Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (1) 2 Hanson 45, Brandon 90
Torquay U (0) 0
Att: 11,123
By Simon Parker (T&A)
City made it back-to-back wins with their first Valley Parade victory of the
season.
Goals at the end of each half saw off Torquay as the Bantams followed up
last week's 5-4 thriller at Cheltenham.
A quiet first half saw little incident other than an early stretching shot
from Michael Flynn that went just wide.
But James Hanson broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, heading home
from James O'Brien's free-kick.
City had a couple of second-half scares as Chris Hargreaves headed over and
Simon Eastwood fumbled a cross before recovering to deny Tim Sills.
But they wrapped up the three points in stoppage time when substitute Chris
Brandon burst clear on to Flynn's through ball to notch a long-awaited first
goal for his hometown club.
Stats: Bradford C - Torquay
Possession: 47 - 53%
Shots on target: 7 - 3
Shots off target: 5 - 4
Fouls: 15 - 7
Corners: 6 - 2
Ref: Steve Rushton (Stoke).
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: None
Torquay: Robertson (15 min) unsporting behaviour.
Bradford C: 1. Simon Eastwood, 2. Simon Ramsden, 5. Zesh Rehman, 12. Steve
Williams, 3. Luke O'Brien, 8. Lee Bullock, 4. Michael Flynn, 19. James
O'Brien (68), 15. Joe Colbeck (76), 17. James Hanson, 9. Gareth Evans.
Subs: 13. Jon McLaughlin (GK), 10. Peter Thorne, 11. Chris Brandon (68), 14.
Michael Boulding, 25. Steve O'Leary, 26. Scott Neilson (76), 16. Jonathan
Bateson.
Torquay: 1. Scott Bevan, 5. Chris Robertson, 6. Chris Todd, 23. Kieran
Charnock, 3. Kevin Nicholson, 15. Wayne Carlisle, 11. Nicky Wroe, 14. Chris
Hargreaves, 19. Danny Stevens (70), 8. Tim Sills, 9. Elliot Benyon (69).
Subs: 2. Michael Brough, 7. Lee Mansell, 10. Scott Rendell (69), 12. Tyrone
Thompson, 16. Lee Hodges, 18. Mustapha Carayol (70), 20. Ben Joyce.
Next League Match: (A) Shrewsbury, Sat. Sept 5, 2009. K.O. 3:00 PM.
Driving info for Shrewsbury,
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1784116,00.html
===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4572462.City_calm_nerves_with_run_of_mill_stuff/?ref=rss
Hanson and Brandon hit goals to earn a welcome routine victory
12:47pm Sunday 30th August 2009
By Simon Parker
City 2, Torquay United 0
Stuart McCall was about to call it predictable when he checked himself. He was right to do so.
The City boss may have been describing the efficient but uninspiring way his side ground out their first home win. But the opening month of this campaign has followed a topsy-turvy route that nobody could have predicted.
Who would have said that it would begin with the biggest opening defeat in club history? Or that City would not hit the net for the first four games? Or that they would then break their duck by scoring five – away from home? Or even that McCall would now be considering Peter Thorne and Michael Boulding, his first-choice strike force four weeks ago, for Johnstone's Paint Trophy duty tomorrow night?
Many words can describe the emotions stirred from just the first of the season's nine months – but predictable ain't one of them. We all needed a more run-of-the-mill victory like yesterday afternoon if only to calm the nerves.
Joint-chairman Mark Lawn was getting a bit chippy in the programme about fans questioning the whereabouts of the Fabian Delph bonanza. Once again he stressed it was to shore up the shortfall from last year's push and not bound for his own pocket.
He also claimed that City's reduced budget was still among the top five of the division. Some may dispute that given the relatively raw side that made it back-to-back wins this weekend, though three of those that finished the game had commanded transfer fees.
The latest was former Cambridge City winger Scott Neilson, who got a lively 15-minute run-out to become the third non-league import in the ranks – even Mystic Meg wouldn't have seen that coming a short while back.
McCall rightly rewarded the Cheltenham victors with another opportunity at Valley Parade. Remarkably it was the first time for seven months he had announced "same again".
Gareth Evans was asked to play a more central role alongside James Hanson, McCall himself admitting it gave City a lopsided look, but otherwise it was the formula that had struck gold the previous week.
Matt Clarke was ruled out with tonsillitis and Steve O'Leary's dodgy toe again packed in during the warm-up. Apart from that, the supposed big guns were once again cocked on the sidelines.
There was no way the same side could deliver the same scintillating attacking performance but they got the job done with the minimum of fuss – and that's precisely what City need if they are to be up there in the mix again this year.
Gritty, hard-fought and workmanlike where the words that McCall came up with. Those are the sort of performances that will get teams up the right end of this division.
There were not enough of these so-called predictable home wins last season. Too many times, City came up short turning wins to draws in front of their own fans.
Accrington, Chester, Dagenham, Luton, Gillingham – take your pick from a long list of examples from home games that should have been "predictable". Also factor in that Torquay are new boys in the league this year. The classic banana-skin opposition for Valley Parade.
McCall, as is his wont, had been on their website and read the comments leading up to Saturday. There were phrases about "rising to the challenge" and "biggest stage of the season"; quotes that he could reel off in his sleep, having heard them so often before.
So the fact that Torquay rarely looked like ruffling City's composure made a welcome change. They played neat enough football – and didn't swamp the midfield, which always helps – but only offered a flicker of real resistance.
That came midway through the second half when defensive attention levels dropped for once after a double Torquay substitution. It allowed the much-travelled Chris Hargreaves a free header eight yards out but he guided it straight into the gloating fans of the TL Dallas Stand.
Simon Eastwood was later barged off a cross by Scott Rendell, recovering in time to hold on to the rebound from Tim Sills, though the referee was set to blow for the foul.
Otherwise it was an efficient operation from the back four and keeper – and a welcome respite after the pounding of crosses and long throws they took from Cheltenham.
City did not create too much themselves either. Up to the goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half, they had managed only one serious threat.
That came after seven minutes when Evans hassled centre half Kieron Charnock into coughing up possession to Joe Colbeck just outside the penalty area. The winger disappointingly chose not to cut in and instead dragged back a hopeful low cross which Michael Flynn nearly turned into an assist with a stretching shot that just beat the post.
Other than that it was fairly mundane stuff, notable only for the tenacity of City's approach. Their football was not at its most fluid but the home side were still eager to pick up the bits and pieces.
None more so than Evans, who seems to possess a motor like the Duracell bunny, chasing any cause and making sure defenders know that he is always around.
It's not just the striker's unquenchable enthusiasm to make things happen that catches the eye. He has also got a good touch on the ball and demonstrated several eye-catching moments of control to bring a long pass to order.
But it was Hanson who eventually broke the Valley Parade goal drought from the final touch of the first half.
The big fella had only been able to train on Friday after a thigh strain during the week. His muted start to the game showed the side affects but Hanson delivered the classic centre forward goal when it mattered.
Colbeck was wrestled down for a foul and, for the second week running, a James O'Brien set-piece was finished off by the forward's forehead, guiding the ball perfectly beyond the equally tall Scott Bevan and into the top corner.
Hanson's presence grew as the game wore on, while Evans continued to hunt down any white shirt in his radius, but it was not until stoppage time at the end of the second half that City got the goal that rubberstamped the points.
It was worth the wait, especially for scorer Chris Brandon. The substitute made a great dart from his own half, which was spotted by Flynn's lob over the top, and the midfielder calmly did the rest.
There was still plenty of grass between him and Bevan's goal but Brandon was never going to fluff the opportunity to finally break his own duck for his home-town club. A year's wait for a first City goal was over against the club who had given him his first break in professional football.
Given the classic 'rule of the ex', that was possibly the only predictable outcome of the day.
Attendance: 11,123
===========================
From Official site:
Joe Colbeck makes Latics switchPosted on: Tue 01 Sep 2009
City winger Joe Colbeck has played his last game for the club, having made a
deadline day move to join Coca-Cola League 1 side Oldham Athletic for an
undisclosed fee.
The 22-year old turned down the offer of new contract with the Bantams last
summer and has been playing this season on a week-to-week contract.
Colbeck links up again with Dave Penney for whom he played on loan for
Darlington in the 2007/2008 season.
Bradford-born, Colbeck joined Bradford City as an apprentice in July 2003
before signing professional forms two years later.
He made his Bradford City debut in a Carling Cup defeat to Notts County on
25 August 2004 at Valley Parade in his only game that season and broke into
the team the following season making 11 appearances.
===========================
Mark Lawns program column
Welcome to the Coral Windows Stadium for this afternoon's match against
Torquay United. I am delighted to welcome the players, officials and
supporters who have made the long trip up from Devon today and I would
like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone associated with
Torquay United on their club's promotion back to the Football League.
Whilst we all know that the start to our season has not been what we had
hoped for, the small number of City fans who were able to make the trip
to Cheltenham last week did see an attacking performance that gives us
all fresh hope for the long campaign ahead. If we can match that
enterprising play up front with a tighter display at the back then there
is reason to believe that it may be a good season after all.
As you will probably be aware, there have been endless rumours and
speculation about the size of the Bradford City budget for the current
season. I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight.
In our first season back in League Two, according to official figures
supplied to us by the Football League, our budget was in the top five
for the division. Last season, figures from the same source showed that
our budget was in the top two for the division. Finally, despite all the
doom and gloom that seems to be around at present, it is now our
understanding that our budget for this year is again amongst the five
largest for League Two. With these facts in mind, perhaps I could
suggest those critics who spend their time criticising the club
regarding these matters should instead focus their attention on
supporting Stuart McCall and the lads.
Over the course of the summer, we have paid a fee for two players -
Gareth Evans and James Hanson - and, at the time of writing, we have
just agreed a fee with Cambridge City for their 21-year-old winger Scott
Neilson. We now need to agree terms with the player and his representatives.
Since I first came to the club, I have always said that I would be happy
to speak to any supporter regarding any issue and I am only at the end
of a telephone call if anyone would like to do just that. I am sure that
you would acknowledge this is quite unusual for a Football Club
Chairman. Having said that, I find it bemusing that some fans still find
it difficult to pick up the phone to me, preferring instead to make
assumptions that are so often wrong. For example, it has been wrongly
presumed by some fans that I have taken some of the money we received as
part of the Fabian Delph deal to open a new restaurant venture in
Baildon. As I have said from the beginning, I have no intention of
taking back any of the £1m loan that I made to the club at present and I
have already stated that the Fabian Delph money will be put in to
balance the books after last year's higher budget. I cannot do any more
than tell you the truth and that is how things stand at present. Just in
case people wonder where the £1m went, I should point out that, on top
of the club's losses, there was a £500,000 overdraft, and some of it
went towards that.
I feel that since I have been involved with Bradford City, we have been
more open with the supporters about the way in which the club is run,
but I am tending to come to the same conclusion that Julian has, in
that, no matter what we say, some people will always look for the
negative within it - even when it is not there!
Back to today, here's hoping that we can reproduce some of that
attacking flair from last week for the home supporters. I am sure we
will all enjoy an entertaining day if that happens.
Enjoy the game,
Mark Lawn
Joint Chairman
===========================
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