Jon Brady admits Port Vale could have suffered heavier defeat against Bradford

Jon Brady admitted Port Vale’s 2-0 home defeat to Bradford could have been a lot heavier.

The FA Cup quarter-finalists were brought back down to earth as Bobby Pointon and Tyreik Wright scored for the visitors at Vale Park.

Vale manager Brady credited goalkeeper Joe Gauci with keeping the score down in a one-sided contest.

Brady said: “I thought they were brilliant and dominated the game from start to finish. They could have won by a lot more if it wasn’t for Joe in goal.

“We didn’t compete, we didn’t win any duels and they won most things in the middle of the park.

“We looked tired and lethargic. The decision-making on the ball was hurried and panicked and nowhere near the standards we’ve set over the last few weeks.

“The hardest game is the one directly after the FA Cup, to lift them after the emotion that brings.

“I don’t want to make excuses. Bradford were very efficient at what they did and we couldn’t cope.

“It’s hard because we’ve eight out injured and the same players are having to roll out.

“We needed to compete better to get a foothold in the game and we just didn’t. They are a team that are a few years in the making and those are the standards that you strive to.”

Gauci had already come to Vale’s rescue before Pointon’s 31st-minute goal, the midfielder driving home the rebound after the keeper had saved from Wright.

Winger Wright grabbed the second on 66 minutes with a thumping volley on his weaker right foot from 20 yards.

Bradford had lost their five previous away games but the win lifts them level on points with third-placed Bolton.

Manager Graham Alexander said: “I thought we’d continue from what we’d done at Reading last week.

“We didn’t get a reward of the three points there, which we felt we deserved, but it hasn’t hampered the players.

“We followed it up with a win at home on Saturday and tonight was just a continuation of both performances – and we’ve got the goals to go with it and the clean sheet.

“There are different things that go on away from home than we do at Valley Parade, but I still think we can attempt to play in a way that we do there and commit to the game and play with that attacking intent.

“The only frustration at 1-0 was that we were one slip away from throwing something away. So, to get that second goal in such fashion, I just thought it put the game to bed because we controlled it.

“We probably haven’t been scoring a lot of goals, but the actual quality of them have been absolutely phenomenal.”