Gareth Evans' first-half penalty proved the difference between the two sides as Stevenage succumbed to a first defeat in league football at Valley Parade.
Bradford made the breakthrough on 32 minutes when Lee Bullock was upended in the Stevenage box by Joel Byrom.
Evans drove home the spotkick - but that was rough luck on the visitors.
Stevenage then wasted a string of good chances to level after the break, Yemi Odubade, John Mousinho, Scott Laird and substitute Peter Winn all going close.
But Peter Taylor's Bantams, who were 2-1 Carling Cup winners over Nottingham Forest in midweek, hung on to claim the three points.
Bradford City manager Peter Taylor told BBC Radio Leeds:
"It was a very important three points, not deserved, I think.
"Stevenage were better than us today and will feel very disappointed they didn't get a result.
"We've got to learn from that. We started a bit nervous and then we carried on. Maybe Tuesday night took a little bit more out of the players than I thought."
Stevenage manager Graham Westley told BBC Three Counties Radio:
"I don't know what to say. We have dominated the game from start to finish.
"I thought over the 90 minutes the boys' work ethic, physicality and footballing ability was by far the dominant.
"We are not far from getting to the level we need to get to."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Bradford
1-0
Stevenage
FT
(HT 1-0)
Evans (pen) 32
Bradford
01 McLaughlan
03 O'Brien
06 Oliver
15 Hunt yellow card
16 Duff yellow card (Rehman 60)
07 Daley (Moult 73)
08 Doherty (Syers 66)
20 Adeyemi
22 Bullock
09 Evans
17 Hanson
Substitutes
13 Saxton,
05 Rehman,
28 Threlfall,
04 Flynn,
11 Neilson,
23 Syers,
19 Moult
Stevenage
16 Day
03 Laird
14 Roberts
25 Henry
13 Byrom
21 Mousinho yellow card
24 Bostwick
09 Griffin yellow card
11 Odubade (Winn 63)
20 Beardsley (Vincenti 83)
23 Sinclair (Boylan 88)
Substitutes
01 Bayes,
02 Wilson,
04 Charles,
06 Foster,
30 Vincenti,
10 Boylan,
17 Winn
Ref: ShoebridgeAtt: 10,967
BRADFORD
STEVENAGE
Possession
Bradford50%
Stevenage50%
Attempts on target
Bradford1
Stevenage5
Attempts off target
Bradford2
Stevenage12
Corners
Bradford3
Stevenage5
Fouls
Bradford13
Stevenage11
Final Result
94:57 The referee gets the game underway.
Full Time
90:00+3:18 Charlie Griffin fouled by Luke Oliver, the ref awards a free kick. Strike comes in from Charlie Griffin from the free kick.
90:00+2:33 John Mousinho takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by Gareth Evans.
Correction - 90:00+1:44 Unfair challenge on Luke O'Brien by Ronnie Henry results in a free kick. Luke O'Brien takes the free kick.
90:00+1:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Luke O'Brien by Ronnie Henry. Luke O'Brien takes the direct free kick.
90:00+1:12 Zesh Rehman decides to take a short corner.
90:00+0:46 Michael Bostwick delivers the ball, clearance made by Luke Oliver.
90:00 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
89:08 The official flags Gareth Evans offside. Direct free kick taken by Ronnie Henry.
87:43 Foul by Tom Adeyemi on John Mousinho, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Scott Laird.
87:04 Substitution (Stevenage) makes a substitution, with Lee Boylan coming on for Robert Sinclair.
85:19 Effort from outside the penalty box by Robert Sinclair goes wide right of the goal.
85:13 Robert Sinclair delivers the ball, Luke Oliver makes a clearance.
84:36 Scott Laird delivers the ball, clearance by Luke Oliver.
84:06 James Hanson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Chris Day.
83:24 John Mousinho produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
82:51 Substitution (Stevenage) makes a substitution, with Peter Vincenti coming on for Chris Beardsley.
81:52 The ball is sent over by Ronnie Henry, Header on goal by Peter Winn from just inside the area goes over the target.
80:10 Scott Laird delivers the ball.
78:30 Effort on goal by Robert Sinclair from just outside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
76:56 Ronnie Henry sends in a cross, Luke O'Brien makes a clearance.
74:05 The official flags Ronnie Henry offside. Indirect free kick taken by Jon McLaughlin.
72:50 Substitution Omar Daley leaves the field to be replaced by Louis Moult.
71:21 John Mousinho delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing.
71:21 Booking Lewis Hunt is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
71:14 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Chris Beardsley by Lewis Hunt.
69:30 Michael Bostwick takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Blocked by Zesh Rehman.
68:34 Robert Sinclair delivers the ball, Luke Oliver manages to make a clearance.
68:01 John Mousinho takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, clearance by Tom Adeyemi.
66:58 Unfair challenge on Charlie Griffin by Omar Daley results in a free kick. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Joel Byrom from right wing, clearance made by Dave Syers.
65:41 Chris Day takes the direct free kick.
65:41 Substitution Tommy Doherty goes off and Dave Syers comes on.
65:41 Unfair challenge on Michael Bostwick by James Hanson results in a free kick.
64:36 Zesh Rehman concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Beardsley. Direct free kick taken by John Mousinho.
63:51 Jon McLaughlin takes the free kick.
63:51 Booking John Mousinho is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
63:47 Foul by John Mousinho on Luke O'Brien, free kick awarded.
62:25 Substitution Peter Winn is brought on as a substitute for Yemi Odubade.
61:36 The ball is swung over by Robert Sinclair, Charlie Griffin takes a shot. Save by Jon McLaughlin.
59:13 Substitution Zesh Rehman comes on in place of Shane Duff.
57:11 Centre by Scott Laird, Charlie Griffin produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
53:55 Foul by Gareth Evans on Scott Laird, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Chris Day.
52:22 Omar Daley takes a shot. Save by Chris Day.
51:20 Free kick awarded for a foul by Chris Beardsley on Shane Duff. Direct free kick taken by Jon McLaughlin.
49:47 Shane Duff gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Charlie Griffin. Joel Byrom restarts play with the free kick.
48:52 Effort from inside the area by Omar Daley misses to the left of the goal.
47:11 Scott Laird delivers the ball, Header from deep inside the area by Chris Beardsley goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
47:02 The ball is delivered by Ronnie Henry.
46:24 The ball is sent over by Michael Bostwick, save by Jon McLaughlin.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:46 Gareth Evans gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mark Roberts. Chris Day takes the direct free kick.
45:00+0:11 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Joel Byrom by Tom Adeyemi. Direct free kick taken by Ronnie Henry.
45:00 The match has reached half-time.
43:49 Corner taken by Omar Daley played to the near post, clearance by Charlie Griffin.
43:34 Tom Adeyemi crosses the ball.
42:42 Chris Beardsley challenges Shane Duff unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jon McLaughlin takes the direct free kick.
40:37 Yemi Odubade crosses the ball, clearance made by Shane Duff.
39:12 Jon McLaughlin takes the direct free kick.
39:12 Booking Charlie Griffin is given a yellow card.
39:08 Free kick awarded for a foul by Charlie Griffin on Shane Duff.
38:50 Corner taken left-footed by Joel Byrom from the right by-line, Shane Duff manages to make a clearance.
38:39 Centre by Yemi Odubade, Luke Oliver manages to make a clearance.
37:46 Effort from just outside the area by Joel Byrom goes over the bar.
36:40 Gareth Evans concedes a free kick for a foul on Mark Roberts. Direct free kick taken by Chris Day.
36:31 The ball is swung over by Yemi Odubade.
34:24 The referee gives a free kick against Michael Bostwick for handball. Free kick taken by Tommy Doherty.
32:23 Michael Bostwick concedes a free kick for a foul on Gareth Evans. Free kick crossed right-footed by Omar Daley.
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