Notts County vs Bradford City: Unbeaten Magpies Face a Test of Efficiency at Meadow Lane. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
Notts County have scored in every league match but also conceded six goals without a clean sheet, while Bradford have three clean sheets and five league goals. This balance of scoring and conceding supports a Both Teams To Score YES selection as both sides have shown consistent offensive output and defensive vulnerabilities.
A 1-1 draw fits both teams' profiles, with Notts drawing four of five matches and Bradford relying on tight defence. Notts’ frequent 1-1 results and Bradford’s solid defence support this exact scoreline as the most likely outcome.
Notts County’s unbeaten start to League One meets a sharper test at Meadow Lane, where fourth-placed Bradford City arrive with three league wins from five and consecutive victories in all competitions.
Notts County vs Bradford City — bet365 Market Snapshot
Swipe through key markets with illustrative probabilities and sample bet365 odds based on our match analysis.
Notts County and Bradford City bring contrasting strengths, leaving this market finely balanced.
Notts County hold one clear edge, but Bradford City still carry enough threat to respond.
Notts County hold one clear edge, but Bradford City still carry enough threat to respond.
Notts County hold one clear edge, but Bradford City still carry enough threat to respond.
Three Punchy Stats
- Notts County have drawn four of their five League One matches, underlining how consistently competitive they have been without yet converting that stability into enough victories.
- Bradford have kept three clean sheets in five league games and conceded only four goals, a defensive return that helps explain why five goals scored have still produced nine points.
- Ollie Cooper has scored three times in his last four league appearances, accounting for a significant share of Notts County’s attacking output heading into a match where small margins have defined both teams’ starts.
Attacking Output
Recent attacking records for Notts County and Bradford City are shown below.
Defensive Record
Recent defensive records for Notts County and Bradford City are shown below.
The contrast is clear. Martin Paterson’s side have proved difficult to beat but have drawn four of their opening five league games, while Bradford have already experienced more volatility, combining three wins with two defeats. Notts have been steadier; Bradford have shown a greater capacity to turn tight matches into three points.
Notts County’s unbeaten run comes with a catch
Five league matches without defeat is an encouraging return for a newly promoted side, particularly with games against Leicester City, Luton Town and Huddersfield Town already negotiated. Notts have scored in every league fixture and taken seven points from a possible 15.
Their issue is converting competitiveness into wins.
Four of those five matches have ended level, three of them 1-1. That pattern suggests Notts are consistently staying in games but have so far found little separation from their opponents. Their only league victory came 2-1 against Burton Albion.
Ollie Cooper provides one obvious route towards changing that balance. Three goals in his last four league appearances make him Notts County’s leading scorer, and his contribution is particularly valuable for a team whose five league fixtures have produced seven goals in total.
James Gibbons’ injury does force an adjustment, with Matthew Baker likely to replace him, but the broader challenge remains unchanged: Notts need to turn another competitive display into something more decisive.
Bradford’s results have been less predictable
Bradford’s opening sequence tells a different story.
Graham Alexander’s side began with victories over Peterborough United and Sheffield Wednesday, then suffered consecutive league defeats against Plymouth Argyle and Cambridge United before recovering with a 1-0 win over Mansfield Town.
That Mansfield result mattered because it stopped the slide, while the subsequent 3-1 League Cup victory away to Leyton Orient added further momentum. Bradford therefore reach Meadow Lane after winning twice in succession across two competitions.
Their league numbers remain tight. Five goals scored and four conceded from five matches is hardly evidence of an expansive start, but three victories show they have been better than Notts at making narrow scorelines count.
Jake Beesley could become increasingly important in that respect. His assist for Antoni Sarcevic’s winner against Mansfield represented his first goal contribution, and Bradford are expected to keep him at the head of their attack, with Adam Phillips and Bobby Pointon providing support.
Where the contrast becomes most revealing
The league table separates Bradford in fourth from Notts County in the lower half, yet their underlying results are not wildly different.
Both teams carry a goal difference of plus one. Notts have actually scored two more league goals, seven to Bradford’s five, but have conceded six compared with Bradford’s four.
That helps explain the points gap. Notts have produced more goals overall but also allowed opponents enough openings to keep matches level. Bradford’s leaner scoring return has been paired with three clean sheets in their five league fixtures, giving them greater scope to protect a single goal.
History between these sides also favours Notts County’s ability to compete. They are unbeaten across the recent meetings supplied here, including three wins and a draw in the last four.
📊 Market Explainer
Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
Selection: Both Teams To Score YES. Both teams must score at least once during normal time. The match winner does not matter; the selection is settled only by whether each side finds the net.
Correct Score Market
Selection: Notts County vs Bradford City 1-1. Predict the exact score at the end of 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Extra time and penalties do not count unless the bookmaker states otherwise.
🎯 Pick 1: Both Teams To Score YES @ 4/5
Notts County’s opening stretch in League One has established a consistent pattern of open, competitive matches where both teams reach the scoresheet. Martin Paterson’s side have scored in every one of their five league fixtures so far, generating seven goals in total across games against opponents including Leicester City, Luton Town, and Huddersfield Town. However, that offensive reliability is mirrored by defensive concessions, as Notts have allowed six goals in those same five matches without keeping a single clean sheet.
Bradford City arrive at Meadow Lane having built their fourth-place standing on narrow margins and clinical output. While Graham Alexander’s team have managed three clean sheets in five league games, their overall scoring output remains active, totaling five goals in the league alongside a three-goal display away at Leyton Orient in the League Cup. With Jake Beesley heading the attack after assisting Antoni Sarcevic’s winner against Mansfield Town, Bradford possess regular avenues to test a Notts backline that must adjust to James Gibbons’ injury, with Matthew Baker likely to step in.
The matchup pits Notts County’s sequence of scoring and conceding against a Bradford side capable of making limited chances count. Notts have drawn four of their five league games, proving resilient enough to score but unable to shut opponents out. While Bradford’s three league clean sheets present a counter-argument to widespread goalscoring, Notts’ habit of finding the net in every fixture combined with their defensive concession rate makes Both Teams To Score YES a defensible selection.
🎯 Tactical Indicators
- Notts County have scored in all five of their opening League One matches this season.
- Bradford City have scored five league goals across five fixtures and netted three in their recent cup victory over Leyton Orient.
- Notts County have conceded six goals in five league matches, failing to keep a single clean sheet.
Risk Factor: Bradford City have three clean sheets in five league matches; another shutout or Notts failing to score would cause this bet to lose.
Key Tactical Mismatch
7 goals in 5 league games, with Ollie Cooper contributing 3 goals in his last four league appearances.
Despite keeping 3 clean sheets, Bradford faced consecutive league defeats against Plymouth and Cambridge.
⚔️ Pick 2: Notts County vs Bradford City 1-1 @ 9/2
A 1-1 draw aligns directly with the established match profiles of both clubs through their opening five League One fixtures. Notts County have turned stalemate into a frequent outcome, drawing four of their five league matches. Crucially, three of those four draws finished with an exact 1-1 scoreline. Martin Paterson’s team have demonstrated an ability to stay level against varied opposition, scoring seven goals and conceding six across their opening campaign, which keeps total goal volume tightly bounded around two goals per game.
Bradford City’s recent form further supports a low-margin, closely contested scoreline. Graham Alexander’s side have scored five goals and conceded four in five league matches, relying on tight defensive structures rather than high-scoring blowouts. With four goals conceded across five league matches, Bradford rarely allow games to get away from them, even when dropping points. While Ollie Cooper’s three goals in four league games provide Notts with a steady scoring threat, their lack of clean sheets makes a 1-0 home victory difficult to sustain.
The primary risk to an exact 1-1 selection lies in the inherent fragility of correct-score betting, where a single additional goal destroys the settlement. Bradford’s 3-1 win over Leyton Orient shows they can score multiple goals when games break open, while Notts County’s sole league win came via a 2-1 scoreline against Burton Albion. Nevertheless, given that 60% of Notts County’s league matches this season have ended precisely 1-1, that exact scoreline offers the strongest factual alignment for this fixture.
Risk Factor: Correct score bets lose if either team scores twice or if the match ends 0-0; both teams have shown capacity for more goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Both Teams To Score YES mean for Notts County vs Bradford City?
Both teams must score at least one goal each during normal time for this bet to win.
How does the Correct Score 1-1 market settle?
It wins only if the final score is exactly 1-1 after 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
Why are Notts County drawing so many matches this season?
They score regularly but also concede often, keeping matches balanced and leading to draws.
What is Bradford City's defensive record coming into this match?
Bradford have kept three clean sheets and conceded only four goals in five league games.
How does James Gibbons' injury impact Notts County's defence?
Matthew Baker is likely to replace Gibbons, affecting a defence yet to keep a clean sheet.
Who is the key goalscorer to watch for Notts County?
Ollie Cooper leads with three goals in his last four league appearances.
