L2 v Hereford U. (h) W 1-0 Oct 24th 2009

Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (1) 1 Evans 41
Hereford U (0) 0
Att: 11,107

Stats: Bradford C - Hereford
Possession: 51 - 49%
Shots on target: 11 - 1
Shots off target: 8 - 3
Fouls: 6 - 14
Corners: 6 - 2

Ref: Colin Webster (Tyne & Wear).
Red card: Bullock (Bradford C) 82 min. 2nd yellow.
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: Bullock (15 min),
Hereford: Valentine (16 min), Gwynne (67), Sonko (90).

Bradford C: 1. Simon Eastwood, 16. Jonathan Bateson, 5. Zesh Rehman, 12.
Steve Williams, 3. Luke O'Brien, 26. Scott Neilson, 4. Michael Flynn, 8. Lee
Bullock, 11. Chris Brandon (70), 9. Gareth Evans, 17. James Hanson.
SUBS: 13. Jon McLaughlin (GK), 6. Matthew Clarke, 18. Rory Boulding, 19.
James O'Brien (70), 20. Leon Osborne, 21. Luke Sharry, 24. Louis Horne.

Hereford: 1. Adam Bartlett, 5. Keith Lowe, 2. Ryan Green, 27. Daniel
Blanchett, 3. Ryan Valentine, 15. Sam Gwynne, 26. Craig King, 6. Kenny Lunt,
28. Mark Marshall, 22. Mathieu Manset (69), 29. James Walker (78).
SUBS: 30. Christopher Adamson (GK), 4. Richard Rose, 9. Lee Morris (78), 10.
Leon Constantine, 12. Edrissa Sonko (69), 16. Jonny Godsmark, 23. Matt Done.

Next match: (A) Macclesfield, Saturday October 31, 2009. K.O. 3:00PM.


===========================

By Simon Parker (T&A)

Bradford City got back to winning ways against Hereford at Valley Parade
this afternoon.

Stuart McCall's side were well worth the win after back-to-back losses. But
the job was made harder when Lee Bullock was harshly dismissed for two
yellow cards, leaving them to negotiate the final ten minutes with a man
down.

City had controlled the first half without really getting a clear sight of
Hereford's goal.

They finally broke the deadlock four minutes before the interval as Michael
Flynn's shot crashed back off a post and fell straight to Gareth Evans to
tap home.

City twice had efforts ruled out in the second half as they pushed for a
killer second.

Evans and Flynn had chances and James Hanson should have scored with a
header from Jon Bateson's cross.

Hereford pushed forward late on but City saw it through to get back on
track.




===========================
Heavy handed Stewards?

http://bullsnews.blogspot.com/2009/10/one-bradford-steward.html

http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2009/10/an-ugly-victory-as-hereford-united-fans-get-the-wrong-kind-of-bradford-welcome/



===========================

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/football/Bradford-City-1-Hereford-United.5765700.jp

Bradford City 1 Hereford United 0: Evans strikes to get City back on track

BRADFORD CITY survived Lee Bullock's late sending off to get back to winning ways after two successive defeats.

Striker Gareth Evans forced home the winner just before the break to claim his fourth goal of the season, but manager Stuart McCall will have been as impressed with how his side held out.

Bullock will feel hard done by after seeing red 10 minutes from time following a harsh second booking, but City held out resolutely to secure a timely win.

City's attacking intent was rewarded after 41 minutes when Hereford failed to clear the danger from a corner.

Bantams midfielder Michael Flynn let fly from the edge of the area and when his shot rebounded off the post, Evans kept his cool to steer the loose ball into the empty net.

City started the second period intent on wrapping up the win, but their ambition was thwarted by the assistant referee's flag.

Winger Scott Neilson was ruled offside when he fired home from eight yards and soon after striker James Hanson had his celebrations cut short after heading in a cross from Luke O'Brien.

Hanson was denied again by a smart save from Adam Bartlett and the visitors' hopes of claiming a point were raised when Bullock was dismissed. But full-back O'Brien made a vital late clearance as substitute Edrissa Sonko looked poised to score.

Bradford City: Eastwood, Bateson, Williams, Rehman, L O'Brien; Flynn, Bullock, Brandon (J O'Brien 69m); Neilson, Evans, Hanson. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Clarke, R Boulding, Osborne, Sharry, Horne.

Hereford United: Bartlett, Lowe, Green, Blanchett, Valentine; King, Lunt, Gwynne, Marshall; Manset (Sonko 69m), Walker (Morris 78m). Unused substitutes: Rose, Godsmark, Done, Adamson.

Referee: C Webster (Tyne and Wear).

Man of the match: Gareth Evans.


===========================

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4701942.McCall_s_sigh_of_relief_after__big__big_win_/

Ten-man Bantams grind out priceless result that restores self-belief
7:00am Monday 26th October 2009

By Simon Parker

City 1 Hereford 0

It's the oldest argument in the book. Would you prefer to be royally entertained on the edge of the seat every week or be content just watching a winning team?

Ideally, it would be a case of both. But anyone who says the first is a liar.

City have served up some exciting stuff already this season. Witness the belting clash against Crewe a fortnight ago – an absolute treat for any neutral.

But losing teams aren't going to get clapped off so enthusiastically every time by the fans.

All that really matters, as gauged by Stuart McCall's reaction from Saturday's hard-fought victory, is getting the right result.

Back-to-back defeats is hardly the cue for free-fall but given the way last season slid away so unexpectedly from a position of strength in the spring, City fans are understandably twitchy.

Another setback against Hereford, no matter how well City might have played, and a few alarm bells would have begun to clang.

In football terms, Saturday may have been a pale imitation of the previous home game but the final scoreline was priceless for all concerned.

McCall certainly knew it once his side had survived a tricky final ten minutes after Lee Bullock was sent packing. "That was a big, big win for us," said the City boss. "If we'd dropped a couple more points after being 1-0 up, the belief would have started dripping out of the supporters.

"We always aim to go out and try to score lots of goals and be positive but the bottom line was three points to keep us cracking on.

"We created far, far more chances against Crewe and came away with nothing but when you're not winning games the pressure can build each week."

Hereford, let's face it, were strictly average despite a five-match unbeaten run against all the top sides. But City's inability to dig up a second goal, despite their control on proceedings, kept the visitors interested.

And given the worrying tendency to let late leads slip, there were plenty of anxious faces before referee Colin Webster's whistle ensured the agony was over.

That was the only time Webster endeared himself to the Valley Parade faithful. He won few friends – except for Hereford's Kenny Lunt – by giving Bullock his marching orders.

The improving midfielder had enjoyed the freedom of the park for most of the afternoon, with Hereford allowing him space and time to spray the ball around.

But Bullock already had one black mark to his name for an instinctive handball after 15 minutes. He tried to "Maradona" Steve Williams' header past keeper Adam Bartlett and Webster was having none of it.

It seemed a harsh card at the time, though Bullock had no complaints afterwards, but the real bone of contention was the follow-up booking for his challenge on Lunt in the centre circle.

It was a bog-standard foul but nothing more, and nobody thought much about it. That was until Lunt carried on his protests in front of the referee, who then checked back and reached for his pocket.

In terms of punishment for Bullock, the second yellow means nothing. He was already sitting out next week's trip to Macclesfield after his first offence triggered an automatic one-game ban for reaching five bookings for the season.

But it left City with an uncomfortable finale of a game they should have put to bed long before.

A team brighter than Hereford might have made them pay. Instead, despite the odd squeak or two, City saw it through for their first win and clean sheet in October.

Any fears of a hangover from successive losses had been dispelled by their bright approach to the first half.

The pitch wasn't easy after the heavy rain and play was often very narrow, with only Scott Neilson really using the flanks to the full extent. But City moved the ball about briskly, with the recalled Chris Brandon an effective go-between from the midfield to attack.

Hereford, clearly interested in a point, succeeded in keeping City at arm's length. Most of the home shots were limited to outside the box, and while James Hanson was once again dominating every header, the second ball rarely fell to a claret shirt.

Brandon, Gareth Evans and, inevitably, Michael Flynn all had pot-shots but the closest City came to anything was a concerted shout for handball against Ryan Green that was waved away.

They needed something to break in their favour – and it did four minutes before the break.

Brandon's corner, City's fifth of the half, came to Flynn, who smacked it hard and low against Bartlett's right upright. For once, the ball bounced kindly for the Bantams as the rebound fell right into the path of Evans to dig out from under his feet and roll home from six yards.

A scrappy goal but a crucial one and no more than City's control had warranted.

The second period began in the same manner. Brandon forced an early save and then Evans should have done better after Bullock had picked him out in plenty of space.

Simon Eastwood, enjoying a much easier ride than at Dagenham, had only one split-second of discomfort when Bullock sliced an intended clearance towards his own goal. Twice City had the ball in the Hereford net. Twice, to the derision of the crowd, the offside flag went up.

Both calls may have been correct but did the assistant really need to take so long to raise his arm?

Evans, Flynn and substitute James O'Brien had further chances before Hanson missed the best of them from Jon Bateson's inviting cross. His header was well tipped over by Bartlett but a yard either side of the keeper and it was a sure-fire goal.

McCall felt Hereford's heads were ready to drop with a second strike. Instead, as he put it, they were galvanised by City's failure to find that decisive blow.

The visitors threw caution to the wind as John Trewick threw on two fresh strikers to replace the anonymous front pair.

Gambia international Ed Sonko was a particularly lively addition and it needed a well-timed block from Steve Williams to keep one raid in check.

Bullock's departure livened things up, especially when Hereford left back Ryan Valentine – also walking a yellow-card tightrope – escaped similar censor for crashing into Flynn.

Valley Parade held its breath as Mark Marshall's fizzing cross was only partially parried by Eastwood but Luke O'Brien was on to the loose ball before Sonko and three faith-restoring points were secure.





===========================

Bullock will be missed - McCall  
 
Bullock joined Bradford from Hartlepool

Bradford City manager Stuart McCall insists his side can cope without the influential Lee Bullock.

The midfielder will miss Saturday's trip to Macclesfield following his sending off in the weekend win over Hereford United.

"It is not a major disaster in the grand scheme of things because he would have missed next week for five yellows anyway," McCall told BBC Radio Leeds.

"He will of course be a miss, but we can cope for one game without him."

Bullock was sent off nine minutes from the end of City's 1-0 win at Valley Parade for a second bookable offence.

McCall added: "For him to only miss the one game is good, as three matches would have hurt us.

"He has been outstanding for us in the last three or four matches, so we will miss him."


 

===========================

FINAL HANSON OFFER PUT TO GUISELEY

Bradford City have made a final offer to Guiseley for striker James Hanson,
in a bid to stop the summer signing's fee being decided by a tribunal.

Hanson has scored four goals in 11 starts since signing from City's
non-league neighbours in the summer.

But the two clubs are still to agree a fee for the six foot three
21-year-old.

If a deal cannot be agreed, it is understood that it would be the first time
a league club has been taken to arbitration by a non-league club.

City claim that the Unibond League side want more for Hanson than the
reported four-figure sum they paid for his co-striker Gareth Evans in the
summer.

But now City have moved with a final offer, which would also involve
Guiseley claiming 25 per cent of any future transfer fee and the income from
a pre-season friendly.

"We've gone back to Guiseley and upped the offer," joint chairman Mark Lawn
told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus.

"We don't think we can go any further. It's up to them."



===========================

From the Official BCFC website...

NEW YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Posted on: Fri 23 Oct 2009

Bradford City's Youth Department are pleased to announce new development
sessions specifically for [Note] budding goalkeepers.

The sessions are designed purely for young goalkeepers who are looking to
hone their talent and further their potential in football.

The goalkeeper specific training programme will be taken by professional
goalkeeping coaches, Graeme Kennedy and Kim Farrand. The programme is also
fully endorsed by the club's first team goalkeeping coach, former England
goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.

As per any Bradford City Centre of Excellence development programme, the
sessions could potentially offer a route in the Centre of Excellence itself
for any talented youngsters.

Sessions will be open for children between the ages of 9 - 15 and will be
held at GOALS Soccer Centre, 282 Kings Road, Bradford, BD1 2NR ( the chosen
venue for all Bradford City Centre of Excellence training sessions).

The first session shall commence on Wednesday 11th November at 5:00pm until
6:30pm at GOALS.

Each session shall be subject to a £10.00 administration fee.

Any interested parties should contact either Kim Farrand (07813 081681) or
Graeme Kennedy (07811 822775) to register a place.


===========================

Oh yeah .... City for t'cup ... FA Cup 1st round v Notts County (a) Friday Nov 6th 7.45pm

===========================



===========================



===========================
Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=46810838356
or search for
"City Forward! Mailing List"

***
Texas Bantams Blog
http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/
***
CFML since February 1997 is edited by Greg S. in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas
***

L2 v Dag & Red (a) L1-2 Oct 17th 2009

===========================

Dagenham & Redbridge: Roberts; Ogogo, Griffiths (Doe 88), Arber, Antwi; Green, Gain, Thurgood, Tejan-Sie; Benson, Nurse (Montgomery 90). Unused substitutes: Lewington, Demetriou, Bingham, Dean.

Bradford City: Eastwood; Ramsden, L O'Brien, Williams (Clarke 87), Rehman; Neilson (Osborne 68), Flynn, Bullock, J O'Brien (Brandon 61); Evans, Hanson. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Bateson, Sharry.

Referee: M Russell (Hertfordshire).

Man of the match: Abu Ogogo.






===========================

Bantams hit a sour note at fortress Victoria Road


By Simon Parker »


Dagenham 2 City 1

What price a Dagenham double this season?

Stacey Solomon winning the X Factor and the Daggers clinching promotion?

Stacey, who the PA announcer kept telling us lives just 200 yards from the Victoria Road ground, might need a few more votes than just the hardcore 2,000 fans getting on their mobiles.

But John Still's side could take some stopping.

They may play in a way that won't impress the judges but 19 points from a possible 21 at home is a strong case for a top-seven finish for the first time in their history.

Stacey was obviously too tied up to be there on Saturday so instead the main stand had to make do with the constant shrieking of Abu Ogogo's sisters. They were a poor substitute.

The two of them sat directly above the players' tunnel and embarrassed the young right back every time he came within ten yards.

The cacophony of noise from their row when he slotted home the Dagenham winner threatened to rip off the roof.

Structural damage would not have shocked anybody on a day which saw a 20-minute power cut and a fuse box fire behind the goal opposite the City fans.

They were housed in the most luxurious seats; the new covered end which was only seeing its second game.

It was Dagenham's biggest crowd of the season by far. However much we try to play it down, City remain a big scalp as home boss Still kept repeating afterwards.

But it's the second-placed Daggers who are the real catch, particularly on their own cramped manor.

City came close but, like the losers given the boot by Simon Cowell and Co, they headed home with nothing.

It was not a day for off-days and, unfortunately, there were a few in black shirts.

Fingers will be pointed at Simon Eastwood again over both Dagenham goals.

McCall felt the blame for the first on eight minutes was on those who failed to react to the loose ball afer the keeper had failed to claim the game's first corner.

Eastwood has been criticised for his tendency to hug the goalline. On this occasion he chased a ball he didn't need to, couldn't get anything on it, and watched in a helpless heap as Scott Griffiths nudged goalwards for Paul Benson to convert with his knee.

The Huddersfield loanee atoned for the judgement error with a couple of big saves later on, most notably to spare the blushes of Steve Williams by palming away his misguided own goal-bound header at the start of the second half.

But Dagenham's second did him no favours again. The cross should have been stopped but when it wasn't, Eastwood found himself wide of his goal as Jon Nurse teed up Ogogo to give his supporting banshees their chance to really let rip.

Eastwood was not the only fall guy. Zesh Rehman came off distinctly second best against Benson while Scott Neilson hardly scratched the surface on his recall.

And yet City could still have left this raw corner of Essex with something.

Birthday boy Michael Flynn pulled them up by their bootlaces with another top-drawer strike to cancel out the sluggish start.

Tony Roberts punched a corner clear of the penalty area – only to see the ball come flying back with interest courtesy of the Welshman's flying first-time strike.

And when Dagenham blew an instant chance to restore their lead from the penalty spot, it looked like the tide had turned.

Referee Mick Russell later admitted that it shouldn't have been a spot-kick, which is becoming a bugging habit of officials of late.

He gave it anyway for Nurse's theatrical fall under the combined pressure of Rehman and Simon Ramsden. But Benson, maybe out of guilt but more likely as a result of Flynn's "encouragement" as he ran up, delivered the worst penalty you will see for many a year.

While the fire brigade attended to the electrical blaze, City took control for the remainder of the half. Lee Bullock got on the ball and carried on his good work from the previous week and the visitors looked a decent threat.

Gareth Evans had their best chance but the recalled striker, only playing because Michael Boulding had woken up under the weather, snatched at it after Flynn and Neilson had combined to carve Dagenham open.

It looked a costly miss and City soon found themselves back under the cosh as the second half started the same way as the first.

Benson and Danny Green went close – as well as Williams – and Eastwood plunged at the feet of Nurse after a mistake by Flynn.

There were shades of Paul Mullin last season as City had a dangerous counter-attack flagged off for James Hanson's supposed foul on Roberts.

But then Peter Gain's cross was collected by Benson and Nurse and, with Eastwood not at home, right back Ogogo had his first goal in senior football.

City hit back hard late on but, apart from one Luke O'Brien effort, forced little to unnerve Roberts as the resolute Daggers back four showed how it should be done to negotiate several scrambled moments.

That's two losses on the spin but McCall insisted there was no need for the doom merchants to take over.

He said: "We are a young side trying to gel together and have had some good performances this season.

"We were up against one of the best sides in the division and we could have squeezed a point.

"There were spells in the game which gave me enough encouragement to know that we've got a good nucleus of players. We'll give teams problems but now it's about reacting the right way."



===========================

Lawn: Stuart is his own boss

By Simon Parker »


Mark Lawn would never try to talk Stuart McCall out of leaving Valley Parade.

Not that City's joint-chairman wants to see the manager call it quits any time soon.

Despite the disappointment of back-to-back losses, Lawn believes McCall is on the right track this season with his revamped squad.

But he also reckons that McCall's standing at the club always gives the manager the ultimate power to choose the moment he could walk away.

McCall was close to stepping down at the end of last season after the anguish of missing out on the play-offs. Fans and former team-mates rallied round to change his mind.

Having pushed the boat out to build a squad of serious promotion challengers, failure was a bitter blow for Lawn and Julian Rhodes. But there was never any heat put on McCall.

Lawn said: "There has never been a problem between board and manager. The only frustration was between Stuart McCall and himself.

"He wanted to do well and believed that he didn't and wanted to go. But he'd just signed a new two-year contract and I don't know what everyone was panicking about.

"Don't get me wrong, if Stuart wants to walk away I'm not going to hold him back. He's done enough for this club to have that right.

"If Stuart had definitely wanted to go in the summer, I wouldn't have held him to his contract. It wouldn't have been right."

City are proud to have built up an infrastructure of dyed-in-the-wool supporters but, as the McCall episode testified, that emotional attachment comes at a price at times.

Lawn added: "I'm not sure whether it's good or bad that we are all fans as well.

"I've watched the team for over 20 years and stood on the terraces before getting involved at board level.

"We all feel the pain, perhaps even more than the fans because of what we've put into the club.

"I'm not having a go at anyone but there are some times when I can't face my kids. I've put the whole of their inheritance in this club.

"It's difficult when you get into a conversation where my son can't go to the university he wants to because I can't afford it.

"But it's not just me. Everybody in the club has got that sort of commitment, not just with the money but the time that they put in.

"I believe the whole club are slowly starting to move in the right direction. Behind the scenes as well, we've got the right people.

"It's a general thing which has taken some time to turn round.

"In any business, once the wheel starts going one way, it's very difficult to stop it. Then you've got to get your shoulder to it and push it to get things moving the other way. I think it's slowly starting to do that."

Lawn is into his third year at Valley Parade and finds he is still getting to grips with football culture. But he feels that techniques applied in general business are not totally alien to his present environment.

"I've found the role of joint- chairman difficult at first but I'm getting used to it," he said.

"There are still things I want to bring into football; business practices that aren't being used. But as they say, slowly slowly catchy monkey.

"Things that are used in business can be used, not just behind the scenes but on a football level as well.

"All businesses run on procedures and football is the same. They'll come in and do training on this aspect one day and Friday might work on that one, it's just procedure.

"It's not a million miles apart and I think there are business ethics that can be put in the football side.

"I'd like to see more statistical analysis and programmes put in but I only make suggestions because it's down to the manager and coaches.

"It is Stuart's domain. If the team loses, it's Stuart that gets the stick as well."



===========================

McCALL: PROMOTION DREAM STILL ALIVE

Bradford City manager Stuart McCall believes his side can challenge for
promotion and is paying little attention to the current league table.

The Bantams have slipped to 13th place, five points adrift of the play-offs,
after an eight-match unbeaten league run was abruptly halted by successive
league defeats.

McCall told the club's official website: "As long as we keep going on the
coat tails of the play-off places, four or five points behind, it doesn't
matter where we are in the league right now.

"We are realistic about it. Although we had a good run, there will come
stages in the season when a couple of results go against you.

"It's how we react. With young lads you're always going to get those ups and
downs.

"You look for consistency with players and that tends to improve as you
mature. We should be sat on more points than we are, but there's no reason
to be all doom and gloom."

L2 v Crewe A. (h) L2-3 Oct 10th 2009

Bradford City 2 - Crewe Alexandra 3

Valley Parade

Attendance: 11,757

Referee: Carl Boyeson

Game Statistics
26 Goal Attempts 12
15 On Target 7
16 Corners 7
10 Fouls 9
0 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0
49 % 51


video
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/8301626.stm



===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4675776.Shots_galore_but_City_floored_by_Zola/

McCall appreciates applause but points would be more appropriate
6:50am Monday 12th October 2009
By Simon Parker »


City 2, Crewe Alexandra 3

It's not very often that Steve Schumacher is stuck for words.

The chirpy Scouser usually offers an opinion on most things but he was gobsmacked by the reaction of the Valley

Parade crowd at the final whistle.

Schumacher experienced his fair share of home lows during three years in a City shirt and he knows the fans can be

pretty unforgiving when games haven't gone their way.

But the present-day Bantams were cheered off with a standing ovation on Saturday – despite surrendering their

ten-game unbeaten run.

"That's a first," admitted Schumacher, whose goal on his return ultimately proved the difference between the two

sides. "I've never seen that before in my time here.

"But Bradford are a completely different side. They work very hard as a team and play some lovely football."

Stuart McCall would rather have collected the points than the compliments but he appreciated the reaction from the

stands.

He said: "It's nice for the players to be clapped off. Everyone's disappointed to get beaten but they've seen the

side give everything, create chances and pour forward.

"We did everything we could. Dario (Gradi) will be pleased with the way Crewe defended but there were lots of times

when we got round them and through them. There were some terrific performances."

Schumacher was clearly pumped up to be back at his former club. Having finished second-top scorer for a couple of

seasons in his City days, it was not a huge surprise that he should net again.

In the current dilemma of whether ex-players should milk the moment against their old team, Schumacher kept his

reaction muted in front of the Kop.

He said: "I'd been thinking about it during the week. Everyone loves to get one over their old team but I didn't

think it was appropriate to rub the fans' noses in it.

"It's great to score a goal and I did half-celebrate but this is football and it won't be long before someone who

used to play for Crewe will be scoring against us."

The foundations for Crewe's improbable victory were laid by targetman Calvin Zola, whose first-half double took him

up to ten goals for the season.

Zola cost £200,000 from Tranmere – a big sum for this division. By the end of the game, Gradi was plotting how to

spend the £1million he would soon get for flogging the big African.

By all accounts, he is a hot or cold player. City unfortunately got Zola on a scorching day.

His first goal was reminiscent of Luke Medley's screamer against Wrexham two years ago.

Nothing seemed on when John Brayford's throw-in picked him out down the right touchline but Zola let rip with a

ferocious first-time half-volley that whistled past Simon Eastwood before he could blink.

The hyper-critical would suggest the young keeper should have reacted in some way but the ball flew like a missile

into the far corner.

After tricky winger Joel Grant had rattled the post, Zola cashed in on a defensive lapse to quickly bag his second

goal.

Steve Williams should have cleared his lines but coughed up possession and the striker neatly made himself space to

fire home from the edge of the box. City could have been forgiven for thinking they were up against Gianfranco Zola

...

The stunned home side needed a response before half-time and when James O'Brien's volley fell at the feet of

Michael Boulding ten yards out, he crashed the ball against the underside of the bar.

But a minute before the break Boulding got it spot on to head in O'Brien's cross for his third goal in as many

games.

With the contest wide open, McCall's team talk at the interval was centred on winning rather than just salvaging a

point.

The stats don't lie. City had enough chances to have won the next six games: 29 shots on goal, 12 of them on

target, and 16 corners. The figures said it all.

Yet Crewe, exploiting the huge gaps left as City poured upfield, could have had more on the break.

Eastwood denied Schumacher's point-blank header within seconds of the restart. He also saved well from James Bailey

and substitute Anthony Elding.

The one he couldn't keep out after 65 minutes looked to have settled the contest as Schumacher's drive bounced

wickedly in front of the diving keeper and over his hands.

But City, to their credit, did not lie down and responded within four minutes.

Lee Bullock, having his best game by a mile, swept a great pass out to Boulding, whose cross was hooked in Peter

Crouch-style by James Hanson.

Scott Neilson had been dropped to the bench after a couple of jaded performances but his arrival on the right wing

signalled a non-stop cavalry charge at the Crewe goal.

The chances came thick and fast. Leon Osborne twice, Boulding, Hanson twice – including a header kicked off the

line by left back Ashley Westwood – Simon Ramsden, Bullock, Neilson ... forgive me if I missed anyone out but it

was impossible to keep up.

And referee Carl Boyeson did City no favours when he ruled that Westwood had handled inches outside, rather than

in, the Crewe penalty area as he tussled for a high ball with Neilson.

Neilson said: "His arm was inside but he was standing on the line. It was a shame because the ball was coming

straight on my chest and it would have been a good goal-scoring opportunity."

McCall was furious at the time but simmered down when he viewed the incident again on video.

He said: "You get one glance at it and the linesman was in line. If he's not sure, then he can't give it, although

you'd think at home that you'll get those decisions.

"There are a lot of disappointed players in the dressing room because the run has been broken now but we can take a

lot from it.

"I usually have a sheet of paper with all the chances written down. I had three sheets just with the attempts in

the second half."

The response from the fans showed just what they thought of it.

Attendance: 11,757



===========================

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/4675739._Let_s_aim_for_another_ten_/?ref=rss

Neilson issues new challenge after unbeaten run bites dust
7:30am Monday 12th October 2009

 Comments (10)   Have your say »

By Simon Parker »


Scott Neilson has challenged City to launch another unbeaten run after suffering their first loss in 11 games.

The Bantams were edged out 3-2 by Crewe at Valley Parade, despite peppering the visitors with nearly 30 shots on

goal.

Winger Neilson was as amazed as his team-mates that they finished empty-handed but he was adamant that the shock

setback would not shatter confidence.

He said: "We had so many chances in the last 15 minutes and couldn't believe it wouldn't go in. I really thought

we'd nick one and maybe go on and win it.

"It was just a shame we didn't get anything from the game but nobody stopped working and believing in each other.

"Dagenham will be tough next week but we haven't lost away from home since Notts County, so hopefully we'll go

there and get something. We'll go again and maybe make it another ten games unbeaten."

Neilson was dropped to the bench for the first time since his arrival from Cambridge City but the winger made a

huge impact when he came on for the last half hour.

"I was gutted not to start but I've played a lot of minutes and felt a bit leggy on Tuesday," he said. "I wanted to

express myself as soon as I got out there. It was great to get straight into the game as the outlet and I tried to

create chances."

Stuart McCall felt that the step up from non-league had caught up with Neilson in the last couple of weeks.

The City chief said: "Scott's looked a bit jaded in the last few games. I wished I could have rested him against

Notts County but obviously we had to play six first-team regulars.

"But I said to him beforehand that it wouldn't surprise me if he came on and changed the match.

"He's played every game and I think he just needed a breather – and Brando (Chris Brandon) has scored three at home

and he's been flying in training."



===========================

BANTAMS DUO ON ROAD TO RECOVERY

Bradford City are preparing for a double boost as long-term absentees Omar
Daley and Stephen O'Leary are both closing in on first-team returns.

Jamaica international winger Daley has not featured for Stuart McCall's side
this season due to a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained in February but
has targeted a return to action with the reserves next week.

Midfielder O'Leary, a summer signing following his release from Hereford,
broke his toe on his debut for Bradford against Port Vale in August and will
also be handed a reserve-team run out to build up his match fitness.

Both players could return to contention for Bradford's next home game,
against O'Leary's former club Hereford, a week on Saturday.

===========================


  Referee admits City penalty error



Referee Carl Boyeson has admitted he should have given City a penalty
against Crewe.

The Bantams claimed a late spot-kick when defender Ashley Westwood
handled on the edge of the box.

But Boyeson, acting on the advice of his assistant, awarded a free-kick
just outside the area. Crewe hung on to inflict City's first loss in 11
games.

Having since watched the incident again, the Hull-based official
contacted Stuart McCall to say that he had got it wrong.

McCall said: "Everyone makes mistakes and it's good that a referee is
prepared to ring and apologise. I appreciated his honesty.

"It wasn't down to him, he was just acting on the advice of the
linesman, but he said they work as a team and accepted responsibility."

JPT2 v Notts County (h) FT2-2 w3-2 on Pens Oct 6 2009

Johnson Paint Trophy, 2nd Round
Bradford C (1) 2 Boulding 20, Brandon 90.
Notts County (1) 2 Westcarr 10, Facey 85.
Bradford C win 3-2 on penalties.
Att: 3,701

CITY WIN PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
By Simon Parker (T&A)

Simon Eastwood saved two penalties as City won a dramatic shoot-out to beat
Notts County.

The Bantams saw off Notts County 3-2 on spot-kicks after the Johnstone's
Paint Trophy clash finished 2-2.

Former City skipper Graeme Lee was sent off on his Valley Parade return and
City twice came from behind.

Notts County were in front after 11 minutes through winger Craig Westcarr.
But unlike Meadow Lane two months ago, City bounced back as Michael Boulding
netted his second goal in successive games following a lovely pass by
Michael Flynn.

City enjoyed the lion's share of possession for the rest of the half and
Jamie O'Brien's free-kick almost slipped through right on the interval.

Lee was shown his second yellow card after 66 minutes for a foul on
Boulding. O'Brien's free-kick was well tipped over by Kasper Schmeichel.

Ten-man County came on strongly in the closing stages and Delroy Facey put
them back in front. But Chris Brandon headed a second equaliser to take the
game to penalties.

Eastwood saved from Facey and keeper Kasper Schmeichel to see City through
to round three.

Ref: Andy Hall (Birmingham).
Red card: Graeme Lee (66 min) - 2nd Yellow.
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: Brandon (38 min)
Notts C: Graeme Lee (14 min), Edwards (28 min),
Schmeichel (90), Westcarr (90+4).

Stats: Bradford C - Notts C
Possession: 54 - 46%
Shots on target: 8 - 6
Shots off target: 2 - 1
Fouls: 12 - 11
Corners: 10 - 7

Bradford C: 1. Simon Eastwood, 16. Jonathan Bateson, 2. Simon Ramsden, 6.
Matthew Clarke, 3. Luke O'Brien, 11. Chris Brandon, 19. James O'Brien, 4.
Michael Flynn (61), 20. Leon Osborne, 26. Scott Neilson (73), 14. Michael
Boulding.
SUBS: 13. Jon McLaughlin (GK), 5. Zesh Rehman, 10. Peter Thorne (73), 21.
Luke Sharry (61), 24. Louis Horne.

Notts County: 23. Kasper Schmeichel, 6. John Thompson, 4. Mike Edwards, 5.
Graeme Lee, 24. Daniel Jones, 20. Craig Westcarr, 8. Richard Ravenhill, 10.
Neal Bishop, 17. Jamie Clapham, 15. Karl Hawley (69), 22. Delroy Facey.
SUBS: 12. Kevin Pilkington (GK), 3. Matt Ritchie (69), 7. Matthew Hamshaw,
18. Stephen Hunt, 19. Luke Rodgers.



  Penalty Sequence

NC = Notts County/BC = Bradford C, and the number indicates the penalty
taken.

NC-BC
1-0 NC1 Westcarr - scored.
1-0 BC1 Boulding - saved.

2-0 NC2 Ritchie - scored.
2-1 BC2 Thorne - scored.

2-1 NC3 Facey - saved.
2-2 BC3 Ramsden - scored.

2-2 NC4 Bishop - missed.
2-3 BC4 James O'Brien - scored.

2-3 NC5 Schmeichel - saved.
2-3 BC5 Not required.

Next match: (H) Crewe, Saturday Oct. 10, 2009. K.O. 3:00PM.

===========================

Photos and Video
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1819974,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8295674.stm




===========================

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/McParland-Notts-deserved/article-1397307-detail/article.html

McParland: Notts deserved so much more

IAN McParland was gutted to be knocked out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Bradford City.
The Notts County manager felt his much-changed side dominated at Valley Parade, even after being reduced to ten men.
But he said they conceded two poor goals, before losing 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
He said: "We deserved to win, I thought we were magnificent in the second half.
"Matty Ritchie cracked one off the bar. It was a great strike, I don't know how it stayed out. I put him on to try to win the game and we deserved to.
 "He lit the game up when he came on and we battled hard after we went down to ten men. The lads got together and had a right go.
"We were in front in the final minute but we gave it away. Players have to make the right decisions from the corner.
"It wasn't even a dangerous corner and if we made the right decision it would not have gone in and we would have claimed a deserved win.
"It's a lottery when it comes down to penalties for the lads that stepped up to the plate. It takes a bit of bottle to do it."
McParland blasted referee Andy Hall for sending off Graeme Lee in the second half.
"I thought it was a terrible sending off and some of the bookings were not bookings, I thought the refereeing was shocking," he added.
"Spike (Lee) didn't even move, the lad just fell over. In the end, I wish Bradford good luck. They stuck their penalties away but we could have had them dead and buried, even with ten men.
"It was a proper cup tie and we came up here to win it. I'm happy with the performance, not the result. It's a terrible way to go out, on penalties, especially when we dominated so much."
Ben Davies and Johnnie Jackson both missed the game through injury – and McParland said he is not sure if they will be fit to face Torquay United at Meadow Lane on Sunday.


===========================






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L2 v Northampton (a) D2-2 Oct 3 2009

Coca-Cola League Two
Northampton (0) 2 Dyer 77, Johnson
Bradford C (0) 2 Ramsden 50, Boulding 54.
Att: 4,391

Stats: Northampton - Bradford C
Possession: 56 - 44%
Shots on target: 8 - 4
Shots off target: 3 - 5
Fouls: 10 - 11
Corners: 2 - 5

Ref: David Phillips
Yellow cards:
Northampton: Gilligan (43 min).
Bradford C: Rehman (51 min), Eastwood (65 min), J O'Brien (66 min).

Northampton: 1. Chris Dunn, 3. John Johnson, 5. Craig Hinton, 20. Chris
McCready, 11. Andrew Holt, 4. Luke Guttridge (40), 12. Ryan Gilligan, 19.
John Curtis (68), 7. Ben Marshall, 22. Courtney Herbert (56), 9. Steve
Guinan.
SUBS: 26. Simon Brown (GK), 2. Paul Rodgers, 8. Abdul Osman, 15. Alex Dyer
(68), 16. Gary Mulligan (40), 17. Billy Mckay (56), 24. Seb Harris.

Bradford C: 1. Simon Eastwood, 16. Jonathan Bateson, 12. Steve Williams, 5.
Zesh Rehman, 3. Luke O'Brien, 26. Scott Neilson, 4. Michael Flynn, 2. Simon
Ramsden, 8. Lee Bullock, 19. James O'Brien (78), 14. Michael Boulding.
SUBS: 13. Jon McLaughlin (GK), 6. Matthew Clarke, 11. Chris Brandon (78),
20. Leon Osborne, 21. Luke Sharry, 24. Louis Horne.

===========================

Coca-Cola League Two
Northampton (0) 2 Dyer 77, Johnson 90.
Bradford C (0) 2 Ramsden 50, Boulding 54.
Att: 4,391

By Simon Parker (T&A)

City blew a two-goal lead late on as they were held to a third successive
away draw at Northampton.

Simon Ramsden and Michael Boulding - with his first goal of the season - had
set City well on the way to victory.

But Northampton hit back twice in the last 13 minutes as the Bantams had to
settle for their fourth draw in five games.

There were few chances in a scrappy first half. Steve Guinan and Luke
Guttridge fired over for Northampton while Scott Neilson wasted City's best
opportunity with a lack of composure inside the box.

The game improved considerably after the break - and within nine minutes of
the re-start City found themselves two up.

There was a touch of good fortune about the 50th-minute opener as Ramsden's
left footer took a deflection to totally wrong-foot keeper Chris Dunn.

But Northampton could have no complaints about the quality of their second
as Boulding whipped home a crisp volley from a flick from Lee Bullock, his
surprise attacking partner in the absence of the ill James Hanson.

Boulding went close to scoring again before Northampton pulled one back
through sub Alex Dyer.

City had 13 minutes to see the game through. But in the final minute of
normal time, Northampton levelled as right back John Johnson headed home
from a free-kick.

The unbeaten run is now up to nine but this was a case of two points
dropped.






===========================

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4663583.Youthful_City_endure_further_growing_pains/?ref=rss

Players hold inquest as two more points are thrown away on travels
6:50am Monday 5th October 2009

By Simon Parker »


Northampton Town 2, City 2

Sixfields was virtually deserted but the recriminations rumbled on.

City's post-match warm down had turned into a heated debate about how they had let this one slip.

Michael Flynn's angry tone highlighted the frustration as the group of players huddled around the very spot in the penalty area where defender John Johnson ghosted in unmarked to seal Northampton's unlikely comeback.

"The lad ran in behind me," admitted Simon Ramsden. "But if we'd kept a higher line, he would have been offside.

"We've practically dropped back to the six-yard box, which we can't keep doing. We threw points away at Barnet and we've done it again."

Another lead squandered; this time from a comfy 2-0 up with 13 minutes left. Once again City left an away ground miffed at only taking a point.

Maybe, as Michael Boulding put it, this was a sign of the side's general inexperience. A largely youthful, slightly naive squad is going to suffer from growing pains along the way.

City did not play as well as they had done against Barnet or Morecambe but they still seemed to have enough about them to seal a fourth win on the road.

Northampton's late point should guarantee Ian Sampson the manager's job on a permanent basis today. But they were a pretty ordinary side – and once City kicked up a gear after the break, it should have been done and dusted.

Ramsden, back in the side in a midfield anchor role, said: "They were there for the taking if we stepped it up a bit. We got the two early goals in the second half and they couldn't get near us at times.

"Then, for some strange reason, we started forcing the ball and looking quite nervy all over the park. And once they got one back, we were under the cosh."

On the face of it, a ninth game unbeaten should not be scoffed at. With James Hanson back home with flu, City were left with only one fit and firing striker.

There was plenty of pressure on Boulding as he came back in from the cold; especially when he found out on Friday that Lee Bullock would be his make-shift partner.

Bullock used to play up front for Cardiff but it was still a strange twist for a player who has grown accustomed this season to stopping goals rather than trying to score them as a back-four minder.

Chris Brandon could have come back in to play behind Boulding but Stuart McCall wanted a big man to play in the Hanson role, so Bullock was the obvious choice.

To be fair, he made a reasonable fist of it. It was Bullock's header that teed up Boulding for the chance to blow away his frustration with a crisply-taken first goal of the season.

But the absence of Gareth Evans gave City a lop-sided look with a gap on their left which Northampton exploited in the opening stages.

It took City a while to come to grips with the reshuffle, with Boulding forced to drop back to a wide-midfield role at times when the home side had the ball.

Northampton had a few half-chances but the only real scare saw Steve Williams clear a general melee in the goal-mouth.

The best opportunity fell to Scott Neilson, who wastefully skied it just before the break. It summed up a hit-and-miss game for the winger, whose electric build-up play is being let down by a lack of composure when he sees the whites of the keeper's eyes.

By all accounts, Neilson scores every time in training but he has missed some great openings in the last few games.

Saturday's game was still there to be won. Northampton had blown themselves out after the bright start, while City were getting stronger.

A dream start to the second half put the visitors well on their way. Two quickfire corners signalled their extra intent; two quickfire goals confirmed it.

The first enjoyed a slice of luck, with Ramsden the beneficiary – as he had been with his previous goal at Cheltenham.

A low corner pinged around before falling to his left foot 20 yards out. The shot was not the best struck but took "five bobbles and two deflections", in the scorer's words, to completely wrong-foot keeper Chris Dunn.

City's second four minutes later was pure striker's quality. Northampton gave away a cheap free-kick on halfway, Ramsden lofted it on to Bullock's head and Boulding was on to the knockdown in a flash with a decisive left-foot volley.

It was a touch of the Boulding that we had been promised this season. Who would have guessed that nine other players would have got off the mark before he had?

With Evans still out for another two games, it could be the springboard needed to get him up and running.

Simon Eastwood superbly saved from Steve Guinan, somehow pushing his header on to the post with the goal gaping.

His efforts were matched at the other end as Dunn denied Boulding's shot on the turn. It proved a hugely significant moment.

Substitute Alex Dyer had livened up Northampton and his goal 13 minutes from time offered the lifeline they grabbed so eagerly.

But City should have dealt with the danger when Andy Holt's header seemed to hover in the box. Nobody in a black shirt got hold of it, allowing Dyer the room to hook home.

The mood changed. Northampton's belief returned and City stopped playing the way they had been. They could not keep the ball well enough and found themselves getting pushed back.

McCall had been unhappy all afternoon with the number of free-kicks referee David Phillips awarded Northampton around the penalty area. City defended most of them well but inevitably one would get through.

That happened in the 89th minute after Williams leaned on Guinan. Ryan Gilligan's cross was on the money and on-loan Middlesbrough right back Johnson emerged to nod in from close range – and two valuable points were ground into the dust.

McCall said: "It's hugely disappointing to give it away after being in control for long periods. We could have killed off the game on the break.

"It feels like a defeat but the run keeps going. We know what our away form was like from Christmas onwards last season."

Attendance: 4,391



===========================

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L2 v Morecambe (a) D0-0 Sep 29 2009

Morecambe: Roche ,Haining (McStay ,64 ) ,Parrish ,Bentley ,Wilson ,Drummond ,Craney ,Jevons (Twiss ,70 ) ,Mullin ,Hunter (Duffy ,83 ) ,Curtis
Subs not used: Stanley,Scott Davies,Winters,Taylor,

Bradford: Eastwood ,Rehman ,Luke O'Brien ,Bateson ,Williams ,Flynn ,Bullock ,James O'Brien ,Neilson ,Evans (sent off 77),Hanson
Subs not used Clarke,Michael Boulding,Brandon,Osborne,Sharry,McLaughlan,Horne,

Bookings: Curtis ,Wilson (Morecambe) Bullock (Bradford)

Attendance: 3116


Referee: S Attwell (Warwickshire)


Game Statistics

Shrimps / Bantams
14 Goal Attempts 22
7 On Target 12
3 Corners 7
13 Fouls 14
2 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 1
46 % 54


===========================

Controversial decision leaves City seeing red
12:32am Wednesday 30th September 2009


By Simon Parker »


Morecambe 0 City 0

The referee behind the "phantom" goal left City fuming last night by dishing out the red card that never was.

Stuart Attwell will always be remembered for awarding that goal that never went in at Watford.

In City's eyes, the dismissal of Gareth Evans will fall into the same ridiculous bracket.

The striker was sent packing as he challenged Morecambe keeper Barry Roach for a through ball. He caught Roach as they slid together but there was clearly no intent – but that's not how Attwell saw it, and Evans will now miss three games.

His dismissal soured another gutsy display as City claimed their first point at Christie Park. They should have won it.

Stuart McCall's confidence in his own side's form was evident with the unchanged team-sheet and the growing bond between City's players and fans was underlined with the warm applause they got during the warm-up.

The teams were greeted by a firework display on the pitch – all three of them. Apparently Morecambe do it before every home game to mark their final season before moving to a new ground.

City looked to produce a bit more sparkle in the opening minutes, with Scott Neilson and Michael Flynn nearly carving out openings.

Morecambe shouted in vain for a penalty after the ball bobbled up against Steve Williams before Phil Jevons and Ian Craney tried the first shots in anger.

Evans responded from a flighted pass by Luke O'Brien and Barry Roach was forced into a low save.

Zesh Rehman's physical duel with former City team-mate Paul Mullin was threatening to become a real arm wrestle but the first booking went to Lee Bullock for body-checking Garry Hunter – his fourth yellow of the campaign.

Jon Bateson made an important block from Jevons and Laurance Wilson curled the rebound into the packed City stand.

City came close to breaking the deadlock after 20 minutes as Neilson got goal-side of Wilson and drilled in a low cross which just needed a touch from James Hanson in the six-yard box.

Flynn put City under pressure when he nudged Jevons over on the edge of the City box. The Huddersfield loan striker took the free-kick himself – and bent it against the post with Simon Eastwood motionless.

It was the seventh time Morecambe had hit the woodwork this season. What's McCall's favourite saying about narrow margins?

City were getting most joy down the right flank, with Neilson and Bateson working well together. The young right back was as willing as ever to bomb forward and support the winger.

Roach's weak punch gave City a sight on goal nine minutes before the break. James O'Brien tried to volley it straight back but his connection was weak and fell for Evans, whose snapshot was palmed away by the relieved keeper.

As play swung from end to end, Evans twice could have punished Morecambe. First he overran the ball in the box, losing out to Andy Parrish's well-judged tackle, and then leant back and fired well over in City's next attack.

Evans continued to take centre stage as Flynn's long ball out of defence set him off on another chase. He did well to hold off three men round him and his deflected cross clipped the bar before Morecambe could scramble clear.

City were nearly given a gift within 27 seconds of the restart as Roach slipped as he came for Hanson's cross. The ball bounced past him but Jim Bentley hooked away in the nick of time.

Luke O'Brien lifted the tempo with a tremendous surge from the halfway line to force the first corner of the half but that was comfortably defended.

Roach was again at sixes and sevens as he made a meal of dealing with O'Brien's cross as Hanson rose at the far post.

The 1,162 away contingent could sense a breakthrough coming and began to make more noise.

Neilson was looking more and more dangerous and produced a fantastic bit of skill to slip past Parrish into the box before Flynn was crowded out by a mass of red shirts. The pair combined again but Neilson's first-time flick at goal was weak.

City were well on top and Roach made a vital block low down to keep out Hanson's glancing header from another corner. As home frustration grew, City just needed that elusive goal.

Morecambe had created nothing but suddenly sub Michael Twiss had a great chance – only to miss the ball completely. Then Eastwood spilled an easy cross to cause a shiver of panic in the City ranks.

City were controversially reduced to ten men with 14 minutes left as Evans was shown a straight red. Flynn's pass sent him clear, Roche just got there first as the striker made a challenge and stayed down.

Evans had to go for the ball but Attwell thought otherwise and gave him his marching orders.

City argued furiously but within seconds it was Morecambe's turn to moan at the official as he turned down a huge penalty shout for Williams' challenge on Mullin.

Mullin thought he'd scored against his former club with ten minutes left but Eastwood superbly tipped his header over.

Roach matched that five minutes later to deny Luke O'Brien's fierce effort.

Then Neilson looked sure to finish Flynn's through ball but again Roach was there to make a huge save.






===========================

City striker worried he may lose place in side after serving ban
7:00am Thursday 1st October 2009

By Simon Parker »


Gutted Gareth Evans admitted that he had the backing of the Morecambe players over his controversial red card.

City have not appealed against Stuart Attwell's decision, which leaves the striker kicking his heels for the next three games.

It was one of those where if you pull out you look like an idiot. It was a 50-50 challenge

But Evans revealed that even their opponents agreed that the referee got it badly wrong by dismissing him for sliding into keeper Barry Roche.

Evans said: "It's very rare that you get sent off and the opposition lads are coming up to you to offer their commiserations. That sums up the decision for me. I'm not the kind of lad to take out the keeper or injure anyone.

"Micky (Flynn) played a great ball through and I was in on the defence. It was one of those where if you pull out you look like an idiot.

"It was a 50-50 challenge and I got the ball. I think the keeper stayed down because the ball had gone past him and he'd looked a bit foolish.

"I don't want to bad-mouth the referee too much but there were quite a few strange decisions. He generally just had a poor night and it's a shame he had to wreck the game by sending me off."

Evans, who has started the last nine games, will be replaced by Michael Boulding at Northampton on Saturday but he has swallowed his disappointment to back City to extend their impressive eight-match unbeaten run.

Evans added: "I'm sure we will go to Northampton very confident. It was a fantastic team performance on Tuesday and if we play anything like that, we should be getting three points.

"This unbeaten run is really becoming something. We are hard to beat every game.

"It's just really disappointing for me to miss three games and possibly lose my place. I've been feeling sharp, getting fitter all the time and there are areas of my game I've been working on.

"I was annoyed with myself anyway on Tuesday because I missed a few chances in the first half. It almost felt as if I'd lost having been sent off and not managed to score.

"But the team put in a really good effort and it's so important that we can keep this run going."



===========================

McCall: We're a joy to watch


By Simon Parker »


Stuart McCall revealed he loves watching this City side after seeing them scrap for another valuable point at Morecambe.

The Bantams made it eight games without defeat with a goalless draw at Christie Park, despite having Gareth Evans sent off.

McCall said: "There couldn't be a prouder manager at this moment in time. We gave everything in terms of creating chances and the all-round effort and I enjoyed it.

"We carved them open on numerous occasions. I will be frustrated looking at the game again that we didn't score but it will also be a joy to watch because of our football.

"There were so many big performances again and there won't be many teams who will come to Morecambe and dominate as we've done. If we keep going along those lines we will win a lot of games."

Evans is banned for three games after his hotly-disputed red card for a challenge on Morecambe keeper Barry Roche.

McCall added: "If Evo hadn't gone for that ball I would have probably taken him off.

"It's a goal-scoring opportunity. It was a block 50-50 tackle and he's won the ball."



===========================
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===========================

Boulding's big chance to kick-start his season
6:00pm Thursday 1st October 2009


By Simon Parker »


Michael Boulding makes his first start for seven weeks ready to show he still has a big part to play in City's season.

With Gareth Evans banned, Boulding will be thrust into the starting line-up at Sixfields.

The experienced marksman has been desperate to get going and has grown frustrated with a bench-warming role while Stuart McCall has stuck with an Evans and James Hanson partnership.

McCall said: "The lads out the side at the moment realise the boys who've got the jersey are doing well, so they've got to be patient, while training as hard as they can and playing well in the reserves.

"Boulders has been looking sharp and waiting in the wings for his chance. Obviously we didn't want it to come this way but it has arisen now and I'm sure he'll be looking to take it with both hands."

But fit-again right back Simon Ramsden may have to settle for a substitute spot because of the form of Jon Bateson.

Ramsden is not complaining, with City having clocked up back-to-back clean sheets in his absence.

He said: "The lads are playing with lots of confidence and I'm going to have to bide my time.

"We've got a team full of people with things to prove. Whether it be the lads who've come out of non-league or ones just signed in the summer, everybody out there is very self-motivated.

"I've been at clubs in the past where people need a boot up the backside to get them going but everyone in this side is working for one another and it's great to be involved."

McCall is giving nothing away but has been impressed with the way Bateson has fitted in.

The City chief said: "We worked on a way to get at Morecambe the other night and Jonny was a key factor with his foraging runs. He played really well.

"Jonny has done himself no harm every time he has come in to the side. We plucked him from Blackburn for peanuts and he's shown a great attitude."

Northampton snapped a five-game losing run when they shocked Rotherham on Tuesday night. And McCall admitted he was slightly relieved to see them end the slump before City's arrival.

He added: "It might have been a good thing because we haven't got that hanging over us.

"I don't know too much about them but I'm sure they'll have more of a spring in their step than if they'd lost six on the bounce. But the way we're playing right now, I'd back us against anyone.

"We know there will be times in the season when things don't go well. That will be a test for us again as a young squad but we're learning all the time and I'm really happy."

City reluctantly decided not to appeal against Evans' red card because they were not convinced about getting a fair hearing.

McCall backed Gillingham midfielder Mark Bentley's attempt to overrule his sending-off at Valley Parade last season. But a letter on his behalf failed and the player's ban was increased by a game.

McCall said: "It's very, very rare that they will overturn it. And obviously with the reputation of the referee (Stuart Attwell) over the last couple of seasons, I don't think they will go against him again."



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