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
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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.
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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."
===========================
Photos + video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2009/08/27/bantamspast_bradford_city_feature.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/8283812.stm
===========================
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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