Newport County will be aiming to extend their winning streak to five matches when they host promotion-chasing Bradford City on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
The Exiles welcome the Bantams to Rodney Parade after an impressive unbeaten run of five matches, including four consecutive victories over Barrow, Morecambe, Crewe Alexandra, and Carlisle United.
However, the hosts will remain cautious of the threat posed by Graham Alexander’s side, who will be looking to extend their unbeaten run against Newport to eight games when they travel to NP19.
Pre-Match Views
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game, Nelson Jardim said: "Football can be unpredictable - sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t. Right now, we’re in a good rhythm, and we’re just trying to keep that momentum going.
"Tomorrow will definitely be a different game compared to the first one.
"It will be a typical League Two game—tight, competitive, and tough. Bradford are in great form, but we’ll go out there with the belief that if we do our job, we can take the three points."
Opposition Form
Bradford have enjoyed an excellent season so far, with Alexander’s side consistently featuring in the promotion spots. They currently sit in 3rd place with 53 points, firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion.
One of the key figures in the Bantams’ strong campaign has been striker Andy Cook, who has netted twelve goals this season, making him the club’s top scorer.
However, Cook was ruled out for the season after suffering an ACL injury in January. Despite this setback, Bradford's playoff push remains strong, with the Bantams losing just once in all competitions in 2025 (one draw, one loss, and eight wins).
Bradford’s recent form has been defined by their ability to grind out results, with their last four games all ending in 1-0 victories. The team has also been rock solid defensively, keeping six clean sheets in their last seven matches.
Shared Shirts
Bradford City forward Calum Kavanagh previously spent time on loan at Newport County in 2023. The Irish striker made 19 appearances for the Exiles, scoring twice, including a crucial goal against Swindon Town.
Another key figure shared between the two clubs is former Newport manager Michael Flynn.
Flynn began his playing career at Newport in 1999 before moving on to Bradford, where he played between 2009 and 2011. After returning to Newport as manager in 2017, he led the club to several memorable cup runs before departing in 2021.
Head to Head
Historically, Bradford have held the advantage in this fixture, winning 24 of the 51 meetings, compared to Newport’s 18 victories, with nine matches ending in a draw. The Exiles have struggled in recent encounters, failing to win any of the last seven meetings (two draws, five losses).
Previous Encounter
One of the more memorable recent encounters between the two sides came in March 2021, when Newport staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Bradford 2-1 at Cardiff City Stadium.
After Andy Cook gave Bradford the lead early in the second half, Matt Dolan scored a stunning free-kick to equalize before converting a last-minute penalty to secure the win for Newport.
Key Facts
- Newport County are winless across their last seven league games against Bradford City (D3 L4) since a 2-1 win in March 2021.
- Bradford City won their last away league game against Newport County 4-1 last season, and will be looking to win two in succession for the first time since September 1979.
- Newport County have won each of their last four league games; not since October 2020 have they won five successive league matches under Michael Flynn.
- Bradford have won just one of their last eight away games in League Two (D4 L3), beating Carlisle 1-0 last month.
