League Two preview: Can Bradford City edge out victory against Doncaster Rovers?

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Competition: England League Two
Competition: Sat 30.July
Match begins: 14:00 (UTC)
Venue: The Utilita Energy Stadium (25136 seats)

Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers match-goers have their most treasured supporter shirts and scarves on for this first game week of a new League Two season. Let's go!

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Bradford City form and stats

In the previous season, Bradford City's league stats were 14 wins, 16 draws and 16 losses, providing 14th place in the League Two. From these 46 matches they scored 53 goals and let in 55. Playing at their own stadium in the former season Bradford City delivered 6-10-7 (win-draw-lost) with 29 goals and 29 conceded.

The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Bradford have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found 11 games) they have won 1 time, drawn 6 and lost 4.

With the first game of the season soon underway, it's time to look at the results from the Bradford City friendly games in pre-season: Bradford City played five friendlies, won 3, drew 0 and lost 2. If you are really into statistics you might appreciate knowing that Bradford City scored 8 goals and conceded 6 in these five games.

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Doncaster Rovers form and stats

The last season was not a pleasant experience for Doncaster Rovers as they could not accumulate enough points to survive. After only 10 victories from 46 games, relegation was a fact. Doncaster Rovers's manager McSheffrey are hoping to lead the team right back to League One at the first attempt.

Doncaster Rovers are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is 2 wins, 1 draw and 5 defeats. From a total of 8 matches.

It's a day of discovery for Doncaster as they finally learn what impact all the hours of pre-season training, along with the changes in personnel, have had on their performance in an official game. It's never easy knowing what to expect based on friendly games, of which Doncaster Rovers have played five with the results W4-D1-L0 (win-draw-lost). In these games Doncaster Rovers has scored 11 goals and conceded 3 times.

Head 2 Head

Statistics for the last ten meetings between these two teams are: five wins for Bradford City, one draw and four wins for Doncaster Rovers. Over 2,5 goals: four times; under 2,5 goals: six games.

Bradford City missing players

Doncaster Rovers missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Bradford City Doncaster Rovers
Total Home vs top Statistics Stat vs top Away Total
0 0 0 Played P 0 0 0
0 0 0 Won W 0 0 0
0 0 0 Drew D 0 0 0
0 0 0 Lost L 0 0 0
0 0 0 Scored S 0 0 0
0 0 0 Conceded C 0 0 0
0% 0% 0% Over 0.5 O 0.5 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Over 1.5 O 1.5 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Over 2.5 O 2.5 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Over 3.5 O 3.5 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% BTTS BTTS 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Clean Sheets C S 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% Failed to Score F T 0% 0% 0%
 
0 0 0 Corners for (avg) C F 0 0 0
0 0 0 Corners against (avg) C A 0 0 0
0 0 0 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 0 0 0
0 0 0 Red cards R C 0 0 0
 
0 0 0 Shots (avg) S ( 0 0 0
0 0 0 Shots on Target (avg) S O 0 0 0
0% 0% 0% Goal Efficiency G E 0% 0% 0%
 
0 0 0 Shots against (avg) S A 0 0 0
0 0 0 Shots on Target against (avg) S O 0 0 0
Bradford City Last season Doncaster Rovers
Total Home   Statistics Stat   Away Total
46 23   Played P   23 46
14 6   Won W   3 10
16 10   Drew D   5 8
16 7   Lost L   15 28
53 29   Scored S   17 37
55 29   Conceded C   50 82
87% 91%   Over 0.5 O 0.5   96% 93%
80% 87%   Over 1.5 O 1.5   78% 72%
43% 48%   Over 2.5 O 2.5   52% 48%
17% 22%   Over 3.5 O 3.5   35% 26%
7% 4%   Over 4.5 O 4.5   13% 11%
59% 74%   BTTS BTTS   39% 39%
24% 17%   Clean Sheets C S   13% 22%
30% 17%   Failed to Score F T   52% 46%
 
4.9 5.7   Corners for (avg) C F   3.1 3.8
4.8 4.2   Corners against (avg) C A   6.7 6
1.6 1.6   Yellow cards (avg) Y C   1.9 1.6
4 2   Red cards R C   2 2
 
12.8 14.3   Shots (avg) S (   8.4 9.1
4 4.1   Shots on Target (avg) S O   2.7 2.8
29% 31%   Goal Efficiency G E   28% 28%
 
12.4 11   Shots against (avg) S A   15.2 14.2
3.6 3.2   Shots on Target against (avg) S O   6 5.1

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 AFC Wimbledon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Barrow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Bradford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Carlisle United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Colchester United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Crawley Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Crewe Alexandra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Gillingham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Grimsby Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Harrogate Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Hartlepool United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Leyton Orient 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Mansfield Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Newport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Northampton Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Rochdale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Salford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 Stevenage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 Stockport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Sutton United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Swindon Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Tranmere Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 Walsall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last season Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Forest Green Rovers 46 23 15 8 75 44 23 14 4 5 34 18 23 9 11 3 41 26 31 84
2 Exeter City 46 23 15 8 65 41 23 14 6 3 37 19 23 9 9 5 28 22 24 84
3 Bristol Rovers 46 23 11 12 71 49 23 14 4 5 38 20 23 9 7 7 33 29 22 80
4 Northampton Town 46 23 11 12 60 38 23 13 5 5 32 15 23 10 6 7 28 23 22 80
5 Port Vale 46 22 12 12 67 46 23 11 6 6 35 22 23 11 6 6 32 24 21 78
6 Swindon Town 46 22 11 13 77 54 23 9 7 7 35 25 23 13 4 6 42 29 23 77
7 Mansfield Town 46 22 11 13 67 52 23 15 4 4 40 24 23 7 7 9 27 28 15 77
8 Sutton United 46 22 10 14 69 53 23 14 5 4 38 20 23 8 5 10 31 33 16 76
9 Tranmere Rovers 46 21 12 13 53 40 23 16 3 4 36 16 23 5 9 9 17 24 13 75
10 Salford City 46 19 13 14 60 46 23 10 9 4 33 21 23 9 4 10 27 25 14 70
11 Newport County 46 19 12 15 67 58 23 9 6 8 40 31 23 10 6 7 27 27 9 69
12 Crawley Town 46 17 10 19 56 66 23 9 6 8 28 29 23 8 4 11 28 37 -10 61
13 Leyton Orient 46 14 16 16 62 47 23 9 5 9 36 22 23 5 11 7 26 25 15 58
14 Bradford City 46 14 16 16 53 55 23 6 10 7 29 29 23 8 6 9 24 26 -2 58
15 Colchester United 46 14 13 19 48 60 23 6 9 8 25 28 23 8 4 11 23 32 -12 55
16 Walsall 46 14 12 20 47 60 23 10 5 8 30 29 23 4 7 12 17 31 -13 54
17 Hartlepool United 46 14 12 20 44 64 23 9 7 7 24 26 23 5 5 13 20 38 -20 54
18 Rochdale 46 12 17 17 51 59 23 7 11 5 28 23 23 5 6 12 23 36 -8 53
19 Harrogate Town 46 14 11 21 64 75 23 6 7 10 32 36 23 8 4 11 32 39 -11 53
20 Carlisle United 46 14 11 21 39 62 23 8 7 8 19 23 23 6 4 13 20 39 -23 53
21 Stevenage 46 11 14 21 45 68 23 9 6 8 29 30 23 2 8 13 16 38 -23 47
22 Barrow 46 10 14 22 44 57 23 5 9 9 25 28 23 5 5 13 19 29 -13 44
23 Oldham Athletic 46 9 11 26 46 75 23 5 4 14 29 42 23 4 7 12 17 33 -29 38
24 Scunthorpe United 46 4 14 28 29 90 23 3 7 13 15 36 23 1 7 15 14 54 -61 26
Last season Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Wigan Athletic 46 27 11 8 82 44 23 13 5 5 36 22 23 14 6 3 46 22 38 92
2 Rotherham United 46 27 9 10 70 33 23 15 3 5 43 22 23 12 6 5 27 11 37 90
3 Milton Keynes Dons 46 26 11 9 78 44 23 13 5 5 34 21 23 13 6 4 44 23 34 89
4 Sheffield Wednesday 46 24 13 9 78 50 23 16 5 2 48 18 23 8 8 7 30 32 28 85
5 Sunderland 46 24 12 10 79 53 23 16 3 4 49 19 23 8 9 6 30 34 26 84
6 Wycombe Wanderers 46 23 14 9 75 51 23 14 5 4 39 26 23 9 9 5 36 25 24 83
7 Plymouth Argyle 46 23 11 12 68 48 23 14 4 5 32 19 23 9 7 7 36 29 20 80
8 Oxford United 46 22 10 14 82 59 23 13 6 4 47 27 23 9 4 10 35 32 23 76
9 Bolton Wanderers 46 21 10 15 74 57 23 12 7 4 45 26 23 9 3 11 29 31 17 73
10 Portsmouth 46 20 13 13 68 51 23 14 5 4 46 25 23 6 8 9 22 26 17 73
11 Ipswich Town 46 18 16 12 67 46 23 11 9 3 38 22 23 7 7 9 29 24 21 70
12 Accrington Stanley 46 17 10 19 61 80 23 12 6 5 41 33 23 5 4 14 20 47 -19 61
13 Charlton Athletic 46 17 8 21 55 59 23 10 4 9 32 28 23 7 4 12 23 31 -4 59
14 Cambridge United 46 15 13 18 56 74 23 8 8 7 28 29 23 7 5 11 28 45 -18 58
15 Cheltenham Town 46 13 17 16 66 80 23 10 7 6 33 30 23 3 10 10 33 50 -14 56
16 Burton Albion 46 14 11 21 51 67 23 10 6 7 34 26 23 4 5 14 17 41 -16 53
17 Lincoln City 46 14 10 22 55 63 23 7 5 11 25 29 23 7 5 11 30 34 -8 52
18 Shrewsbury Town 46 12 14 20 47 51 23 9 7 7 30 25 23 3 7 13 17 26 -4 50
19 Morecambe 46 10 12 24 57 88 23 7 8 8 33 35 23 3 4 16 24 53 -31 42
20 Fleetwood Town 46 8 16 22 62 82 23 5 8 10 33 37 23 3 8 12 29 45 -20 40
21 Gillingham 46 8 16 22 35 69 23 4 8 11 13 36 23 4 8 11 22 33 -34 40
22 Doncaster Rovers 46 10 8 28 37 82 23 7 3 13 20 32 23 3 5 15 17 50 -45 38
23 AFC Wimbledon 46 6 19 21 49 75 23 2 14 7 27 34 23 4 5 14 22 41 -26 37
24 Crewe Alexandra 46 7 8 31 37 83 23 5 5 13 22 40 23 2 3 18 15 43 -46 29

Bradford City:
England:
Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 AFC Wimbledon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Barrow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Bradford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Carlisle United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Colchester United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Crawley Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Crewe Alexandra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Gillingham 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Grimsby Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Harrogate Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Hartlepool United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Leyton Orient 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Mansfield Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Newport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Northampton Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Rochdale 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Salford City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 Stevenage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 Stockport County 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Sutton United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Swindon Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Tranmere Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 Walsall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

More from England - League Two

Read more about League Two

The English Football League Two (usually referred to as League Two) is the fourth highest division in English football. The League Two league table has 24 teams playing each other home and away for a total of 552 fixtures. Seasons run from August to May. Four teams are promoted and four relegated.