AHEAD of a juicy derby against the club you left in the summer, there’s no better way to warm up for it than with a couple of goals.
Bradford City striker Stephen Humphrys did just that. He may have missed out on a first-ever hat-trick in professional football, but he marked Graham Alexander’s card ahead of Saturday’s League One meeting with Yorkshire rivals Barnsley at Valley Parade.
In fairness, so did fellow scorer Calum Kavanagh in a walk in the park against Everton under-21s, although the odds are on him being eased into the fray after being out since late July with shin trouble.
City’s healthy situation means they have no need to rush. After a sharp first-half, that was more than enough.
BRADFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Calum Kavanagh of Bradford City celebrates with teammate Stephen Humphrys after scoring his team's first goal during the Vertu Trophy match between Bradford City and Everton U21 at University of Bradford Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Bradford, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
BRADFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Calum Kavanagh of Bradford City celebrates with teammate Stephen Humphrys after scoring his team's first goal during the Vertu Trophy match between Bradford City and Everton U21 at University of Bradford Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Bradford, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
In that time, the duo had far too much nous for the young Blues at Valley Parade as the hosts sauntered to qualification to the knock-out stages of the EFL Trophy with a game to spare in their group. So did plenty of others in claret and amber, to be honest.
Every squad member matters to Alexander and every game certainly does and the Bantams chief has always made no bones about that.
Evidence of the previous two seasons has suggested City treat this competition fairly seriously and after not being too far away from Wembley on both occasions, an appearance at the third time of asking looks to be within their remit on the early evidence of this season’s Trophy competition.
Testament to the squad strength at Alexander’s disposal these days is that he made 10 changes from the club’s league outing at Rotherham United 12 days earlier, but at no discernible dilution in terms of quality and certainly not experience and nous.
BRADFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Calum Kavanagh of Bradford City celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Vertu Trophy match between Bradford City and Everton U21 at University of Bradford Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Bradford, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
BRADFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Calum Kavanagh of Bradford City celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Vertu Trophy match between Bradford City and Everton U21 at University of Bradford Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Bradford, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Alongside Kavanagh, the other significant returnee was Lewis Richards, whose previous appearance was some 231 days earlier against Bromley in late February.
Captain Max Power, who missed the Yorkshire derby against the Millers through suspension, got a run-out, with Niall Byrne being the only starter who lined up from the off at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
City weren’t here to mess about against a Blues side whose marquee names in their XI were Dwight McNeil and Nathan Patterson.
They needed a 90th-minute goal to level matters on Everton under-21s previous visit to BD8 in 2018. Here, it was far, far more straightforward on a night when it resembled men against boys in every way in front of a healthy sized crowd of 4,170, given rival competition from England on the television.
A returning striker in Andy Cook enjoyed himself on match-day one against Grimsby in this competition and it took just seven minutes for Kavanagh to get off and running.
Ex-Everton youngster Jenson Metcalfe, who impressed, was onto a loose ball out of defence from the visitors in a flash. The ball was picked up by Humphrys, who found Kavanagh in unorthodox fashion. Kavanagh did the rest to fire in his first goal since his hat-trick at Swindon in April.
On 14 minutes, it was Humphrys’ turn as he finished off a nice move in which Kavanagh was involved, following an initial mistake from Everton youngster Adam Aznou. Patterson could only help his angled low shot over the line.
Humphrys' second arrived seven minutes later after Brad Halliday’s long throw was flicked on by Joe Wright and then Byrne. His low finish was clinical.
There was for another before the break when George Lapslie also finished with ease from Humphreys cross from the right, with a delicious dummy from Kavanagh bamboozling the visitors’ struggling backline.
The only second-half issue was how many more City would score and whether Humphrys would claim the matchball.
He did go close, but the second-half was notable for one very unfortunate incident with young Everton player Joel Catesby stretchered off with what looked to be a very serious ankle injury just before the hour mark - prompting a 10-minute delay while the midfielder was treated by medical staff.
Once play got back under way, Everton pulled one back when Joe Wright turned a left-wing cross from Catesby’s replacement, Justin Clarke, into his own net.
Alex Pattison’s rebound after being found by fellow substitute Tommy Leigh - Everton keeper George Pickford, no relation, saved his initial effort - added a fifth for the hosts.
Bradford City: Hilton; Byrne (Neufville 70), J Wright, Kelly (Leigh 81); Halliday, Power (Pattison HT), Metcalfe, Richards (Touray 70); Lapslie, Kavanagh (T Wright HT); Humphrys. Substitutes unused: Walker, Swan.
Attendance: 4,170 (64 Everton supporters).