THIS always had the look of being a nip-and-tuck affair.
It was reinforced by all manner of metrics - xG and big chances created so far in 2026-27 to name a couple - not to mention recent form and current league position.
For his part, Michael Duff also suggested beforehand that it would be ‘close’. And so it proved. For the opening 79 minutes at any rate. Better late than never.
On a day when substitutes were likely to be important, given the closeness between these two, the City chief’s timing was exquisite.
Duff’s attacking changes in the second period reaped fruit in a hitherto arm-wrestle of a game as most predicted.
Antoni Sarcevic broke the deadlock from the spot on 79 minutes after Nick Powell was caught by Stevenage keeper Tommy Setford after fellow replacements Stephen Humphrys and Will Swan combined. It was City’s first effort on target.
Humphrys was then involved in the killer second. His low cut-back was spilled by Setford and Swan fired in the loose ball for his fifth goal of the season, but first at league level as Duff was afforded his first win in charge - and a second clean sheet. Two shots on target, two goals.
City find themselves top of the League One. A handy position for any new manager.
Despite a fair bit of conjecture in the week, Duff resisted the urge to make changes, naming an unchanged starting line-up, although Humphrys was named on the bench in preference to George Lapslie.
To the surprise of not too many, the first-half was goalless. City were a bit brighter than the previous weekend’s pretty token offensive efforts against Leyton Orient, but a first goal of the Duff era remained elusive.
In fairness, he hadn’t conceded one either.
Stevenage, unchanged themselves, started with intent with their battering up top in much-travelled target man Josh Magennis setting up danger man Dan Kemp inside the first 30 seconds, with his rising shot tipped over by Jon McCracken.
It proved to be Stevenage’s best moment of the first period. McCracken, aside from a slight gaffe in possession ahead of the break, was otherwise untroubled.
City had most of the possession and had a couple of semi-threatening spells. Kayden Jackson and Adam Phillips hinted at things at times.
The hosts got in good positions, but couldn’t produce that telling moment of quality with the final ball, while their set-pieces weren’t the best.
City’s best moment came when a decent counter saw the ball break for Phillips. With Stevenage stretched for once, his low goalbound drive took an unfortunate deflection off his own team-mate Bobby Pointon and was diverted wide.
Later on in the half, Pointon volleyed into the side-netting from a tight angle at the near post following Jackson’s header across goal while another opportunity saw an unlikely source in Ibou Touray head wide following Phillips’ deep cross from the right.
The goalless interval scoreline was satisfactory enough for Stevenage with the onus being on the hosts.
The start to the second half was stop-start, which again suited the visitors well enough.
It also had the effect of increasing the anxiety levels among home punters.
Duff played a double hand ahead of the hour mark, bringing on Powell and Corey O’Keeffe for Jake Beesley and Jackson.
Ahead of the midway point of the second period, Swan and Humphrys also entered the fray as the City chief went comparatively early.
It revved up the Kop at least. On the pitch, the hosts continued to huff and puff with one threatening moment seeing Powell planting a header over from Pennington’s centre from the right after getting a good connection.
In a rare foray at the other end, sub Mellon saw his header comfortably held by McCracken.
And then it all happened.
Bradford City: McCracken; Pennington, Baldwin, Pratt; Jackson (O’Keeffe 57), Sarcevic (Gillesphey 97), Connolly, Touray; A Phillips (Pointon 65), Pointon (Humphrys 65); Beesley (Powell 57). Substitutes unused: Dawson, Morgan.
Stevenage: Setford; James-Wildin, Vancooten, Piergianni, Earley; Sanderson (Mellon 66), D Phillips (Patterson 82), Smith (Thompson 65), Marcal (Broggio 53); Kemp; Magennis (Taylor 82). Substitutes unused: Barden, Casey.
Referee: S Mather (Lancs).
Attendance: 18,364 (214 Stevenage supporters).