Three-mendous Bantams on road to redemption after out-gunning free-scoring MK Dons

OUT of adversity comes strength – and what a powerful performance from the beaten-up Bantams at stadium:mk last night.

Deprived of James Hanson by a thigh injury in the warm-up, Phil Parkinson’s battlers defied the odds to claim three of the hardest earned points they will win all season.

It was just the sort of response that their manager had hoped for after the disappointment of those setbacks against Yeovil and Swindon. This was the type of gutsy performance that his team pride themselves on.

And to counter-balance three successive home defeats in the league, they have now bagged a hat-trick of victories on the road. Fifth in the table suits them nicely.

City’s only winning double last season came against the Dons but few had favoured them continuing that streak against a team who went into the game as League One’s top scorers.

They had netted 14 times in the opening six matches – 21 in eight including the Capital One Cup and the four-goal trouncing of Manchester United.

The depth of resources at Karl Robinson’s disposal was evident when four of the Oakwell starters found themselves among the substitutes, including top scorer Benik Afobe. City by contrast had two apprentices making up the numbers on their bench.

It was a daunting enough task for the visiting Bantams – and they then lost Hanson with a tweak just minutes before kick-off.

Hanson’s 11th hour withdrawal meant a late recall for Billy Clarke, who had been left out to accommodate a return for Aaron Mclean – and another chance to convince the doubting City public.

The other change from Saturday saw centre half Christopher Routis drafted in for his league debut as Alan Sheehan began the ban that wipes him out of all three away trips in this testing eight-day spell.

After conceding four goals in two games from set-pieces, all eyes were immediately on the City backline as Daniel Powell won an early home corner.

And there was a scare as Antony Kay’s flick spiralled goalwards but Stephen Darby was well positioned on the line to head away the danger.

But City’s rejigged strikeforce both made their presence felt in the opening exchanges.

A sliced clearance from Darren Potter dropped for Mclean to rattle in a half-volley that David Martin beat away. Then Clarke cleverly got past two tackles before forcing a low save from the home stopper.

Powell continued to look lively and cut inside past Jason Kennedy and Darby before unleashing a fierce shot which Pickford turned round his right post.

The stadium, although impressive, was totally lacking in atmosphere – and was suddenly stunned into silence barring the small batch of away followers as City delivered a shock one-two.

Kennedy’s deflected shot earned their first corner and the kick from Knott was met by Mclean, whose combination of head and shoulder forced the ball beyond Martin.

And as the home crowd were trying to come to terms with that blow, City struck another as Clarke fired hard and low into the bottom corner.

He celebrated with a Klinsmann-style swallow dive on the side of the pitch where he was submerged by a pile of claret and amber shirts.

Having gone over seven hours without letting in a goal, MK had conceded five in the space of 35 minutes. But unlike Barnsley’s late consolation treble, the City double meant something.

It rattled the Dons but was far from unknown territory. They had trailed Gillingham here 2-0 on the opening day – and hit back to win 4-2.

Their response was instant and encouraged by a flap from Pickford as he made a mess of an attempted punch from one of MK’s eight corners in the half.

City survived that but did not get away with another slip from the young keeper when he could not hang on to Samir Carruthers’ free-kick. It squirmed from his grasp and veteran Dons skipper Dean Lewington fired home through the crowd.

It came four minutes before the break – spookily, at exactly the same moment as they mounted that fightback against the Gills.

Carruthers had Pickford scrambling again with a decent crack from 25 yards before the half-time whistle gave City a welcome breather from the increasing home pressure.

The second half opened with a flurry of penalty shouts – two from Billy Knott for hand ball – but Premier League ref Andre Marriner was unmoved.

The action was predictably focused on the City end. Pickford saved from Reeves before Robinson increased the firepower by bringing on Afobe and Dean Bowditch.

But that proved the MK manager’s final involvement as he was sent to the stand by Marriner – presumably for something he said after Mark Yeates received City’s third yellow card for sliding in on Dele Alli.

Filipe Morais came on against his old club and was straight into the action with a driving run to set up Yeates inside the MK box. But the Irishman’s shot lacked any conviction.

Things were predictably hotting up at the other end where the Dons had introduced yet another striker in Tom Hitchcock. Marriner again waved away frantic shouts for a penalty after Bowditch fell beneath James Meredith inside the six-yard box.

City had defended valiantly but were starting to live on their nerves. Routis sliced across his own goal and then a combination of Darby and Pickford did enough to smother Kay’s flick from a corner before it could cross the line.

MK continued to pile up the corners. Pickford, who had bounced back confidently since the break, chased one out of the area on his own to whack away then Routis got enough of his body in the way to thwart Afobe.

As the game went deeper into added time, Hitchcock’s thumped cross rebounded to Potter on the penalty spot but he skied the shot. With it went any home hope and City had their just rewards.