Bradford 1 (0) - 1(0) Lincoln
Bullock 6 Hutchinson 47
Bradford: Evans ,Rehman (Arnison ,86 ) ,Lee ,Clarke ,O'Brien ,Colbeck (Law ,56 ) ,McLaren ,Bullock ,Jones ,Thorne ,Michael Boulding (Paul Mullin ,56)
Subs not used: Brandon,Gillespie,
Lincoln: Burch ,Green ,Swaibu ,Kovacs ,Beevers ,N'Guessan (John-Lewis ,60 ) ,O'Connor ,Kerr ,Aaron Brown ,Hutchinson (Wright ,76 ) ,Horsfield (Mullarkey ,82)
Subs not used Hone,Clarke,
Bookings: None
Attendance: 12932
Referee: F Graham (Essex)
Game Statistics
City / imps
9 Goal Attempts 12
4 On Target 8
9 Corners 3
9 Fouls 6
0 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0
36 % 64
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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4287608.City_back_to_basics_but_still_can_t_buy_a_win/
City back to basics but still can't buy a win
6:41pm Monday 13th April 2009
City 1, Lincoln 1
City have spent the last few weeks enjoying a lock-in at the last-chance saloon.
While the recent results suggested they were doing their level best to toss the play-offs away, those teams around them have kept hope flickering thanks to their own shortcomings.
Sooner or later, the Bantams have to do it off their own back. But after another mediocre and frustrating afternoon at Valley Parade, time has still not been called on Stuart McCall's Wembley dream.
City hardly looked like a side capable of stringing a run together that will take them to the May 23 showpiece.
But draws elsewhere for Chesterfield and Shrewsbury and Dagenham's loss at Gillingham mean City are still there in the pack. And having now gone eight games since the last win, that is a miracle in itself.
City's line-up had a back-to-basics feel, with the three changes giving it a strong resemblance to the side that began the season like a storm.
Those halcyon days saw five wins reeled off in the first six games – how McCall's men could do with finishing in the same vein.
Lee Bullock resumed his central partnership with Paul McLaren and up front, Michael Boulding was back alongside Peter Thorne. Paul Mullin could feel a bit miffed to be on the bench after leading the line well at Morecambe.
Bullock was involved from the off and twice tried to slide in Boulding with well-judged passes. Goalkeeper Rob Burch, a target of McCall's last summer, grabbed the first but there was brief panic in the Lincoln ranks when he could only push the other out as far as Thorne, who was unable to get in a shot.
Boulding was looking hungry in the early stages and rolled centre half Janos Kovacs on the edge of the box before firing a rising drive over the bar.
There was a subdued atmosphere, perhaps not surprising considering the horrific form of late. The sight of Peter Jackson on the touchline in t-shirt and tracky bottoms rather than trademark designer coat added to the low-key air to proceedings.
But City's play betrayed the tension, with too many loose passes under no real pressure. Zesh Rehman, in particular, was having a tough time at right back, giving the ball away three times in as many minutes and then missing a tackle against Aaron Brown.
Lincoln had offered little other than a wild lash wide from winger Dany N'Guessan. City were looking for Boulding to run in behind the defence at all times, although Joe Colbeck nearly got Thorne away from a promising four-man break.
But the frequent groans from the fans summed up the frustration as moves broke down before the penalty box, Colbeck wasting another when he drifted a cross well beyond Boulding.
Colbeck's head was dropping and another pass flew into touch on the halfway line as intended target Rehman chose not to push forward. The murmurs of discontent were growing louder.
It was a poor, error-strewn contest, with City showing none of the quality of their first-half performance at Christie Park three days earlier. But Lincoln were no better and neither keeper had been called into any kind of action as half-time approached.
Steve Jones, who had come in for Chris Brandon on City's left flank, tried to lift the tempo with a burst over the halfway line but he ran straight into Paul Green. It remained a grim spectacle.
Boulding did get the ball in the net right on the interval but the assistant's flag was well up. I bet McCall couldn't get in the dressing room quick enough to stir up his lethargic troops.
Surprisingly there were no changes for the second half – but the mood darkened ten fold when Lincoln grabbed the lead two minutes after the restart.
The goal came from a horrible error by Graeme Lee after he had intercepted a Lee Beevers through ball. The City skipper dwelled on the ball and then criminally gave it away to teenage striker Andy Hutchinson.
The 17-year-old debutant was left with a clear run on goal and seized on the gift to fire the ball between the legs of Rhys Evans.
It was a shocker to concede and the angry Valley Parade faithful immediately vented their feelings. An ironic chant of "you don't know what you're doing" came from the TL Dallas Stand as boos rang round.
McCall shuffled his pack with a double switch – which was greeted with a contrasting reaction.
While Colbeck's departure produced some cheers, something that will not have helped the winger's brittle confidence, the sight of Boulding's number going up was jeered. Boulding had looked the best of a poor bunch in the first half.
City changed to 4-3-3, with Mullin and Jones up front alongside Thorne – and the shuffle nearly did the trick straight away.
Newly-arrived substitute Nicky Law delivered a peach of a cross which Jones nodded on and Thorne turned on to the bar; perilously close but no cigar.
Law's introduction injected a much-needed spark into the team and the fans, who were at least seeing City have a bit of a go – and they hit back with an equaliser midway through the half.
Rehman's cross into the box picked out Thorne, who held off Kovacs enough to push the ball back to Bullock. The midfielder had time to pick his spot and drilled past Burch from 15 yards for his third goal of the season.
The pendulum swung again as City had 24 minutes to find a winner with the fans back onside and the crowd appreciated it as Jones chased down a seemingly lost cause to force a corner from Green.
Thorne won another big header to find Bullock again and he supplied Jones for a snap-shot which cannoned off Moses Swaibu and could have gone anywhere.
Lincoln had numbers behind the ball – pretty strange numbers as sub Sam Mullarkey came on wearing N'Guessan's shirt after they had left some of the kit at home.
City's number was nearly up as time ticked away and Jones' frantic shout for handball in the box was ignored by referee Fred Graham.
Suddenly there was a real chance as Mullin's header got Thorne goalside of Kovacs but the leading scorer was stretching as he shot and his contact was weak.
Then Mullin was clear for a second but a lack of pace showed as Brown made a great recovery to whip the ball away on the edge of the Lincoln box.
Ben Wright nodded a free header wide for the visitors as the three added minutes began. City were hurling men forward but could not find a way through.
Another week, another chance gone begging. Yet somehow, they are still alive.
Attendance: 12,932
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http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/Bradford-City-1-Lincoln-City.5167497.jp
Bradford City 1 Lincoln City 1: Bullock rescues point with City equaliser
MIDFIELDER Lee Bullock fired home his first goal since September to earn a point for the Bantams, but Stuart McCall's men face an anxious final three games of the season.
Bradford looked to be heading for defeat after Lincoln's teenage striker Andy Hutchinson stunned the home fans with the opener just after the break, but Bradford staged a late rally to snatch a point.
The Bantams dominated the early exchanges without really testing Imps goalkeeper Robert Burch and it was a real body blow when 17-year-old Hutchinson marked his first start with a cool finish after 47 minutes.
The youngster took full advantage when Bradford captain Graeme Lee lost possession and his bearings 30 yards out giving Hutchinson a clear run on goal.
The teenager drilled the ball between Rhys Evans's legs and with Bradford's play-off hopes hanging by a thread McCall was forced to make a change.
Winger Steve Jones was pushed up front alongside Peter Thorne and Paul Mullin and the switch almost paid dividends.
Jones's flick fell into Thorne's path, but from close range the striker's shot hit the bar.
The Bantams levelled when Thorne's lay-off was met by a low shot from Bullock, but with a draw no good for either side's promotion hopes it was Bradford who finished strongly.
Jones saw his shot deflected wide of goal by Paul Green and Thorne latched onto Mullin's header only to see his shot comfortably covered by Burch. In the closing stages Lincoln substitute Ben Wright headed over.
Bradford City: Evans, Rehman (Arnison 86), Lee, Clarke, O'Brien; Colbeck (Law 55), McLaren, Bullock, Jones; Thorne, M Boulding (Mullin 55). Unused substitutes: Brandon, Gillespie.
Lincoln City: Burch, Beevers, Kovacs, Swaibu, Green; N'Guessan (John-Lewis 59), O'Connor, Kerr, Brown; Horsfield (Mullarkey 82), Hutchinson (Wright 75). Unused substitutes: Hone, Clarke.
Referee: F Graham (Essex).
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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/4287790.Wembley_dream_still_alive/
Wembley dream still alive
7:00am Tuesday 14th April 2009
Stuart McCall labelled City's current form "a disaster" – but still refused to rule out a Wembley finish to the season.
Yesterday's 1-1 draw with Lincoln at Valley Parade was their eighth game without a win.
But they remain two points behind the last play-off spot, with rivals Dagenham and Chesterfield to face in the run-in.
McCall said: "Six points might be enough to get in the play-offs or we might have to do what we did at the beginning of the season. We won the first three and we might have to win the last three.
"I just hope we can go into the Chesterfield game on the last day with everything to play for. I would accept that right now."
Lee Bullock saved City with an equaliser after Graeme Lee's blunder let in 17-year-old Andy Hutchinson for a debut goal straight after half-time. Peter Thorne also hit the bar but it was another slack display from the home side.
McCall said: "Confidence is obviously fragile but I can't go round and give everyone a pill to suddenly change that.
"We got in good areas in the first half but our decision-making was poor and we played the wrong pass.
"I didn't feel under any threat and thought we would kick on after half-time. Then we gifted them such a soft goal.
"It would have been easy to crumble but we came back, although the bottom line is that we've failed to win again.
"But I genuinely believe we'll get promoted if we get in the play-offs. People will say I'm talking rot after this performance because it wasn't a good game but the dream is still alive."
City have still not won since thrashing Aldershot 5-0 five weeks ago and Bullock's goal was only their fourth in eight games since.
McCall admitted: "Our form in the last third of the season has been a disaster. But on the first two thirds, we deserve to be up there.
"We lost to the worst goal in the world at Exeter, had those two penalties at Rochdale and then the ball's a foot over the line at Morecambe and it doesn't get given.
"That eats your confidence away and we've gone from looking a really good side to one that's bang average.
"But we could have just died off and taken a 1-0 defeat. Instead we stuck in there and got the goal we deserved.
"I can't say we're going to Dagenham next week full of confidence but we're still full of belief. We just need one win to turn things round.
"It should have been at Morecambe but it wasn't; could have been yesterday but it wasn't; let's hope it's going to be at Dagenham."
The result ended Lincoln's outside play-off shot and Peter Jackson is now rooting for McCall to make it with his old club.
"It was such a big game for both clubs and nobody really wanted the draw," said the Imps boss.
"I thought we'd go on and win if we took the lead but full marks to Bradford, who came back and put us under pressure. The players had a go for Stuart.
"Bradford are on a bad run at the moment and we've been through it. You have to stick together and their players were certainly doing that.
"It's going to be the side who hold their nerve and show the most consistency who will get in the play-offs. Bradford are still hanging in there and hopefully they will do it."
===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcheadlines/4289858.Wembley_should_be_huge_incentive/
Wembley should be huge incentive
7:10am Wednesday 15th April 2009
Lee Bullock has challenged City to win their "mini-league" to prove they are still worth a shot at the play-offs.
City face promotion rivals Dagenham on Saturday before finishing off with Rotherham at Valley Parade and a potentially critical final-day trip to seventh-placed Chesterfield.
The Bantams, without a victory in eight games, realistically need to win at least twice in the five-club battle for the final play-off spot.
Midfielder Bullock said: "If we're going to get in the play-offs, these next three games are a mini-league against decent teams.
"If we can take the pressure and get the wins, it will build confidence. If we can't, then we don't deserve to be in there; it's as simple as that.
"We want to get to Wembley. We want to get promoted. We want a day out that we can remember for the rest of our lives. That should be a massive incentive."
Bullock's equaliser rescued a point against Lincoln on Monday but, with teams around them also tripping up, it was another opportunity wasted to make up vital ground.
"The other sides must be just as gutted and feeling the pressure the same as us," said Bullock.
"The atmosphere changed after we scored and it was a different game. Thorney (Peter Thorne) went through and maybe if he hadn't played Friday, he would have banged that in.
"But at least we were making the chances and not hanging on at the other end.
"We are having a rough time but it's not like other teams are capitalising. You come in down after the game and then see the other results and it's strange.
"There's a lot of pressure now and it's affecting everybody. You don't want to be that man who makes the mistake that can wreck the dream of promotion.
"It is difficult but you are out there for a reason. You've got to get the ball, get it into the box and be a man."
City have the worst current form in the whole of League Two – play-off dark horses Morecambe have picked up 12 points on them over the past eight games and second-placed Exeter 11.
But Bullock is hoping the slump can still be halted with a win in Essex.
He said: "It might be a case of trying to do what teams do when they come to us – keep it tight and try to nick a goal on the break and frustrate the home fans.
"I don't think anyone will be backing down from the challenge. It might look ugly at times but we've got to get the ball up there in and around the box and nick the three points.
"We've got to do whatever it takes to get that ball across the line. We'll take any goal at the minute."
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