfrog previous leaders Cambridge, scoring three goals for the first time since beating Bury 3-1 in April, 2019, a 47-game streak.

They were also rock solid at the back for a third clean sheet on the spin – it’s 299 minutes since Paul Mullin’s second goal at Cambridge.

It was a superb and full deserved second away win of the week after the 1-0 triumph at Stevenage and it could have been even more comprehensive.

It took just 41 seconds for central defender Mickey Demetriou to find the back of the net with a powerful left-footed drive.

Then shortly after coming onto the field because of an injury to Saikou Janneh, Padraig Amond side-footed home with trademark poise to provide County with some margin for error after 44 minutes.

They could, perhaps should, have made it more comfortable as the Bantams chased the game but Matty Dolan stroked home a penalty in injury time to seal the spoils.

Flynn named the same side for the third game running, resisting the temptation to freshen up his XI.

The manager has frequently stated that he will have to tinker with the line-up to protect players in a hectic schedule but that can wait until next week when Colchester and Harrogate head to Rodney Parade.

Last season’s fixture was played in front of 14,000 fans, when James Vaughan’s penalty was the difference after the now-Tranmere striker had been brought down by goalkeeper Nick Townsend.

This time the Exiles stopper headed to Yorkshire hunting a third clean sheet on the spin – and opposite number Richard O’Donnell’s aim of enjoying a zero were over after just 41 seconds.

County kicked off and put the pressure on to earn a throw-in that Demetriou launched into the box.

It went all the way through but Twine kept the ball in, crossed from the right and a clearance went straight to Demetriou, who hammered into the bottom corner superbly with his left.

Both keepers had to be down smartly with Townsend smothering after an attempted clearance fell kindly for Billy Clarke and then O’Donnell denying the Exiles from another Demetriou long throw, Janneh unable to find either a shot or a lay-off.

It was a manic start to the sound of noise from coaching staff, and in particular Bantams boss Stuart McCall reverberating around the large ground.

Bradford got on top and earned a series of set pieces in dangerous positions with the most threatening moment a header from Lee Novak that was tipped over the top by Townsend, who wisely went for a safety-first approach.

The rain was hammering down and Bradford had a period in the ascendancy, with the Exiles defence having to be switched on as balls were whipped into the box.

At the other end Josh Sheehan and Liam Shephard tried their luck from distance, using the greasy surface, but the O’Donnell wasn’t forced into action while Townsend got down comfortably after Kurtis Guthrie turned and shot from the edge of the box.

County suffered a blow after 40 minutes when Janneh, who had been full of running to help out his defence, pulled up when chasing a Townsend clearance.

The enforced change led to the second – Amond side-footing home a lovely finish with his right foot after his strike partner Tristan Abrahams had held up play superbly before laying it off.

It was a tremendous strike after lovely build-up and the Exiles had a two-goal buffer for the first time since beating Bolton at the end of September.

County started the second half looking dangerous on the counter attack, knowing that one more goal would probably kill the game off.

The need for a third was hammered home when Novak fired straight at Townsend and then Anthony O’Connor clipped the top of the bar with a curling left-footed effort in the 55th minute.

Flynn, keen to avoid gifting Bradford a way back into the game, took booked captain Joss Labadie off just past the hour with Scot Bennett his replacement.

They nearly had three goals to protect after Amond repaid the favour for Abrahams, laying the ball off for a good low left-footed strike that forced O’Donnell into a save with his strong left hand.

The home captain soon produced another fine stop from an Amond half-volley as the clock moved into the 70s, then Twine fired straight down his throat after intercepting a loose pass and Shephard pulled a shot when well placed.

Loan signing Jamie Proctor wasted an overlap in the 87th minute when he failed to pull the trigger but the third came at the death when Dolan scored from the spot after Twine had been brought down.

Bradford: O’Donnell (captain), Richards-Everton, O’Connor, Cooke, Novak, Samuels, French, Clarke, Watt, Wood, Guthrie. Subs: Hornby, Longridge, O’Connor, Pritchard, Donaldson, Cousin-Dawson, Mottley-Henry.

County: Townsend, Cooper, Dolan, Demetriou, Shephard, Haynes, Labadie (Bennett 63), Sheehan, Twine, Abrahams (Proctor 82), Janneh (Amond 41).

Subs not used: King, Baker, Willmott, Ellison.

Yellow cards: Labadie, Cooper

Goals: Demetriou, Amond, Dolan

Referee: Declan Bourne