Coca-Cola League Two
Rochdale (0) 3 McArdle 49, Le Fondre pen 56 , pen 74.
Bradford C (0) 0
Att: 5,491 (away 2,741)
BANTAMS ROLL OVER AS DALE CRUISE
Two second-half penalties from Adam Le Fondre helped Rochdale to a 3-0
victory over fellow promotion-hopefuls Bradford City at Spotland on Tuesday.
Rochdale started the League Two clash positively with Mark Jones, Lee
Thorpe, Rory McArdle and Le Fondre all going close in the opening 15
minutes.
Peter Thorne was twice denied by Rochdale goalkeeper Frank Fielding when
clean through on goal, the on-loan Blackburn stopper pulling off two good
saves to deny the Bantams' hitman.
Fielding made another fine stop to keep out Graeme Lee's thumping header
just after the break and soon after Rochdale took the lead as Jones'
free-kick was headed home by McArdle.
The hosts were awarded a penalty in the 54th minute when Barry Conlon
handled Joe Thompson's flick-on in the area, Le Fondre rifling home the
spot-kick.
Referee Scott Mathieson pointed to the spot again in the 73rd minute when
Matthew Clarke felled Le Fondre and the striker duly picked himself up to
grab his second goal of the night.
Stats: Rochdale - Bradford C
Possession: 57 - 43
Shots on target: 3 - 5
Shots off target: 3 - 2
Fouls: 21 - 16
Corners: 12 - 5
Ref: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire)
Yellow cards:
Rochdale: Jones (21 min), McArdle (43), Thorpe (78).
Bradford C: Colbeck (49), Arnison (67), Furman (72), Rehman (81), Law (90).
Rochdale: 34. Frank Fielding, 14. Scott Wiseman, 23. Rory McArdle, 4. Nathan
Stanton, 3. Thomas Kennedy (84), 30. William Buckley (90), 27. Mark Jones,
5. Clark Keltie, 15. Joe Thompson, 10. Adam Le Fondre, 19. Lee Thorpe (80).
Subs: 1. Sam Russell (GK), 16. Nicky Adams (90), 2. Simon Ramsden (84), 7.
Lee McEvilly (80), 22. David Flitcroft.
Bradford C: 1. Rhys Evans, 2. Paul Arnison (71), 5. Graeme Lee, 12. Matthew
Clarke, 19. Luke O'Brien, 15. Joe Colbeck (57), 23. Dean Furman, 24. Nicky
Law, 25. Steve Jones, 9. Barry Conlon (57), 10. Peter Thorne.
Subs: 8. Lee Bullock (57), 14. Michael Boulding (57), 22. Kyle Nix, 30.
Matthew Convey (GK), 33. Zeshan Rehman (71).
Next match: (A) Exeter Saturday, March 14, 2009. K.O. 3:00PM.
Last season: No corresponding fixture.
This season: Bradford C 4-1 Exeter.
***
Also in this issue:
Gillespie can be a City hit
League Two team of the week
***
===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4192107.Travel_sick_City_let_it_slide_away_again/
Travel-sick City let it slide away again
12:21am Wednesday 11th March 2009
Another huge turn-out from City's fans; another huge turn-off for City.
This was billed as a benchmark evening against one of their biggest rivals in the promotion fight.
But Stuart McCall's side, so difficult to beat on their own turf, exposed their Achilles heel once again.
They have now conceded ten goals in three away games – although two last night were from penalties, one of which was highly contentious.
City's anger and frustration boiled over with the sight of Wayne Jacobs sent to the stand by picky ref Scott Mathieson, who blew his reputation as one of the more lenient officials by showing eight yellow cards.
It was hardly the way City's assistant boss would have wanted to mark his new contract; and certainly not how McCall would have envisaged beginning a week of three away trips that could have a significant bearing on the final outcome.
McCall had made just the one change from the Aldershot demolition job. Barry Conlon, who had scored the fourth on Saturday, joined forces up front with Peter Thorne as Michael Boulding dropped to the bench.
Once again there was a massive away following and the manager's orders were not to let them down.
But there were immediate warning signs as right winger Joe Thompson forced an error from Luke O'Brien and Adam Le Fondre skipped past Graeme Lee.
Le Fondre, in particular, looked a threat and forced a couple of quick corners. Lee Thorpe's thumping header from one needed a careful grab from Rhys Evans on his line.
It was a jittery start from the Bantams, who had not been allowed to settle at all by their sharper hosts.
Rochdale were a whisker away from an 11th-minute opener as centre half Rory McArdle flicked just wide from a low Mark Jones corner.
Evans turned a Tom Kennedy drive round the post as Rochdale continued to rack up the corners – six in the first 15 minutes.
City finally managed their first through Steve Jones three minutes later but Nicky Law's overhit kick cleared everyone.
Rochdale's seventh corner was far better and Thorpe should have hit the target with a free header.
The home side had a moment of discomfort when O'Brien's cross-shot was turned behind by a sliding Nathan Stanton. The corner was taken short to Jones, who drilled a ball across the face of goal but beyond the stretching Graeme Lee.
After the onslaught, City had taken some of the sting out of Dale – and had the chance to do better on the half hour when the two centre halves got in each other's way. The ball dropped loose to Peter Thorne but McArdle recovered in time to smuggle it away before he could pull the trigger.
Within a minute, Thorne was bearing down on goal again but keeper Frank Fielding, who had been given nothing to do up to then, showed alertness to come dashing out and block with his body.
Amazingly, City fans were still streaming into the ground. The away support, which had originally taken up four blocks of the Willbutts Lane Stand along one side of the pitch, now stretched virtually end to end.
The late arrivals were seeing a better effort from their team, who were beginning to give Rochdale some proper competition after that timid opening quarter.
Thorne showed the extra hunger by twice blocking McArdle's attempts to clear. Joe Colbeck backed him up and crossed but Conlon could not make anything of the header.
Both strikers then popped up in their own penalty area to nod clear of danger before Steve Jones launched a swift counter-attack that was cut short by a cynical foul from McArdle. He joined Mark Jones in the book while namesake Steve was able to continue after treatment.
Lee lined up the long distance free-kick but it flew straight into Fielding. But City were stepping it up and Thorne latched on to Lee's clearing header to test the keeper properly.
Fielding started to come for it, checked himself and then reacted superbly to turn Thorne's precise shot round the post.
The half was finishing in lively fashion and Buckley almost caught out City from a quickly-taken free-kick but fired behind Evans' net. But for all Rochdale's early domination, City could look back on the best two chances from the first 45 minutes.
Evans had to be straight out of the blocks from the restart to beat Le Fondre to Thorpe's touch through but opposite number Fielding proved Dale's hero again a minute later as he beat away Lee header as the skipper came flying in to meet a corner.
Colbeck then picked up City's first yellow card for a trip on Buckley - and Rochdale struck from the free-kick. Mark Jones sent it to the far post where McArdle rose from the pack to nod into the corner.
It was a sickener for the Bantams just four minutes into the half and things got even worse six minutes later when Conlon was adjudged to have handled a Rochdale corner in his own box.
Referee Scott Mathieson pointed straight to the spot and Le Fondre's kick proved too strong for Evans, even though the keeper got both hands to it.
McCall responded with a double change and replaced the ineffective Conlon and Colbeck with Boulding and Lee Bullock. Conlon was furious as he came off and thumped the perspex of the dug-out, which did not impress his manager.
Rochdale had regained their early zip and, as City became ragged, Paul Arnison was booked for cynically blocking Buckley.
There was an air of inevitability about the outcome, with the home side threatening to add to their tally.
Arnison was on thin ice after a second nibble at Buckley and McCall sensibly took him off straight away.
His team's discipline was falling away and Furman also went into the book after clattering Kennedy.
And Rochdale got the chance to make it 3-0 in the 74th minute with a second highly-contentious penalty. Clarke's strong challenge on Le Fondre was deemed to be dangerous by the referee and the striker sent Evans the wrong way from the spot.
Nicky Law managed to slip round the back of the Dale defence but his dangerous cross was cleared by Stanton's diving header – nothing was going City's way. Jones then produced his best run of the night to feed Boulding but there was no power in his shot.
The yellow cards were flowing and Zesh Rehman was shown City's fourth – and the seventh overall – for another foul on Buckley.
It was boiling over on and off the pitch, with David Wetherall and Jacobs getting involved in a heated argument with the Rochdale bench.
Mathieson stopped play to talk to McCall – and sent Jacobs to the stands.
There was still time for Law to become the eighth player to go into Mathieson's book.
===========================
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/football/Rochdale-3-Bradford-City-0.5059209.jp
Rochdale 3 Bradford City 0: Bantams on spot
Bradford City conceded ground to promotion rivals Rochdale at Spotland.
Two second-half penalties from Adam Le Fondre and a Rory McArdle header saw the hosts leapfrog the visitors, who were frustrated in the first half by a string of fine saves from Rochdale keeper Frank Fielding.
Peter Thorne had City's first chance ADVERTISEMENTof the night, a fortuitous rebound sending him through one-on-one against Fielding, who raced off his line to narrow the angle and pulled off a good save to parry the striker's effort.
Graeme Lee's long-range freekick then took a deflection on its way through to goal, Fielding reading it well and adjusting his position to avert the danger.
Rochdale took the lead in the 50th minute, Mark Jones' freekick headed past Rhys Evans by McArdle. The second followed soon after, Barry Conlon judged to have handled Joe Thompson's flick in the area and Le Fondre rifled home the spot-kick.
Referee Stewart Mathieson pointed to the spot again in the 73rd minute when Matthew Clarke felled Le Fondre, the striker going on to net his second penalty of the night.
Rochdale: Fielding, Wiseman, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy; Thompson, M Jones, Keltie, Buckley (Adams 91); Le Fondre, Thorpe (McEvilly 80). Unused substitutes: Russell, Flitcroft.
Bradford: Evans, Arnison (Rehmen 71), Lee, Clarke, O'Brien; Colbeck (Bullock 57), Furman, Law, S Jones; Conlon (Boulding 57), Thorne. Unused substitutes: Nix, Convey.
Referee: Stewart Mathieson (Cheshire).
===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/4192103.Penalties_a_sore_spot_for_McCall/
Penalties a sore spot for McCall
7:00am Wednesday 11th March 2009
Stuart McCall admitted City felt "very hard done by" after losing promotion ground at rivals Rochdale last night.
The Bantams went down 3-0 at Spotland and assistant boss Wayne Jacobs was ordered to the stand after a bust-up with home manager Keith Hill.
It was City's third away defeat in a row and burst the bubble after the 5-0 thrashing of Aldershot.
Two of Rochdale's goals were penalties and McCall, whose side were backed by a huge following, felt both calls were dubious.
He said: "They were very, very harsh. Baz (Barry Conlon) said his hands were down by his side for the first one and the ball got headed against him.
"And then Clarkey (Matt Clarke) has won the ball cleanly. Even their manager turned round and shook his head.
"The referee said afterwards that he didn't touch it but I'm 60 yards away and I was sure he got the ball.
"It's very hard to take because their keeper has had to make three fantastic saves. Just before the first goal, Graeme Lee's had a free header six yards out that looks an absolute goal but he gets his hand across and somehow keeps it out.
"That's the thin margins in football. If we'd taken our chances, it would have been a very different game but two decisions go against us and we're left feeling very hard done by."
City had forced their way back into the game after a timid opening when they spent the first 20 minutes under the cosh.
McCall admitted he was mystified by the poor start following the back-to-back home wins.
"We needed shaking. Everyone was making mistakes or wrong decisions and it was as if we were caught in the headlights. If I'd had a time out, I would have used it.
"There looked like a bit of nervousness out there, maybe because of the number of fans. Rochdale came out of the traps and we never; we were second best a lot of times during that spell, which really surprised me, and I was very annoyed at half-time."
Referee Scott Mathieson booked eight players, five from City.
===========================
Gillespie can be a City hit
Lawrie Sanchez believes Keith Gillespie's short-term deal with City will
turn out to be a winner for both parties.
Stuart McCall snapped up free agent Gillespie for the rest of the season
after the experienced winger impressed while training with the club.
Former Northern Ireland boss Sanchez believes the much-capped
international can prove a shrewd capture for the promotion run-in.
Sanchez said: "Keith is an out-an-out winger and there aren't that many
in the game. He's a throwback to the old-fashioned winger that took full
backs on and just concentrated on getting crosses in.
"The Bradford strikers will be pleased, certainly Thorney (Peter Thorne)
with his heading ability. Keith doesn't score many goals but he does
provide an awful lot of opportunities for the centre forwards to finish.
"I know how much David Healy appreciated the service he gave him for the
national team."
Gillespie began his career with Manchester United as a contemporary of
the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs and has played the bulk of his
games in the Premier League for Newcastle and Blackburn. But he has been
without a club since leaving Sheffield United in January.
He is currently fourth in Northern Ireland's all-time list with 84 caps
– and Sanchez reckons that will be another spur to do well with City.
He said: "Keith will be looking and hoping that he gets up to the 100
mark at least, which means he needs to stay in international football
for another season and a half.
"I don't think he has to prove himself at that level but if he wasn't
playing regularly professionally then it would be very difficult to put
him in front of one who is.
"That's part of the reason that he will have been keen to join Bradford
because he needs to be playing regularly after being left out of the
last international squad.
"Keith is a free spirit and obviously quite head strong but on the field
he is a player that gives his all and is committed to winning.
"His off-the-field activities could be a little bit questionable but
with me and Northern Ireland he was exemplary.
"I think it's a very positive move. As long as he's fit, Keith has got a
good engine on him to get up and down the field and he'll be an
excellent signing for the club."
McCall gave Gillespie a first run-out in last night's reserve game at
Barnsley.
"Looking at the bigger picture, we have ten games to go which will be a
tense, nervous time and Keith has had experience at the highest level,"
said the City boss. "He has fantastic ability and will be a big addition
to the squad.
"Keith initially just came in for training and had no pressure put on
him but he is desperate to play, putting himself in the shop window."
===========================
Both Graeme Lee and Dean Furman feature in the League Two team of the week for 09/03/09.
You'll see from the date the team was chosen before last night!
http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/25/33/0,,10794~144165,00.pdf
===========================
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