Bradford edge out Charlton

Scott Parker and Eion Jess battle in a crowded midfield

Bradford 2-0 Charlton

Bradford City restored a small measure of respectability to their season of struggle with a win over Charlton Athletic at Valley Parade.

City are doomed to First Division football next season - but boss Jim Jefferies is determined Bradford will not go down without a fight.

And after a poor first half, a Robbie Blake penalty and Benito Carbone's precise late finish sunk Charlton.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley had hoped to keep slim hopes of a Uefa Cup place alive, but the Londoners' suffered a damaging defeat.

Slow start

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.

Given what we have done over the past four to five months, the performance today was not good enough from us

  Charlton boss
Alan Curbishley

City were unchanged for the first time this season, using Carbone, Ashley Ward and 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.

Ward was a constant menace

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 John 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.

I said in the dressing room that it is a pity the season is now coming to an end

  Bradford boss
Jim Jefferies

There was little play of distinction, but Bradford's supporters appealed desperately for a penalty after 65 minutes when the ball struck Mark Fish on the arm, but referee Peter Jones ignored the claims.

Charlton boss Curbishley attempted to inject life into proceedings with a double substitution three minutes later, sending on Bartlett and Jensen for Radostin Kishishev and Matthias Svensson.

Bradford broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after 74 minutes when Gunnar Halle appeared to be hauled down by Charlton keeper Ilic.

Blake stepped forward to score and spark celebrations inside Valley Parade.

And Bradford sealed the points with 10 minutes left when Ilic headed into the path of Carbone, for the Italian to provide a delicate finish from more than 20 yards.

Bradford are close to relegation, but boss Jefferies will have been delighted by their will to win - but it was only disappointment for Charlton counterpart Curbishley.

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Bradford: Walsh, Myers, Jacobs, Molenaar, Halle, McCall, Whalley, Blake, Jess, Carbone, Ward. Subs: Davison, Nolan, Grant, Kerr, McKinlay.

Charlton: Ilic, Konchesky, Fish, Rufus, Todd, Johansson, Parker, Kishishev, Kinsella, Robinson, Svensson. Subs: Brown, Jensen, Salako, Caig, Bartlett.

Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).