Tempers flare at the end of Bradford v Bolton, players and fans on the wind up in Thursday’s League One playoff semi final 2nd leg.
Xavier Simons’ 81st minute strike gave the Trotters a 2-0 aggregate win and booked their place at Wembley, where they will face Stockport in the playoff final. The Bantams did have a goal disallowed, Kayden Jackson ruled out for offside.
22,381 fans packed out Valley Parade, a rollercoaster of emotions for those in the stands, from wild celebrations, to Bolton taunting Bradford fans, and some of those in the home end throwing objects at opposition player Thierry Gale. Ibrahim Cissoko was also seen taunting those behind the dugout.
On the 89th minute, the Sky Sports commentators were heard saying: “Loose for Lapslie, Morgan losing out, Touray having to quickly cover, desperate for a free kick which he eventually gets… ooo what has gone on there. Now it’s getting silly. And Wanderers would do well not to get involved with the tie balance that it is.
“Some petty pushing in there and maybe something a little more sinister.
“It starts with a swipe of the ball from Aden Baldwin, a very important player and it all kicks off from there.
“Put the ball down, moves it for them, both has a swipe, Gale kicks it away, kicks through Gale. that’s really silly Touray gets involved, Gale gives Touray a shove. what’s Touray doing throwing himself to the ground, because that shove from Gale shouldn’t send you to the turf it all gets a little bit fractious and just a bit silly referee handled it so so well.”
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Bolton boss Steven Schumacher said to Sky Sports, as per BBC Sport’s live blog:
“I thought it was a very tight game as I expected,
“Bradford were really good in the second half, they’ve had a brilliant season, they gave it their all tonight and thankfully we’ve managed to come out on top of what was a really tight game and hard fought.
“We knew the intensity was going to be a bit higher than what it was a couple of weeks ago in the league game, intensity was a bit higher so it was difficult to find the spaces.
“I thought the threat in behind was the best option.”
Bradford’s Graham Alexander told Sky Sports:
“We’ve just lost a big game and the opportunity to go to a play-off final at Wembley so the feeling is understandable.
“I’ve told them that in nearly 40 years of football I’ve never seen a support base recognise a team’s performance after a game that we’ve got beat in like that ever.
“That’s down to the special feeling at this club, the players work ethic, their commitment to the game, if you’re going to go down you go down swinging like that.
“That was some performance from my team I thought and it’s a sore one to take because we want to win, but those scenes at the end will live with me for a long time.”
Bolton’s Jack Bonham said to Sky Sports:
“Today my team-mates love me, delighted to get the win because it was a horrible game, they just bombarded us with balls into the box.
“They went for it in the end and we just had to weather it but we knew we’d probably get a chance on the break and Xav [Xavier Simons] got it for us.
“The fans were incredibly loud, they’ve been brilliant all season and are probably the best ones I’ve played in front of so all credit to them and they’ll get behind us at Wembley and hopefully we’ll get over the line again.”
Bolton’s Xavier Simons told Sky Sports:
“I said I needed one chance and I would take it and luckily I have.
“We brought the big man [Jack Bonham] in to make big saves and he’s kept it 0-0 to settle it down.
“It’s not job done yet, we set out at the start of the season to get promoted and we’re well on course, one more to go and hopefully we can get it done and get to where we want to be.”
Bolton’s Josh Sheehan said to Sky Sports:
“We’re proud to get to Wembley, we’re tried not to over-celebrate because maybe two years ago we did [Bolton lost 2-0 to Oxford in the 2024 play-off final].
“We didn’t play any of our stuff and it was backs-to-the-wall in the second half.
“You don’t care how you play at this stage, you just want to get the result you need.
“They put us under pressure and we probably got caught up in it a bit too much but the defence was brilliant and we stood up to their set-pieces.
“We did a good job and we know we can play better.
“We have to keep calm and not let the day [at Wembley] get to you too much, it’s easy to say it’s another game but we’ll have a couple of days off and we’ll be ready for the game.”
Bradford’s Max Power on being denied the opening goal when Bolton keeper Jack Bonham tipped his effort onto the crossbar.
“It was a sucker-punch and at that time it was a lot to do with the time we had left,” he said. “Sickening, but it’s not to be.
“It’s going to be a tough couple of days but I think as time goes on and you reflect on the team’s first season back at this level it’s been a good one.
“Credit to Bolton, they’ve edged two really tight games so I wish them well in the final.
“It’s been one of the those seasons where I’ve not been able to find the back of the net. Fair play to their keeper he made two good saves.
“I think it’s been two really good teams, probably with contrasting styles, it would have made for a great final but unfortunately it’s Bolton’s night.
“I said in the pre-match huddle to leave everything out here and I think that’s what we did, you can see the send-off we got at full-time from the fans.”
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