Forte off as Athletic fall to defeat

Photo: PICTURES by ALAN HOWARTH.

SENT OFF: Jonathan Forte

ATHLETIC 1, BRADFORD 2

JONATHAN Forte was sent off as Athletic slumped to a first league defeat of the season.

Last season's top scorer was dismissed after 33 minutes for aiming an apparent head butt at visiting captain Stephen Darby after a minor tussle between the pair.

That was after Bradford had taken the lead through Reece Burke's low finish and Phil Parkinson's side added a second with a Devante Cole strike after the interval.

Joseph Mills pulled a goal back with a very neat header from Mark Yeates's cross on 82 minutes, but it wasn't enough to affect the result.

Bradford went close in the first minute when Josh Morris saw his free-kick turned round the post by Joel Coleman.

The visitors then took the lead after 21 minutes. A free-kick swung in from deep was not dealt with by Coleman, who ran into a group of Bradford player while back-pedalling. Mark Marshall retrieved the ball and passed to Burke, who placed a neat finish through bodies and low into the net.

James Wilson looked to have tripped Devante Cole right on the edge of the area – referee Andy Haines gave nothing – and then came Forte's moment of madness.

Billy Knott hit a long-range drive just wide for the visitors and James Hanson would have found the net but for a fine stop by Coleman.

Operating with three at the back in the second half, Athletic improved for a spell but any chance of a comeback evaporated when Devante Cole added a second in the 63rd minute. Knott slipped a pass in and with the run not tracked, Cole simply lifted the ball past Coleman with his left foot.

Morris forced another low stop by the over-worked Coleman in the latter stages, before Mills caused a degree of late excitement with his far-post header.