Game Summary:
MORECAMBE were second best to Bradford in an awful match in West Yorkshire as the Bantams won 1-0 thanks to a freak of a goal.
Eddie Johnson was the benefactor of good fortune as a clearance hit him and flew into the net - but that summed up a game that was spoiled by a quite horrendous referee.
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Highlights (UK only) Virgin Media
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Match Stats
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Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (0) 1 Johnson 56
Morecambe (0) 0
Att: 13,562
Bradford: Loach, Starosta, Wetherall, Bower, Heckingbottom, Colbeck, Penford, Nix, Daley (Rhodes 60), Conlon, Johnson. Subs: Williams, Topp, Medley, Moncur.
Goal: Johnson 56
Bookings: Penford 40 (foul), Conlon 47 (persistent fouling)
Morecambe: Davies, Yates, Artell, McStay, Burns, Thompson (Lloyd 37), Drummond, Stanley, Curtis, Newby (Hunter 65), Blinkhorn. Subs: Allen, Grand, Jalal.
Bookings: Newby 61 (foul), Curtis 73 (foul), Blinkhorn 87 (foul)
Referee: Dave Coote (Nottingham)
Attendance: 13,562 (468 from Morecambe)
Stats: Bradford C - Morecambe
Possession: 50 - 50%
Shots on target: 7 - 2
Shots off target: 7 - 4
Fouls: 17 - 10
Corners: 9 - 2
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T&A )
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New strike pairing link to net Shrimps
City 1, Morecambe 0
City boss Stuart McCall has gone on record as saying the last-minute defeat at Morecambe in the corresponding fixture was the worst moment of his managerial career.
This victory - which puts them up to tenth in the table - may have exorcised that demon but the fact that this was the Bantams' third win in five games will have pleased him more.
In terms of low points, the 2-1 loss at home to Mansfield last month must have come close to rivalling that dark day at Christie Park back in October. McCall admitted he just wished the season would end after losing to the second-bottom club.
But since then, City have played five teams all above them in the table and only lost once - and that was to yet another goal at the death at Rochdale.
In the wake of the Mansfield misery, the Bantams chief claimed his players were making it easy for him in deciding who was worth a new contract next season. Not many, were probably his thoughts at the time. Now the issue is becoming more clouded thanks to the upturn in form.
McCall said: "We've had a good response to the Mansfield debacle five games ago. We played teams all above us. We went to Darlington and won, we were unlucky not to get something at Rochdale, beat Chesterfield, drew at Rotherham and beat Morecambe on Saturday.
"I just want them to carry on and finish the season strongly now, not take their foot of the gas.
"People from the outside might think they don't have a lot to play for but we all know individuals' futures are at stake. I think people want to be here and they are doing their upmost to show that.
"We have been inconsistent, we know that, but there have been signs for next season."
New front pair Barry Conlon and Eddie Johnson linked up well together in this latest victory and did their chances of securing a new deal next season no harm.
Conlon might not be every City fan's cup of tea and after only seven minutes he showed why. He was put through by Kyle Nix but blazed high and wide with only goalkeeper Scott Davies to beat. But this was the only blemish in a performance which highlighted the striker's best asset - his link-up play.
After Joe Colbeck's quickly-taken free-kick was well saved by Davies, Conlon was involved in City's next three chances.
First, he linked up well with Paul Heckingbottom to put Johnson in on goal but he hit the side-netting from an acute angle. Then on 29 minutes, the Irishman produced a great little dink to create an opening for Nix, whose firm left-foot drive from the edge of the area was palmed behind for a corner by Davies.
The roles were reversed three minutes later when Nix turned provider for Conlon, who smacked a header against the bar from a corner. The ball rebounded straight into the path of Omar Daley just a yard out but he tried to blast it home on the volley when a simple side-foot into the empty net would have sufficed.
The winger almost made amends a minute later when he beat his man and launched a shot from distance which flashed just wide of the far post.
City fans had been looking forward to seeing what transfer target Garry Thompson had to offer on the right flank for Morecambe but he had to withdraw after 36 minutes following an accidental elbow from Conlon which left the winger with a fractured cheekbone.
Morecambe failed to muster a single meaningful shot in the first half but, on one of the rare occasions they did threaten, captain-for-the-day Mark Bower came to the rescue with a superb piece of defending.
Former Huddersfield striker Jon Newby was homing on goal after being put clear by Craig Stanley but Bower, who was given the armband to mark his tenth anniversary since making his Bantams first-team debut, slid in with as clean a tackle as you'll see all season.
There was a feeling at half-time that City might pay for not having made the most of their superiority and Morecambe had the first effort after the break when David Artell headed over five minutes in. But the hosts finally got their just reward with a well-worked goal after 54 minutes.
Daley played an incisive pass down the left for Colbeck to run on to. The winger's pace ensured he got there just before the byline to pull the ball back with his left foot. His inviting cross was met by Conlon, whose shot was blocked by Davies, but the ball broke loose for Johnson to prod home into the unguarded right-hand corner of the net.
City pressed for a second as a Johnson pass looked to have been turned back to his goalkeeper by Artell under pressure from Conlon but stand-in referee David Coote, who replaced Pat Miller after he was injured in the warm-up, did not see it as a back-pass, much to the derision of the crowd.
It needed a great defensive header just over the bar to keep out Conlon following a cross from Bower and the striker linked up well with Colbeck to put substitute Alex Rhodes clear but he ballooned a shot high into the kop. Then Conlon turned on a sixpence to beat his man and set up Colbeck, whose fierce effort was well saved.
City's failure to kill the game off led to thoughts there may be a sting in the tail at the other end and, sure enough, Morecambe threatened late on. Wayne Curtis guided the ball just wide of the far post after a dangerous ball across the goal from Stanley, who was then inches wide with a dipping shot in the second minute of injury time. Thankfully, there was not yet more late heartbreak for Bantam supporters.
Reflecting on the game, McCall said: "The only disappointing thing was going in at half-time not having capitalised on our domination. We had five or six decent opportunities, hit the bar and then knocked it over from a few feet, so that was the only thing.
"I was quite confident that if we could play in the same manner that the goals would come. Unfortunately, there was only one of them and when you don't take your chances you run the risk of being a bit edgy at the end which we were, the fans were and the players were."
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Official match report
n/a
Yorkshire Post
Bradford City 1 Morecambe 0
Bradford City striker Eddie Johnson bundled home his first goal since September as Stuart McCall's side avenged one of their most miserable defeats of the season.
Back in October Sammy McIlroy's outfit inflicted a fifth successive defeat on the Bantams, but McCall's men dominated the re-match for long periods and should have run out easy winners.
Johnson, who has been used mostly in midfield, was given a run out in his old position up front in the absence of injured leading scorer Peter Thorne and he made his mark with the winner just after the break.
His 54th-minute goal was a scrambled effort from four yards after good apprach play by Omar Daley and Joe Colbeck, but City could point to half-a-dozen clear openings to back up their claims to the three points.
Johnson's strike-partner Barry Conlon caused plenty of problems with his aerial threat and he also showed some neat touches as he had a hand in most of City's best moments.
Conlon wasted a good chance when he blazed high and wide after seven minutes and his clever header then set up Johnson who shot wide from an acute angle.
Morecambe goalkeeper Scott Davies did well to push away a shot by Kyle Nix after more good work by Conlon, but the visitors had a let-off when Daley missed a sitter from two yards.
Conlon climbed highest to head Nix's corner against the bar in the 32nd minute and when the rebound fell to Daley he amazingly scooped the ballover the bar.
Morecambe rarely tested the City back-line with captain for the day Mark Bower marking his 10th year at the club with some timely tackles and their challenge suffered a setback when winger Garry Thompson left the field with a suspected broken cheekbone.
City got their reward after the interval when Daley and Colbeck combined down the left and as Conlon's half-blocked shot fell into the path of Johnson he gleefully forced home his third goal of the season.
Bradford City: Loach, Starosta, Wetherall, Bower, Heckingbottom; Colbeck, Penford, Nix, Daley (Rhodes 59); Johnson, Conlon. Unused substitutes: Williams, Topp, Medley, Moncur.
Morecambe: Davies, Yates, Artell, McStay, Burns; Thompson (Lloyd 36), Drummond, Stanley, Curtis; Newby (Hunter 64), Blinkhorn. Unused substitutes: Allen, Grand, Jalal.
Referee: D Coote (Newark).
City man of the match: Barry Conlon.
Misc. Report(s)
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Daley needs to improve fitness
Stuart McCall is expecting to see a "fitter and stronger" Omar Daley for City next season.
The Jamaican international, set to return from suspension against Morecambe today, has experienced a wobble in form since signing a new deal with the club in January.
McCall hopes the enforced break because of his Rotherham red card will have sharpened up Daley's game for the closing weeks.
But he also believes the speedy winger can make a bigger impact next time around as his fitness levels get better.
The City chief said: "We have set targets for him for next season. We need him to come back fitter and stronger.
"There were five or six players last season who weren't able to train straight away with the first-team squad and Omar was one of them that came back like that.
"You can't have people coming back for pre-season so far behind everyone else with their fitness levels that they can't join in with us.
"I'm not one of these managers who comes in and complains that everyone is not fit enough but we've had them tested all season and there are levels that certain people need to be at.
"We need to keep that level now and all will have programmes drawn up for the summer.
"Omar's fitness levels have improved and the scientific tests show that he can now go longer in games without running out of energy. It's important he keeps that up."
Daley was tipped to take the basement division by storm and McCall admits to being as frustrated with his up-and-down form as the fans.
He said: "There's never been a doubt for me that Omar is a match-winner. He is a free spirit who can go out and cause trouble to any defence. On his day, he will beat most full backs but, as with any wide player, you get the inconsistencies.
"He knows himself his form has dipped but that happens. It's certainly nothing to do with him signing a new contract, although from the outside it will look like that."
McCall admits the heavier pitches over the winter months have not helped Daley's jet-paced game.
"His game is built on speed and getting at people and you can do that a lot better on a nice surface," said McCall.
"The state of the parks we're playing on now does make it more helpful to defenders. If the ball bobbles up or sticks in water, it's easier for a defender to get a tackle in and go tight because the winger's first touch may not be as good because of the pitch.
"Omar is a dangerous player and at this level can be a star for us next season but it would be good for him to have a strong finish.
"He showed flashes at Rotherham before the sending off and set up a great chance for Kyle Nix - and by all accounts, he had a good game for Jamaica after that."
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