BARROW manager Pete Wild was delighted with how deep his side dug to beat the Bantams 2-1 on Saturday, admitting they were ‘only looking to take a point’ before scoring their late sucker-punch winner.

Wild was gracious in victory, saying City thoroughly deserved their goal before the break and saying his own side rode their luck in order to claim the three points.

But there were clever tactics involved too, with Wild confirming he had told his side to target the wide areas, which they did for Dom Telford’s goal in the opening minute.

Speaking to the club website, Wild reflected: “It was a great start, and it was something we’d been working on, trying to overload Bradford down the sides.

“We’d seen leading up to the game as that being a way in which we could hurt them.

“I was really pleased with us being on the front foot in the first half-hour, because we knew Bradford would come out with energy and we matched that.

“Then, as the game broke up and they picked up a couple of injuries, I thought it got a bit scrappy and we stopped our rhythm.

“Leading into half-time, Bradford thoroughly deserved their goal, because they were all over us, and we had to weather the storm until the break.

“I thought we got back on the front foot really well in the opening period of the second half, then they started to get a foothold.

“We went to 5-4-1 and were looking to take a point, but then off a set-piece we went and got the winner, so we’ll certainly take that.

“City threw everything at us, and we rode our luck a lot, but it just shows the quality my lads have when it comes to digging in.

“They were second to none in that aspect.”

But it was not just a case of desperate defending, with Wild saying: “City got into wide areas and tried to overload us that way, so we had to deal with a lot of balls into our box.

“But our defenders were outstanding winning headers, the midfielders dropped off to win second balls, and I thought we protected our box phenomenally well.

“We’d talked about how outstanding Andy Cook is when the ball comes in the box, so it was a George (Ray) job to deal with him.

“He’d done that with Matt Smith the other week, and he completed the George job once again to the best of his ability.”

And it was centre-back Ray who hit Barrow’s winner, an unlikely goalscorer who had failed to find the net in any of his 58 previous appearances for the Cumbrians.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: George Ray (25) is a fine defender, but no-one was as surprised as him when he scored on Saturday against City.George Ray (25) is a fine defender, but no-one was as surprised as him when he scored on Saturday against City. (Image: PA.)

He told Barrow’s club website: “We had to ride our luck a bit but to score near the end in front of a great away following made it the perfect day. The lads are buzzing.

“At half-time, we had a conversation and said we’ve come here to attack, and I thought we did that better after the break.

“I was in shock when I scored. I couldn’t believe it had gone in and there was a bit of bedlam. That’s what football is all about.

"I’ve missed a few good chances to be fair and I missed one before I put that in, so it’s nice to eventually get off the mark."