Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Preview: Bradford City vs. Doncaster Rovers - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 28 January 2024, 22:10
A place in the EFL Trophy semi-finals will be at stake when Bradford City play host to fellow Yorkshire side Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday.

The Bantams are featuring in the last eight for the first time since, while the visitors are making their first quarter-final appearance since finishing runners-up in the 2006-07 season.

Match preview

Bradford have won just one of their last eight competitive matches since they beat Doncaster 3-1 in their most recent head-to-head meeting in December.

Their sole victory in that period took place in their most EFL Trophy fixture against League One side, Derby County.

After claiming a 1-0 win over the Rams in the last 16, Bradford went on to record victories against Colchester United and Salford City, before they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Swindon Town on Saturday.

As a result of their poor form, the Bantams are in 18th place and eight points adrift of the playoffs, but they will have to put their league struggles to one side as they focus on Tuesday's quarter-final.

The hosts can take confidence from the fact they have won all three of the home games in the EFL Trophy this season, scoring 12 goals and conceding just once in those three matches.

Doncaster are competing in the quarter-finals after they beat Wigan Athletic on penalties in their last-16 of the EFL Trophy earlier this month.

Unfortunately for Rovers, they were unable to build upon that positive result, as they fell to a heavy 5-1 defeat in Saturday's home league clash with Stockport County.

The Yorkshire side conceded all five conceded inside the opening hour, before Harrison Biggins netted a 65th-minute consolation, as Doncaster fell to a third consecutive league defeat.

Having collected 28 points from as many matches, Rovers are currently sitting in 22nd place and seven points clear of the bottom two.

Although they may be fighting to retain their Football League status, Doncaster will now turn their focus to Tuesday's EFL Trophy clash, where they will attempt to claim their first away win since beating Accrington Stanley in extra-time in November's FA Cup fixture.

Bradford City EFL Trophy form:

W

W

W

W

W

Bradford City form (all competitions):

L

L

W

D

D

L

Doncaster Rovers EFL Trophy form:

W

L

W

W

W

Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

D

W

L

L

W

L

Team News

Bradford are expected to be without Tyreik Wright for a couple of weeks after he picked up an injury against Salford last Tuesday.

Experienced shot-stopper Colin Doyle will replace Charlton Athletic loanee Sam Walker, who is ineligible for Tuesday's contest, having previously featured in the competition for his parent club.

Graham Alexander may be tempted to make a couple more changes, with Jonathan Tomkinson and Harry Chapman among those who could be considered for starting places

As for the visitors, defender Bobby Faulkner is expected to be out for up to a month after twisting his ankle in training.

Jamie Sterry and Jack Senior were back working on the grass last week, but it remains to be seen whether they will be fit for Tuesday's contest.

Matthew Craig, Hakeeb Adelakun and Billy Waters are ineligible after previously appearing for other clubs in this season's EFL Trophy.

Bradford City possible starting lineup:

Doyle; Tomkinson, Taylor, Stubbs; Halliday, Gilliead, Smallwood, Ridehalgh; Chapman, Oduor; Cook

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Jones; Nixon, Olowu, McGrath, Rowe; Bailey, Close, Biggins; Molyneux, Hurst, Ironside

We say: Bradford City 2-1 Doncaster Rovers

Previews by email

Top News

23 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United transfer target Randal Kolo Muani is very likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window, according to reports. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly set their sights on West Ham United attacker Mohammed Kudus, with Pep Guardiola keen to strengthen his struggling squad. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly set to rival Arsenal for the signature of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic in the summer of 2025. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final Premier League gameweek before Christmas appropriately served up some crackers, including a festive feast of goals in North London, where Liverpool ran riot in an exhilarating 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Even when the pulse settled a little after this compellingspectacle it was still difficult to know quite where to start todissect this nine-goal thriller. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Ange Postecoglou cut an irritated figure as he claimed he's going to stop answering questions about Tottenham's tactics. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have supposedly expressed an interest in signing Borussia Dortmund attacker Julian Brandt next month. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Mohamed Salah refused to give anything away when asked whether he could break Ian Rush's all-time goalscoring record after the Reds' remarkable 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's astonishing 6-3 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening saw a multitude of records and achievements surpassed, as the Reds moved four points clear at the top of the table. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Al-Ahli have reportedly emerged as the favourites to sign Marcus Rashford, with the Manchester United attacker widely expected to be on the move during the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Everton have become surprise leaders in one statistic across Europe thanks to their draw at home to Chelsea. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will spend Christmas Day four points clear at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a breathtaking 6-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur in North London. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Kylian Mbappe struck a landmark effort to put himself firmly among Real Madrid's elite. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that he is "absolutely happy" with his side's goalless draw at Everton on Sunday. 22 December 2024 talksport.com If you thought Mohamed Salah couldn't set yet another record, think again. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For a second time in successive Gulf Cup competitions, The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait will meet in the group stage, with this upcoming game taking place on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Amad International Stadium in Kuwait City. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong is supposedly not a 'concrete target' for Liverpool amid speculation over Trent Alexander-Arnold's future. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid moved into second spot in the La Liga table courtesy of a 4-2 success over Sevilla in Sunday afternoon's contest at Bernabeu, with Los Blancos ending 2024 on a high note. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Oman and Qatar will compete in the Gulf Cup for the first time in over a decade on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, each seeking their first victory in this edition of the tournament. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly received offers from three clubs for defender Eric Garcia, but the player is pushing against a move away from Catalonia during the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have broken two unwanted club Premier League records in their humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk New Wolverhampton Wanderers' boss Vitor Pereira earned three points when his side comfortably beat Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City 3-0 away from home on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Aaron Ramsdale was spotted wearing a modified goalkeeper glove in Southampton's Premier League clash at Fulham. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea squandered the chance to go top of the Premier League table for a couple of hours as Everton held the Blues to a goalless stalemate at Goodison Park. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Djed Spence has been named in the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI for their Premier League clash with Liverpool, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo get the nod up front for the visitors. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Manchester United were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth in a defeat that saw Ruben Amorim's side achieve an unwanted record. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Gary Neville believes that Ruben Amorim will allow Marcus Rashford to leave Manchester United for the sake of 'himself and the club'. 22 December 2024 talksport.com Pep Guardiola isn't immune from the sack at Manchester City having continued their unprecedented and dismal run of form. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly earmarked Leeds United shot-stopper Illan Meslier as one of two goalkeeper targets ahead of the January transfer window. 22 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified Burnley's James Trafford as their top transfer target for the January transfer window.