Bradford boss: How we 'earned the right' against Carlisle United
Bradford City boss Graham Alexander said his side “earned the right” to get the better of Carlisle United in their 1-0 win at Brunton Park.
The visiting boss admitted United’s start in front of a vocal home crowd set his side a difficult opening to the game.
But the Bantams gradually nullified Carlisle and Calum Kavanagh’s goal earned them a first win at Brunton Park for 40 years.
The latter feat was welcomed by Bradford fans but Alexander was simply pleased with the way his team managed the contest.
“They’ve got the wounds, not me,” he told the BBC regarding the Brunton Park hoodoo since 1985.
“I understand it, and I’m sure a couple of the lads, when they came here, wanted to exorcise that.
“But we’ve got to have a coldness about ourselves going into games and play for what it is.
“I thought we did that exceptionally well. Sometimes the atmosphere got to us a bit in the first half but you have to earn the right to settle down in games, and I loved watching the players do that.
“It was brilliant to see the game out and go over to the supporters and thank them. I know how much it meant today.”
Calum Kavanagh, centre, got the winner against father Graham's former club (Image: Ben Holmes)
Bradford’s win came on their first trip to Brunton Park since 2023’s dramatic League Two play-off semi-final second leg – and the club’s social media team sought to have the last laugh on Carlisle, who had reminded fans of that day in the build-up.
Alexander, meanwhile, was delighted with the way his side kept an attack alive to set up Kavanagh’s winner.
“There was a bit of a clearance down the left but Sarce [Antoni Sarcevic] has chased down the second ball and we have a chance from that,” the manager told the Telegraph & Argus.
“The cross gets cleared but our structure is really good and intense. It pops back out to Richie [Smallwood], a brilliant little pass in behind for Patto [Alex Pattison], and Kav shows really good movement in front of the goal.”
