Jack Diamond brace lifts Harrogate to home victory over Bradford

Jack Diamond bagged a brace as Harrogate maintained their 100 per cent record against Bradford in a 2-0 home triumph.

The on-loan Sunderland winger struck twice in the second half as Town made it three wins from three meetings against the 2013 League Cup finalists.

Earlier, home keeper Mark Oxley had made three smart saves to keep his team on level terms at the break, as he denied Tom Elliott, Jamie Walker and Andy Cook.

The Bantams continued to press after the restart, with Oxley again showing outstanding reflexes to keep out Cook’s downward header, while Warren Burrell also cleared a Yann Songo’o header off the line.

But, despite having had 16 goal attempts by the hour mark, the visitors fell behind to Harrogate’s second chance of the afternoon in the 62nd minute when Alex Pattison fed Diamond through the left channel and his diagonal 10-yard shot deflected off Oscar Threlkeld and over helpless keeper Alex Bass.

Diamond then wrapped up the points nine minutes later, winning possession close to the halfway line and driving forward before firing a 15-yard shot into the bottom-right corner.