Crawley Town 1, Bradford City 0: Brilliant Will Wright free kick fires Reds to opening day success

Scott Lindsey opted to give five full debuts for the first game of this new season. Both Liam Kelly and Danilo Orsi were given their opportunity after an enticing pre-season while later newcomers Ronan Darcy, Jay Williams and Will Wright were also selected.

Bradford City started the game the brighter side with early penalty shouts after a challenge on Liam Ridehalgh which was quickly dismissed by the referee. Minutes later Jamie Walker had a powerful effort saved easily by Corey Addai.

Crawley Town struck first in the 14th minute with their first opportunity of the game. A free kick was won by Kellan Gordon in the centre of the Bradford half – and Will Wright brilliantly curled the ball into the right hand bottom corner leaving Harry Lewis diving.

Crawley almost struck again after a long ball from Addai met Gordon’s run on the right hand side. Gordon tried squaring the ball to Orsi who was waiting on the edge of the six-yard box but was collected by Bradford keeper Lewis.

There were more penalty shouts for Bradford, as Andy Cook felt he was pushed while in the air trying to meet a crossed ball. The referee once again dismissed the shouts.

Walker gracefully danced his way through the Crawley defence before getting his shot away which was saved well by the leg of Addai. Bradford almost got through again with Williams tripping on the ball before recovering and knocking it out of the path of Clark Odour.

With minutes left before half-time Bradford City defender Dan Oyegoke was sent off with a second yellow card after denying Orsi a goal-scoring opportunity.

On the stroke of half-time Orsi hit a shot which cannoned against the crossbar.

Crawley made two substitutions at half-time with new boys Aaron Henry and Klaidi Lolos taking to the field for Kelly and Darcy.

After a slow start to the second half Bradford City’s Odour trickery opened up the pitch as he played a ball to the right hand side. After teasing the Crawley defence the ball finally came into the box which Cook nodded down for his teammate who skied over the crossbar.

Substitute Lolos found himself in acres of space which allowed him to line up a shot from outside the box which resulted in the home fans looking worried after it smashed into the roof of the stand.

After a run and cross into the box by Gordon, which was partially cleared from the Bradford defence, Henry also fancied his chances from outside the box, also hitting it high and wide.

Penalty shouts were called for a third time in this game with Crawley now calling for one of their own. After a neat through ball to Orsi from Nick Tsaroulla, he was challenged just inside the box but no penalty was given.

Wright worked the ball well to Gordon who backheeled and nutmegged Bradford defender Ridehalgh. The ball reached Lolos who created his own space with his dribbling before getting a powerful shot away at the Bradford goal.

After some well worked play by Wright and Lolos to get Orsi in behind, he struck the side of the net with a powerful effort.

Within the dying minutes of the game Bradford looked more alive as they challenged the Crawley defence on multiple occasions with Harry Ransom putting a foot in as well as an Addai save.

After a strong, motivated performance from Crawley Town, they ran the game out as 1-0 winners in front of a 3,883 filled stadium.