Bradford City produced a spirited turnaround to eliminate fellow League One side Leyton Orient from the Carabao Cup, winning 3 to 1 after trailing at the interval.
The visitors found themselves behind when Macaulay Gillesphey inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net following a wayward clearance attempt, gifting Orient an unlikely lead midway through the opening period.
Bradford responded swiftly through Stephen Humphrys, whose clever assist set up Will Swan for an equalising flicked finish right before the interval whistle. Orient nearly restored their advantage when Idris El Mizouni cracked the crossbar with a powerful effort from distance, but Humphrys turned matchwinner soon after, guiding a diving header into the net from Kayden Jackson’s inviting delivery to put the Bantams in front.
Nick Powell, introduced from the substitutes bench shortly past the hour mark, added further threat to Bradford’s attack. He struck the woodwork with a header and was denied twice by goalkeeper Noah Phillips before finally getting his reward, curling a composed volley into the corner with two minutes remaining to complete the scoreline.
Both managers had made wholesale changes ahead of kickoff, with Bradford alone fielding ten alterations from their recent league lineup, resulting in a cagey opening period before the contest opened up.
Speaking afterward, Orient boss Richie Wellens admitted his side had impressed for much of the contest despite the eventual defeat. “For 60 minutes we were the stronger team and deserved to lead,” he told BBC London, adding that injuries had forced several players out of their normal positions. “We threw a team together tonight… but we needed to protect some players.”
Bradford now advance into the competition’s next stage, buoyed by a display that showcased their attacking depth off the bench.
