A LATE goal from Bradford substitute Aramide Oteh saw Morecambe suffer a third successive defeat.
The Shrimps produced a much-improved display but were undone by the only goal of the game 11 minutes from time when Oteh forced home Dylan Connolly’s cross from close range after the Shrimps were caught out by a quickly taken free kick.
Boss Derek Adams made two changes to the side that lost at Cambridge with Aaron Wildig and A-Jay Leitch-Smith recalled with Lewis Alessandra and Kevin Ellison dropping to the bench.
The changes looked to pay dividends as the Shrimps went for Bradford from the start with A-Jay Leitch-Smith seeing an early effort blocked by Ben Richards-Everton before the home defence was forced to clear a goalmouth scramble with Alex Kenyon having a couple of efforts on goal.
The early pressure almost paid off on 11 minutes when Steven Old saw a header from Luke Conlan’s left wing free kick beat Richard O’Donnell but hit the Bradford crossbar and bounce to safety.
After a sluggish start, Bradford hit back with the experienced James Vaughan flashing a shot wide and Matty Palmer seeing a shot blocked by George Tanner before the Shrimps took charge again.
John O’Sullivan delivered a superb cross that flashed across the Bradford six yard box and claims for a penalty were turned away when a Leitch-Smith cross seemed to hit a Bradford hand.
But as the half came to an end Bradford threatened again with Vaughan looping a header over and then putting the ball into a dangerous area with Richards-Everton almost connecting at full stretch.
The Shrimps started the second half on the front foot with the impressive Carlos Mendes-Gomes firing straight at O’Donnell from the edge of the area and Tom Brewitt drawing a superb block from Paudie O’Connor.
Ritchie Sutton then saw an effort go close before Bradford took the lead against the run of play when Connolly’s s cross was helped on by Vaughan before breaking for the Queens Park Rangers loanee who lifted the ball over Mark Halstead.
The hosts were then inches away from doubling their advantage just three minutes later, when a spectacular long-range volley from Ismail struck the crossbar.
The Shrimps looked to hit back but Bradford stayed strong and the Shrimps went down to defeat.
Bradford: O’Donnell, Henley (rep Oteh 60), Wood, P O’Connor, A O’Connor, Richards-Everton, Reeves (rep Taylor 77), Palmer, McCartan (rep Ismail 60), Connolly, Vaughan. Subs not used: Sykes-Kenworthy, Gibson, Anderson, Cooke.
Morecambe: Halstead, Tanner, Old, Sutton, Conlan, Kenyon, Brewitt, O’Sullivan, Wildig (rep Ellison 86), Mendes-Gomes, Leitch-Smith. Subs not used: Da Silva Mendes, Howard, Lavelle, Cranston, Alessandra.
Ref: A Haines.
Att: 14,111.