FOOTBALL: Salford respond to Bolton defeat with emphatic victory over helpless Bradford

Salford City eased past Bradford City 3-0 as they responded to their derby defeat to Bolton last Friday with a convincing win and performance in SkyBet League Two. 

The Ammies hit three first-half goals, Luke Burgess giving them the early lead, followed by Ian Henderson tapping in for 2, and then Burgess adding his second and Salford’s third to wrap up the win.

Salford took an early lead through Burgess in the 8th minute as the 21-year old latched on to Bruno Andrade’s parried effort to score his first Salford City goal.

Salford doubled their advantage in the 21st minute as Henderson tapped in at the end of a well-worked and free-flowing move.

Ash Hunter dinked a perfect pass into Tom Clarke who had burst forward from centre-back and he calmly headed the ball down for Henderson who had the simple task of finishing the move off.

The 38th minute saw some breathtaking football, starting when Henderson’s header from a Salford corner was brilliantly saved in acrobatic style by O’Donnell.

Bradford then countered, Clayton Donaldson’s header was well saved by Vaclav Hladky but the rebound fell to Austin Samuels whose effort hit the post.

The crazy minute of counter-attacking football ended when Henderson wriggled his way past the final Bradford defender and chipped his effort over the keeper but it dipped just wide of the post.

Into injury time at the end of the first-half, Luke Burgess was given the ball by Henderson on the right-wing, he skipped past a defender with ease and then buried his effort into the top corner as he burst into the penalty area.

It topped off an impressive first half from him and the Ammies as they went into the break 3-0 up and playing their best football since Richie Wellens’ appointment.

Into the second period, Andrade slipped Hunter through on goal in the 63rd minute and Hunter cut inside but his effort was well saved by O’Donnel at his near post.

Salford had a big chance to go 4-0 up after a scramble in the box from a corner, the Ammies had several efforts on goal before the ball cleared by Bradford off the line.

As the final whistle went, it brought an end to a second-half that was far less eventful than the opening period, Salford were rarely threatened by the visitors and looked the more likely team to score.