Goals from Macaulay Gillesphey and Adam Phillips settled the all-League One affair at Valley Parade after a night of numerous chances.

But Bradford manager Duff didn’t want it to turn into a “basketball game”.

He said: “I didn’t think we were great first half. There were quite a few things we didn’t like about it but the positive was that we scored from a set-piece.

“We had a goal disallowed that shouldn’t have been and should have scored from a one on one.

“Peterborough are a young team and played very expansively and we didn’t want that, which is why I made the subs so early.

“Once the subs came on, I thought they settled us down, and I thought we controlled the rest of the game.

“I thought the second half we controlled the game a lot better and just missed chance after chance after chance – and had another good goal disallowed, which was frustrating.

“If it had been 0-0, you’d be blaming the officials, but we had enough chances today to score a lot.

“We probably rode our luck a little bit. But if we’re talking about a game based on chances, we had a lot more than they did.”

Bradford went in front after 13 minutes when Gillesphey converted Callum Connolly’s corner with a side-foot volley.

Peterborough had a purple patch at the start of the second half.

Jon McCracken saved from Owura Edwards and then denied Vernon Masara in a one-on-one. Ethan Williams went even closer with a shot that deflected off teammate Danny Ormerod and hit the bar.

But Phillips scored a second for Bradford on 67 minutes after a one-two with Jake Beesley and had another cleared off the line late on by Lucca Mendonca.

Peterborough manager Robbie Savage said: “I’m devastated. They’ve given everything and produced moments of real quality.

“But if you get into the final third and don’t deliver, the decision making has to be better. They are young but they have to learn.

“When we’re on top we have to score. That’s the most frustrating thing about this group, the end product is just incredible.

“We were so far on top at the time of the second. Everyone knew it, the crowd were quiet and they were on ropes.

“We’ve had 16 shots again. They are great kids and we’ll give them everything but we’ve got to believe – in the second half we could have scored two or three.

“We’re getting these lads into position to score and they’ve got to take the responsibility now and put the ball in the net. I think the world of them but you’ve got to take those big moments.”