Bradford City 0 Barnsley 1: Watkins maintains Barnsley's upward trajectory

Marley Watkins’s second- minute strike was enough to seal a fifth straight win for the Reds as Bradford City’s play-off hopes took a dent.

The derby triumph nudged the South Yorkshire club eight points clear of trouble and further justified the board’s decision to stick with Johnson during an eight- game losing run that made October and November such a miserable time at Oakwell.

As for Bradford, the irony of a first home defeat in more than three months – when, coincidentally, Barnsley triumphed at Valley Parade in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – was that their attacking play was much more convincing than it has been for some time.

Phil Parkinson’s decision to employ two out-and-out wingers saw City pour forward on a night when gilt-edged chances for the two teams were almost as common a feature as the incessant rain. That only one of those resulted in the net billowing was down to a combination of poor finishing and determined defending, the latter perhaps best epitomised by the two ferocious blocks by Rory McArdle that denied Sam Winnall and Josh Brownhill in the second half.

McArdle’s heroics meant Barnsley had to settle for just one goal as reward for their own enterprising play and it came with just 119 seconds on the clock.

Watkins got the all-important finish but the goal owed just as much to a sublime delivery from the left flank by George Williams that caught the home defence unawares.

City had conceded even earlier in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Port Vale, Ajay Leitch-Smith having put the hosts ahead nine seconds quicker than Watkins managed last night.

As with that early setback at Vale Park, Bradford responded in a positive fashion and but for a block on the line by Williams would have drawn level just before the half-hour.

Josh Morris was the City man denied on that occasion and his frustration was matched by that of Jamie Proctor when the loanee spurned an equally impressive chance after nudging Alfie Mawson out of the way.

With Adam Davies left exposed in the visitors’ goal, Proctor failed to make a clean connection and the ball bobbled through to the gloves of the relieved Reds’ man.

Mark Marshall was also twice guilty of failing to capitalise on promising situations and this profligacy should have been punished twice in quick succession shortly before the interval.

First, Winnall created sufficient space for himself on the edge of the area to curl a shot just inches wide of the post. Then, after McArdle’s attempted clearance had been charged down by Lloyd Isgrove, the resulting cross was headed wide by Watkins with Ben Williams rooted to the spot.

The second half continued in a similar vein with both sides committed to attack.

Morris dragged a shot just wide for the Bantams in the early stages before the Reds raced up the other end and fired into the side-netting through Ashley Fletcher.

The chances kept on coming as, first, Brownhill was denied by a stunning slide tackle from McArdle. Then, from the resulting corner, Brownhill again collected possession before unleashing a ferocious drive that Williams tipped over the crossbar at full stretch.

Bradford should have capitalised on McArdle and Williams’s rescue acts just a minute later when Davies could only fire a clearance straight at Proctor after racing out of his area.

With the goal beckoning and just one defender in front of him, the Fleetwood loanee could only fire wide from 35 yards.

It proved to be a telling moment in an absorbing contest, even though it was far from the last of the chances.

For Barnsley, Winnall wriggled free inside the penalty area but then scuffed his shot before the Bantams roared back with a stinging Tony McMahon drive that Davies did well to beat away.

A woeful mistake by Billy Knott, brought off the bench in place of Christopher Routis, then handed the visitors another opportunity but McArdle again came to the rescue.

Bradford had one last chance at the death when awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal but McMahon curled his effort wide.

The results means Johnson’s men can approach next Thursday’s all-important JP Trophy Northern Area final second leg at Fleetwood not unduly worried by the threat of relegation.

Bradford City: Williams; Darby, McArdle, Burke (N Clarke 46), Meredith; Marshall, McMahon, Routis (Knott 71), Morris; B Clarke (Davies 55), Proctor. Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Hanson, Leigh, Reid.

Barnsley: Davies; Bree, Mawson (Roberts 19), Long, G Williams; Fletcher (Scowen 82), Brownhill, Hourihane, Isgrove (Khan 90); Watkins, Winnall. Unused substitutes: Townsend, H White, Abbott, Templeton.

Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire).