As the Exiles prepare for a trip to Valley Parade on Monday night, we take a look back at our first and last win against the Bantams in years gone by.
County faced Bradford City for the first time in the club’s history on October 9, 1958, with a home game at Somerton Park in what was County’s 31st season in the Football League.
Under then-manager Billy Lucas, County endured a tough start to 1958-59 campaign, winning just three of their opening eleven matches before the beginning of October.
However, entering the game, County had their tails up after defeating Hull City 3-2 five days earlier, following a narrow defeat to Halifax Town on October 2.
In front of a lively crowd of 7,317 at Somerton Park, County made it two wins on the bounce with a superb 3-2 victory against Bradford, thanks to goals from Les Graham, John Rowland, and Jimmy Singer.
That season, striker Ken McPherson went on to finish as the club’s top scorer, netting 19 goals across all competitions, propelling County to a respectable 17th-place finish, one spot above Welsh rivals Wrexham.
The cup competitions were a bright spot that season, too. County went on to have a positive run in FA Cup where they reached the 4th round of the competition.
After scalps against Wisbech Town, Hereford United and Torquay United in the opening rounds, Lucas’ men set-up a glamour tie with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on January 24, 1959.
Despite suffering a 4-1 loss to the hands of Spurs in snowy conditions, Kenneth Charles Hollyman netted a memorable consolation goal for the club in front of 50,561 supporters.
Our most recent victory against the Bantams came back in March 2021.
Taking place at Cardiff City Stadium due to ground renovations at Rodney Parade, a match-winning performance from midfielder Matty Dolan secured a vital 2-1 win for the Exiles.
The Bantams struck first shortly after half-time, when Andy Cook pounced on a weak back pass from Priestley Farquharson to break through and score. Despite the setback, County were undeterred and kept pushing for an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 77th minute when Dolan produced a moment of magic, curling home a sumptuous free-kick from 25 yards out to level the score. Then, in dramatic fashion, Dolan completed the comeback deep into injury time, coolly converting a penalty after a handball decision to secure all three points.
This crucial victory not only lifted County back into sixth place in the League Two play-off places, but it also ignited a memorable end to the 2020-21 campaign. County finished the season in fifth place, securing a spot in the League Two play-offs.
The play-offs were nothing short of thrilling, with County overcoming Forest Green Rovers in a dramatic 5-4 aggregate victory in the semi-finals. This unforgettable triumph earned them a place in the play-off final at Wembley against Morecambe.
