Doncaster, April 26, 2025 — The Eco-Power Stadium buzzed with anticipation as Doncaster Rovers and Bradford City locked horns in a League Two showdown that promised fireworks but delivered a gritty, scoreless draw. Fans braved the chilly South Yorkshire air, hoping for a decisive result in this crucial late-season fixture. What they got was a masterclass in defensive stubbornness, with both sides scrapping for every inch but failing to find the net.
The match kicked off at a frantic pace. Doncaster, coming off a 3-0 rout of Colchester, looked to assert dominance early. Manager Grant McCann tweaked his lineup, slotting in Maxwell for Senior in the only change from the previous win. Bradford, under Graham Alexander’s steady hand, matched their hosts’ intensity, setting the tone for a physical, end-to-end contest. By the seventh minute, Bradford’s Halliday carved out a chance, linking with Sarcevic down the flank. The move fizzled when Doncaster’s backline smothered Kavanagh’s run at the near post.
Both teams traded blows but struggled to create clear-cut chances. Doncaster’s midfield, anchored by the tireless Bailey, pressed high, forcing Bradford into hurried clearances. Yet the visitors held firm, with goalkeeper Sam Walker pulling off a sharp save in the 22nd minute to deny a curling effort from Rovers’ Molyneux. Bradford countered through Cook, whose header from a pinpoint Smallwood cross sailed just over the bar before halftime. The crowd roared, sensing a breakthrough, but the scoreline stayed stubbornly blank.
The second half brought more of the same: relentless effort, few rewards. Doncaster pushed forward, with substitute Nixon injecting pace after coming on in the 65th minute. Bradford’s defense, marshaled by the imposing Platt, stood like a brick wall. A late flurry saw Rovers’ Sterry whip in a dangerous cross, only for Walker to punch clear under pressure. Bradford’s best chance came in the 82nd minute when Kavanagh broke free, but his low drive was smothered by Doncaster’s keeper, Jones, who stayed alert to preserve the clean sheet.
As the referee’s whistle blew, the 0-0 result felt like a fair reflection of a match where desire outstripped precision. Doncaster’s fans clapped their team off, appreciating the graft if not the goals. Bradford’s traveling supporters, vocal throughout, headed home with a hard-earned point. Both sides remain in the hunt for playoff spots, with this draw keeping their fates firmly in their own hands.
Doncaster Rovers fielded Jones, Sterry, Anderson, Wood, Maxwell, Bailey, Molyneux, Broadbent, Ironside, Hurst, and Biamou, with substitutes Lawlor, Sbarra, Sharp, Nixon, Ennis, Westbrooke, and McGrath. Bradford City lined up with Walker, Halliday, Platt, Kelly, Byrne, Smallwood, Sarcevic, Pointon, Kavanagh, Cook, and Smith, with their bench including Doyle, Richards, Oliver, Donaldson, Young, Wadsworth, and Wright. The match, played on April 26, 2025, saw no goals, no bookings, and a crowd of 7,123 at the Eco-Power Stadium.