Notts County vs Bradford City Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Featured Offer

bet365

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Claim Offer →

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad

League One on a Saturday lunchtime. There’s something almost sacred about it. Meadow Lane is the venue, and for Notts County — the world’s oldest football league club, lest anyone forget — this is very much a season of proving themselves all over again. Newly promoted, unbeaten so far, and now facing a Bradford City side that is very much in the mix for another promotion push. This is exactly the kind of fixture that tells you something real about where both clubs actually are.

Notts County are doing their best to settle into League One life after years away from the third tier, while Bradford are chasing what they believe is unfinished business after last season’s playoff heartbreak against Bolton. Fourth in the table already and with some serious additions through the door in the summer, the Bantams arrive at Meadow Lane with genuine ambition. Martin Paterson’s side have shown they belong at this level, but Saturday is a step up in quality from what they’ve faced so far.

Notts County vs Bradford City Match Details

This League One fixture kicks off at 12:30pm on Saturday 12th September 2026 at Meadow Lane in Nottingham. It’s an early Saturday start, which tends to suit the more organised, defensive sides — though whether that plays into County’s hands or Bradford’s remains to be seen once the whistle blows.

Team News

Notts County have one confirmed injury concern coming into this one, while Bradford look relatively settled and should be able to name a strong side after a good week of results.

• James Gibbons picked up an injury in the Huddersfield draw and is set to miss out, with Matthew Baker the likely replacement at right back.
• Ollie Cooper is fit and firing — three goals in his last four league games makes him the man to watch in the County attack.
• Bradford have no fresh injury concerns flagged and Graham Alexander is expected to name a similar lineup to the one that beat Mansfield Town last weekend.
• Jake Beesley is set to keep his place after a promising start, having assisted Antoni Sarcevic’s winner against Mansfield on his first goal contribution for the club.

Predicted Lineups

Paterson has a decision to make at right back with Gibbons out, and Baker stepping in changes the dynamic slightly on that flank. Otherwise, County look set to stick with the system that has served them well across their unbeaten opening run. Ollie Cooper will lead the line with Kanu and Roberts providing the support, and the midfield quartet of Evans, Finneran, Lipsiuc and Tsaroulla gives them plenty of legs and physicality in the middle of the park.

For Bradford, Alexander has the luxury of continuity. McCracken starts in goal behind a back four of Pennington, Baldwin, Pratt and Touray. Connolly and Sarcevic anchor the midfield with Neufville adding width and energy on the right. Phillips and Pointon operate in the attacking positions behind Beesley, who looks set to be given another opportunity to build on his promising debut contribution.

Recent Form

Notts County’s unbeaten start is genuinely impressive for a newly promoted side stepping into League One for the first time since 2015. One win and four draws tells you they are hard to beat — disciplined, well organised, not giving much away. Their 2-1 victory over Burton Albion showed they can see games out, while the draws against Leicester City, Luton Town, Doncaster Rovers and Huddersfield Town suggest they can hold their own against a variety of opponents and styles. Paterson himself admitted after the Huddersfield draw that there is room for improvement, which is both honest and a little encouraging if you’re a County fan — because they’ve reached this points tally without yet hitting their ceiling.

Bradford’s form is a slightly different story. Three wins and two defeats in their five league games tells you they are not cruising, but the quality is clearly there. Those back to back losses to Plymouth Argyle and Cambridge United raised a few eyebrows given the ambitions at the club, but the response was sharp — a 1-0 win over Mansfield, followed by a 3-1 thumping of Leyton Orient in the League Cup. That kind of bounce-back quality matters. It suggests a group that does not dwell on setbacks, and a manager in Alexander who knows how to reset his players mentally and tactically.

The momentum is probably with Bradford right now. They arrive off the back of two consecutive wins, with goals flowing and a new striker finding his feet nicely. County have the home advantage and the unbeaten record to protect, but they will need to be at their best if they’re going to contain a Bradford side that looks genuinely sharp going forward at the moment.

Head-to-Head Record

The historical record between these two clubs leans firmly in County’s favour in recent memory. Notts County have not lost to Bradford City in their last five meetings, which is a run worth noting regardless of the division or context. That kind of sequence does not just happen by coincidence — it usually reflects something about how these two sides match up, and County will draw confidence from it heading into Saturday.

Whether that historical edge counts for much in a League One game where Bradford are in considerably stronger form than they were during some of those previous encounters is a fair question. But the record is there, Meadow Lane is a ground that can generate real atmosphere on a lunchtime kick off, and County will be quietly backing themselves to extend that unbeaten run against the Bantams.

Key Stats

• Notts County are unbeaten in five consecutive meetings against Bradford City.
• Ollie Cooper has scored three goals in his last four League One appearances, making him the standout attacking threat in the home side.
• Bradford have bounced back with back to back wins after their two league defeats, suggesting strong character and tactical flexibility in Alexander’s squad.

Notts County vs Bradford City Betting Tips

This is a tricky one to call with total confidence, but the shape of it is fairly clear. Bradford are the better side on current form, they have more quality through the squad after a strong summer of recruitment, and they arrive with genuine momentum. County are tough to beat at home and their unbeaten start deserves respect, but they have drawn a lot of games that they might have edged against stronger opposition. We’re leaning toward Bradford to edge this one, but expect it to be tight and competitive throughout.

Both Teams To Score (BTTS) Prediction

Yes. County have Ollie Cooper in fine form and Bradford’s defence has already been breached this season. With both sides capable of creating chances and neither operating with a miserly low block, goals at both ends feel likely. BTTS yes at the prices available looks a solid starting point.

Over & Under Goals Prediction

Over 2.5 goals. County’s games have tended to be close affairs, but Bradford have shown an ability to score freely when they get going, and this has the feel of a game that opens up after a cagey first twenty minutes. Two or three goals feels the most natural outcome here, and backing over 2.5 reflects that without overreaching.

Correct Score Prediction

Bradford to win 1-2. County grab one through Cooper, who is in too good a form to be completely shut out, but Bradford have enough quality across the pitch to find two goals and hold on for the three points. A 2-1 away win feels like the most logical conclusion to how these two teams are currently set up and performing.

First Goalscorer Prediction

Antoni Sarcevic is worth a look here. The Bradford midfielder got the winner against Mansfield and has clearly hit the ground running in his new surroundings. He gets forward with purpose, arrives late into the box, and has that knack for being in the right place. Good value for first goalscorer in what could be a tight opening period before the game opens up.

Corners Prediction

Over 9.5 corners looks reasonable. Bradford like to work the wide areas through Neufville and Touray, and County will inevitably have spells of pressure at home that push play toward the byline. With both sides capable of sustained attacking phases, a double figure corner count is far from out of the question.

Cards Prediction

Over 2.5 cards. This is a physical League One fixture between two sides with something meaningful to play for. Bradford’s midfield is combative, County will work hard to disrupt their rhythm, and Saturday lunchtime derbies at this level tend to produce a few robust challenges early on as both sides set the tone. Three or more bookings feels like a safe call.

Bet Builder Tip

Combine Bradford City to win, both teams to score and over 9.5 corners into a bet builder. It reflects our overall reading of the game — Bradford edging it, County grabbing one through their in-form attack, and both sides generating plenty of wide play throughout. The three selections complement each other well and cover the main themes we expect to see across the ninety minutes.

Final Match Prediction

Notts County have done brilliantly to reach this point of the season unbeaten, and they should be proud of what they’ve built under Paterson in a short space of time. But Bradford City feel like a significant step up from what County have faced so far. Alexander’s side have real quality across the pitch, players who know this league, and a recent habit of responding well when results have gone against them.

This feels like the game where County’s unbeaten run comes to an end. Expect a competitive, physical ninety minutes with chances at both ends, but Bradford to edge it with a 1-2 away win. County will take a goal through Cooper, but the Bantams have enough about them to claim all three points and strengthen their grip on the top four.

Featured Offer

bet365

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Claim Offer →

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org #ad