• Nine-man Wigan Athletic suffered a late defeat against high-flying Bradford City at Valley Parade.
• Joe Wright headed home Max Power’s 90th minute corner after Latics had both Jensen Weir and Matt Smith sent off.
• In an evenly contested first half Raphael fired over the bar for the visitors before the hosts threatened, with Jenson Metcalfe’s long-range shot well pushed away by Sam Tickle.
• The Bantams took the lead in the 45th minute when James Carragher and Tickle hesitated and former Latic Stephen Humphrys nipped in between them to finish.
• Latics equalised on 64 minutes when Christian Saydee fed Callum Wright to convert from close range.
• The game turned on 70 minutes when Latics were reduced to 10 men after Weir was shown his second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Ibou Touray.
• Sixteen minutes later Smith became the second Latics player to be sent off when he was shown a straight red card for a foul on Metcalfe.
• The nine-men were desperately hanging on at the end but they were cruelly undone when Wright headed home in the 90th minute winner from a corner.
• Latics drop to 18th place and the Bantams are now in third place in the League One table.

Ryan Lowe made one change from Latics defeat against Blackpool last Saturday, with Harrison Bettoni coming in for his first league start, replacing Sara Costelloe.

It was a closely contested opening period but the hosts threatened first as Humphrys produced a dangerous low cross which nearly found Bobby Pointon in the middle.

Bettoni had a couple of opportunities to break forward but was closed down well by the Bantams defence.

Latics probably should have broken the deadlock on 40 minutes but Raphael volleyed over the crossbar from a good position.

At the other end Tickle made an important save to push Metcalfe’s strike wide, before Metcalfe’s deflected strike was almost bundled into the back of the net by Joe Wright. 

It looked like the teams would go into the break level but on 45 minutes Latics’ defence switched off and the Bantams were ahead.

A long ball was flicked on, Carragher and Tickle hesitated, and former Latic Humphrys nipped in between them to finish.

Latics started the second half strongly and were committing players forward. They nearly drew level but a last-ditch Wright clearance came in between Murray’s cross and Bettoni’s left foot.

But Latics deservedly drew level on 64 minutes. Saydee did well to improvise and hook the ball over his head and into the penalty area, and there was Callum Wright to finish beyond Sam Walker.

Latics were in the ascendancy now but the game turned in Bradford’s favour on 70 minutes. Weir was dismissed after a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Touray. 

On 86 minutes Latics were down to nine men as Smith was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Metcalfe.

The nine-men were desperately hanging on at the end but they were cruelly undone when Wright headed home in the 90th minute to break Latics’ hearts.

Overview 

Latics had produced a hard-working and committed performance but the two sending offs changed the game in Bradford’s favour. Both Weir and Smith made reckless challenges which ultimately led to the defeat. If Latics had kept eleven on the pitch they would most likely have come away with a point.

However, the team’s deficiencies remain, a lack of quality in the final third, a lack of creativity from midfield and Lowe’s tactics leave much to be desired.

Just hopefully lumping the ball forward will not get you results in this division.

Wingers Raphael and Murray are employed as wingbacks and have to spend most of the time defending rather than attacking.

The January transfer window provides an opportunity for reinforcements but are Lowe and the recruitment team capable of bringing in players of sufficient quality?

Post-match comments

Speaking afterwards, Lowe was naturally disappointed by the outcome but he praised his players for continuing to fight despite having a clear numerical disadvantage. 

“I am proud of the boys – they deserved more from that,” he told the media.

“We should’ve had a penalty in the first half, as their defender had his arms all over Cal Wright, and body slammed him to the floor. 

“When we scored, the momentum was in our favour, and then Jensen (Weir) got a second yellow card. 

“We were then done by a sucker punch from a set play. We were missing two key players – Jensen is a marker, and Matt is a blocker – and it does become a sickener. 

“I’ve told the lads, through no uncertain terms, that they have to stand up and be counted. 

“They have to be men. I’ll lead them, and they have to follow. We’ve got more games which are going to be tougher and tougher, and we want to try and climb the table as quickly as we possibly can.

“We don’t like being outside of the top 12, but there aren’t many points from where we want to try and get to.

“We need to keep believing and keep doing the right things. I’ll pick the group up because they are on the floor, and we’ll go again.  

“I thought our fans were brilliant from start to finish, and they realised what the lads had done with eight outfield players to carry on, and try and compete.”

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