Premiership: Bottom Bradford beat European hopefuls Charlton

Bradford 2, Charlton 0 (full time)

Benito Carbone and Robert Blake were the heroes for Bradford City as they disposed of European hopefuls Charlton who had a dire performance at Valley Parade.

From the first corner of the game in the 18th minute, John Robinson’s inswinging delivery was met by a powerful header from Richard Rufus on the edge of the six-yard box.

But Walsh showed lightning reactions to somehow push the ball behind for a second corner, leaving Rufus shaking his head in disbelief.

Robinson was one of four changes made to the team beaten 2-1 on Tuesday at Manchester United, with Mark Kinsella, Paul Konchesky and Mathias Svensson also in the starting line-up.

Claus Jensen and Shaun Bartlett were dropped to the bench, while Graham Stuart and Chris Powell did not figure in the 16 on duty aiming to push Charlton back to within a point of a potential UEFA Cup place.

City, in contrast, were unchanged for the first time this season.

It meant boss Jim Jefferies again going for broke, as he did in the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham on Tuesday, by playing Benito Carbone, Ashley Ward and Robbie Blake up front.

Blake had Bradford’s only chance of a quiet opening 20 minutes with an angled drive which lacked power, ultimately drifting just wide of Sasa Ilic’s left-hand post.

After Gareth Whalley had hammered a 25-yard left-foot volley wide, the midfielder then helped set up Bradford’s next attack, acting as the lynchpin figure as he first received a pass from Stuart McCall before setting up Wayne Jacobs.

The overlapping left-back strode his way into the area, but his resultant shot was fired over the bar, leaving the Charlton defenders to argue over the lack of marking.

Ashley Ward became the first player to be booked in the 35th minute of a game which had a distinct end-of-season feel about it given the lack of atmosphere and passion.

Seven minutes from the break it took a fortuitous Jacobs block to deny Jonatan Johansson the opener as the Finland international’s flick header from a Robinson cross was bound for the bottom left-hand corner.

Rufus was shown yellow on the stroke of half time, allowing Carbone the chance of a 25-yard right-foot free kick which again cleared Ilic’s bar.

A 25-yard free-kick from Mark Kinsella inside the opening two minutes of the second half forced Walsh to furiously backpedal, but the City keeper was able to watch the ball just clear the bar.

At least the passions of the crowd were finally raised as Ilic and Ward became involved in a shoving match after the two men had both jumped for a near-post cross.

The Addicks keeper then feigned an injury to his face and him kicking the ball into touch in order to gain treatment, leading to a chorus of boos and whistles from the majority of the 17,500 crowd.

Radostin Kishishev became the third booking of the game on the hour, promptly leading to a fourth as Scott Parker was cautioned for dissent.

It led to referee Peter Jones advancing the ball 10 yards, but from Carbone’s flick into the area, Jacobs’ left-foot shot was blocked by Rufus for a corner which came to nothing.

Ilic was soon forced into his first save of the game in the 64th minute, but that was all too straightforward as Ward’s shot was straight at the Yugoslav.

But it sparked a purple patch from Bradford as claims for a handball against Mark Fish from Carbone’s cross into the area were turned away, sparking fury from Jefferies on the touchline.

Within a minute Ilic was beaten by a superb curling shot from Eoin Jess, only for the post to deny the former Scotland international.

Ilic was then deemed to have brought down Halle and Robert Blake scored from the resulting spot kick.

Carbone made it two just minutes later with a 25-yard chip that Ilic could only watch.

Bradford continued to pile on the pressure and the game was up for Alan Curbishley’s men.