The Coaching System-Chapter 51: A Dominant Second Half & A Statement Victory ( BRADFORD VS GILLINGHAM) PART 2

Halftime Adjustments

The dressing room was calm but focused. Bradford led 2-0, and the players knew they were in control.

Jake stood at the front of the room, looking over his team. "This game is ours to lose. Stay disciplined. They'll come out swinging in the second half, desperate to get back into it."

He turned to Carter and Ortega. "You two keep the ball moving. Don't let them rush you. Make them chase shadows."

He nodded at Silva and Collins. "If they push up too high, punish them on the counter."

Then he looked at Saidi, who was standing near the substitutes' bench, stretching. "How do you feel?"

Saidi smirked. "Ready."

Jake thought about it. The game was well in control, but he wanted to ease Saidi back into the squad after his injury.

"Give it ten minutes," Jake said. "Then I'll bring you on."

Saidi nodded, his expression eager.

Jake clapped his hands. "Alright, finish the job."

Second Half – Bradford Takes Full Control

As both teams stepped back onto the pitch, Jake observed the tactical shift immediately.

Gillingham had pushed their defensive line higher—a desperate attempt to claw their way back into the game.

Jake smirked on the sidelines.

"They've played right into our hands."

With a higher defensive line, Gillingham had left massive gaps behind. They were committing more bodies forward, hoping to pin Bradford back.

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But Jake's team thrived in these situations.

They had the speed.

They had the precision.

And most importantly?

They had the patience to strike at the perfect moment.

50th Minute – The Killer Blow

Just as Jake had predicted, Gillingham threw too many men forward.

Their midfielders advanced too aggressively, leaving their backline exposed.

And then—their mistake came.

A sloppy sideways pass across midfield.

Carter saw it instantly.

The midfielder lunged forward, intercepted the pass, and immediately turned defense into attack.

Bradford's transition was lightning-fast.

Carter didn't even take a touch—he sent the ball straight to Ortega.

Ortega barely needed a moment to assess the pitch. He already knew where the danger was.

One glance.

One perfectly weighted through ball.

Straight into Collins' path.

The winger exploded down the left flank, beating his marker with sheer pace.

The entire stadium could feel it.

This was it.

One-on-one with the keeper.

Collins took a single touch to set himself—then slotted the ball calmly into the bottom corner!

GOAL! (3-0 Bradford!)

Valley Parade erupted!

Jake pumped his fist, roaring in approval. "That's how you punish them!"

The fans were on their feet, chanting Collins' name.

Meanwhile, Gillingham's players?

They looked broken.

Hands on their heads. Slumped shoulders.

The fight had been drained from them.

Jake turned to Paul, smirking. "Game over."

Paul chuckled. "They're done."

Bradford had completely outplayed them.

Now? It was just about how many more they would score.

55th Minute

Jake turned to his assistant, Paul Roberts. "Alright, it's time."

He gestured to Saidi and Thompson.

🔄 Ahmed Saidi ON, Nathan Barnes OFF

🔄 Joe Thompson OFF, Lukas Novak ON

The Valley Parade crowd erupted as Saidi stepped onto the pitch.

It had been two long months since his injury, and the fans welcomed him back with thunderous applause.

"Take control of the backline," Jake instructed Saidi. "Ease into the game, don't force anything."

Saidi grinned. "I got this, boss."

65th Minute

Novak, who had just come on, immediately made an impact.

Richards whipped a cross into the box—Novak rose above his marker and buried a header into the top corner.

GOAL! (4-0 Bradford!)

Jake smiled. Novak was still recovering from his injury, but his instincts never faded.

Gillingham looked completely beaten.

70th Minute

Jake made two final changes to keep players fresh.

🔄 Jamie Collins OFF, Diego Castellón ON

🔄 Renan Silva OFF, Jamie Lowe ON

Collins and Silva had done their job, and now Jake wanted fresh legs for the final stretch.

"We're controlling everything," Paul said beside him.

Jake nodded. "Let's finish it strong."

78th Minute

Bradford were toying with Gillingham at this point. The visitors were barely pressing anymore, sitting deep just to avoid further humiliation.

But Carter wasn't done.

Ortega slipped a ball into Novak, who flicked it back first-time—straight into Carter's path.

The midfielder took one touch and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.

GOAL! (5-0 Bradford!)

The fans were in full voice now.

Jake chuckled. "We're making a statement today."

Paul nodded. "This is what a promotion team looks like."

88th Minute

With two minutes left, Bradford won a corner.

Ortega jogged over to take it, looking around before whipping in a deep cross.

The ball flew over the first wave of players and dropped toward Saidi, who was unmarked at the far post.

He leapt into the air, twisting his body, and smashed a powerful header past the helpless keeper.

GOAL! (6-0 Bradford!)

Saidi ran to the corner flag, roaring in celebration.

Jake grinned. "Welcome back, big man."

The final whistle blew.

Bradford City 6-0 Gillingham.

A statement victory.

Post-Match

Jake entered the press room with a smirk.

The reporters were eager to get his thoughts.

"Jake, an incredible 6-0 win. What do you think made the difference today?"

Jake nodded. "We stayed disciplined. We knew how they wanted to play, and we didn't let them drag us into a fight. Instead, we punished them with football."

"Saidi made his return today and even scored. How big is that for the team?"

Jake smiled. "Saidi is a warrior. Two months out is a long time, but he worked hard to get back, and you saw today—he's still got it."

"You're now moving on to the FA Cup third round. Any preference on who you face?"

Jake shook his head. "We'll play whoever comes next. But right now, we celebrate this win."

The conference ended, but the buzz around Bradford was growing.

This wasn't just a promotion-level team anymore.

They were a force to be reckoned with.

And the next challenge?

Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.

Jake exhaled as he left the press room.

The biggest match of his career was coming.

And he was ready.