L2 v Rotherham U. (h) L2-4 Dec 12th 2009

Football League Two - KO 15:00
Bradford    2 (1) - 4(2) Rotherham 
Bullock 19
Flynn 46
                         Ellison 30
                         Ellison 37
                         Roberts 78
                         Broughton 88
  
  At Valley Parade on 12-12-2009 



Bradford: Eastwood ,Ramsden ,Clarke ,Luke O'Brien ,Bateson ,Flynn ,Whaley (Brandon ,71 ) ,Bullock ,Neilson (James O'Brien ,84 ) ,Michael Boulding (Evans ,20 ) ,Hanson
Subs not used: McLaughlan,Horne,

Rotherham: Warrington ,Sharps ,Mills ,Joseph ,Green ,Rundle (Harrison ,60 ) ,Roberts ,Law ,Ellison ,Le Fondre ,Broughton
Subs not used Lynch,Nicholas,Annerson,Brogan,Ryan Taylor,Pope,

Bookings: Bullock ,Clarke ,Flynn ,Ramsden (Bradford) Broughton (Rotherham)

Attendance: 11578


Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire)


Game Statistics

Bantams / Millers
17 Goal Attempts 17
10 On Target 9
6 Corners 7
2 Offside 3
14 Fouls 13
4 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0
55 % 45



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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4791867.Moore_of_the_same_as_Millers_bag_maximum/

Moore of the same as Rotherham bag maximum
6:30am Monday 14th December 2009

By Simon Parker

City 2 Rotherham 4

Four wins from the last five games at Valley Parade is a record that any manager can be proud of.

Stuart McCall would kill for a run like that.

Ronnie Moore sure enjoys coming to City and he certainly milked it on Saturday after Rotherham emerged on top after a helter-skelter Yorkshire derby.

Though his claim that the Millers were the best side by a mile was laughable.

McCall had called it right when he predicted a no-holds-barred collision and it made for gripping entertainment for the fans.

His side played their part, especially in a second-half showing that was light years away from the dismal display in the previous home game.

But in the cold light of day, the City boss was left to reflect on another Valley Parade setback against a side that he would love to be challenging with in the promotion mix.

Instead of cutting the margin to the division's pace-setters, City have now slipped below halfway for the first time since the end of August.

McCall always insists that he ignores the table. It's the gap to the last play-off spot – currently standing at four points – that matters.

But as he swallowed Saturday's disappointment, there was a defensive nature in his comments. With all this talk about decisive December, it's so far played two lost two against teams above them.

Post-Rochdale, though, there were few positives to cling to. This time, City's spirited performance was full of them.

If only the same could be said of referee Lee Probert.

It's not the first time that a Premier League official has swaggered into town and played the big man. Not one of the crucial calls – or non-calls – went with the home team.

Adam Le Fondre, the division's top gun, was bottled up well by a defence shorn of hamstring victim Steve Williams. And the casualty list added another name 20 minutes in when Michael Boulding's ankle gave in following a whack from Pablo Mills – one of two crunching fouls from the centre half that earned no card.

Rotherham only got one booking all game, for striker Drewe Broughton's elbow on Matt Clarke. That was only nine minutes in and he'd already done the same to stand-in central defender Simon Ramsden.

On the stroke of half-time, the pair went up for another high ball in front of the away dug-out and Ramsden fell flat on the ground. Chaos ensued, with Moore sticking his oar in and accusing the City defender of cheating, but no action was taken.

You knew then that Broughton was bound to score before the end.

In another world, his tap-in to put the seal on Rotherham's first win in five would not have counted. The flag would have been raised against provider Le Fondre, who appeared to be standing a couple of yards beyond the last man.

Then again, maybe Probert would have also pulled back the wonder strike that blew away City's rising belief and self-confidence ten minutes earlier.

Gary Roberts did a fitting Maynor Figueroa impression with his free-kick from just over the halfway line. Maybe, as Alan Hansen said about Stoke on Match of the Day, City should have stood someone in front of the ball to slow play down.

It was, though, a stunning piece of skill and judgement and any blame on Simon Eastwood for being caught off his line is harsh.

But let's not gloss over the fact that the free-kick was taken in the wrong place. Officials are usually picky over the ball being kicked from the exact blade of grass, yet Probert allowed Roberts to bring the ball far more central after Matt Clarke had fouled Broughton just inside the touchline.

Little things can make a huge difference.

Rotherham had been the better side for the first 45 minutes without a doubt.

They started much the brighter and only Eastwood's body prevented Nicky Law making it a hat-trick of old boys to score on their comeback following Steve Schumacher and Michael Symes.

The Millers clocked up five corners in the first 15 minutes before City grabbed the lead against the run of play.

Simon Whaley's free-kick pinged up off the wall and span awkwardly in the box, with Boulding creating enough space for City's star man Lee Bullock to toe-poke his first goal since Easter.

But Rotherham were quickly back in it and ahead themselves by half-time.

Kevin Ellison, as much a hate figure in these parts as his manager, got both goals to add salt to the wound.

The first followed a fine save from Eastwood, who kept out Broughton's free header, only to see Ellison latch on to the rebound.

Then the winger was played in by Le Fondre to slide a calculated shot through the keeper's legs.

Ramsden's rumpus with Broughton raised temperatures before the whistle. And the noise threatened to go through the roof when Michael Flynn seized on some comical attempts to clear and fired City level just 13 seconds after the restart.

There was no room to breathe now as both sides tore at each other looking for that decisive blow. Ian Sharps, a rock at the heart of Rotherham's defence, somehow missed a free header when City's offside trap sprung a leak at a Law free-kick. Then Flynn hacked off the line from substitute Danny Harrison.

The action was just as frenetic at the other end, where Andy Warrington was producing another Valley Parade wonder show.

He was brilliant here in April and performed similar heroics to deny goal-bound efforts from Bullock, Chris Brandon and James O'Brien.

Bullock, a trainee at York when silver-haired Warrington was their stopper, nearly ended up with a barnet the same colour as he watched his old team-mate with growing disbelief.

But that was nothing compared with City's stunned reaction to the Roberts free-kick – or, more pertinently, the fact that Probert let it stand. Throw in the "offside" fourth and it's fair to say the Gloucestershire official will not be welcome back in a hurry.

"Some of his decisions baffled me," said a diplomatic McCall, eyes rolling. "But all I can concern myself with is our performance and the second half was excellent. We asked them at half-time to raise it and have a real go and I thought they did that. You couldn't ask for any more."






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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/4791816.Angry_Bullock_sees_red_over_ref_s_display/?ref=rss

Angry Bullock sees red over ref's display
7:30am Monday 14th December 2009

By Simon Parker

Lee Bullock slammed the performance of Premier League referee Lee Probert, blasting: "They can have him back."

Bullock accused Probert of blundering over three of Rotherham's goals in Saturday's Yorkshire derby defeat at Valley Parade.

City have conceded seven goals in successive home losses but the display was much better than against Rochdale 11 days earlier.

The 4-2 defeat, including a spectacular 45-yard strike from Rotherham's Gary Roberts, dropped them into the bottom half of the table – and Bullock knew where to point the blame.

The midfielder netted his first goal of the season but was in no mood to celebrate as he criticised Probert.

Bullock said: "We didn't get any breaks at all. If that referee's from the Premier League, they can happily have him back and we'll stick with our own ones.

"The first goal was a blatant throw-in to us because their lad kicked it out of play. The third was a great free-kick but it was taken ten to 15 yards in the wrong position and the last one looked offside for all the world to see."

City were also angry that Drewe Broughton, scorer of Rotherham's fourth goal, was still on the pitch. The striker, booked early on for elbowing Matt Clarke, was then involved in an altercation with Simon Ramsden which threatened to boil over at the end of the first half.

Bullock added: "Rammers said he got caught by his elbow and he wouldn't lie. But their lad did one early on and we got a free-kick, did exactly the same second time and got a yellow card – how were they any different?

"It was one of those horrible days. Again we've put in a good performance without a win.

"We really thought we could come out second half and beat them. We got the early goal and then Andy Warrington made a couple of great saves from myself and James O'Brien.

"We've had blocks and non-stop efforts and then they get the third from the great free-kick. It was the best goal I've ever witnessed on a pitch, especially on that surface, but it wasn't taken from the right place and that just knocked the wind out of us."

Michael Boulding's ankle injury adds to City's problems ahead of tomorrow's Johnstone's Paint Trophy northern semi-final at Carlisle. Centre halves Steve Williams and Zesh Rehman are already out.

Bullock said: "It's a massive game for us. If we can take that energy and the way we drove forward second half into that game then we've got a chance."



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DALEY IN SQUAD FOR JPT TIE
Posted on: Mon 14 Dec 2009

Stuart McCall has handed Bantams flying winger Omar Daley a massive boost by
including him in City's squad for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Semi-Final at
Carlisle.

Daley will make the trip to Brunton Park with the rest of his team mates
after being named in a Bradford City match squad for the first time in ten
months.

He has made two appearances in the reserves in recent weeks as he looks to
build up his match sharpness, but this will be his first involvement with
the senior setup since sustaining knee ligament damage back in February.

The Jamaican winger will almost certainly not feature from the start in
City's Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie with the Cumbrians, but nevertheless the
sight of him in back in the first team picture will be a boost for all
concerned at the football club

The 28 year olds inclusion is partly down to the growing amount of
injuries at Valley Parade, which are taking their toll on McCall's squad.

Steve Williams is ruled out with the same hamstring injury that denied him a
place in the squad for Saturday, while Michael Boulding is also unavailable
due to the ankle injury he picked up against the Millers.

Initial diagnosis predicts the former Aston Villa and Grimsby Town striker
is likely to be out of action for 2-4 weeks due to the injury.

The duo join Leon Osborne, Steven O'Leary, Rory Boulding and Peter Thorne as
current inhabitants of the Bantams treatment room.

City skipper Zesh Rehman is out a doubt for the big JPT tie due to the
hamstring injury that has ruled him out of Bradford's last two games, while
on loan winger Simon Whaley is cup-tied due to his previous involvement in
the competition with parent club Norwich City.


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The Bantams December Season Ticket deal continues to go from strength to
strength as over 1,200 tickets have now been sold already for the
2010/2011 season.

The Ticket Office at the Coral Windows Stadium is currently reporting
brisk business as fans flock to take advantage of City's Christmas
cracker deal.

There is still time for you to add to the growing numbers and grab
yourself a whole season's worth of value by purchasing your Season
Ticket at the Coral Windows Stadium for the 2010/2011 campaign.

Season Tickets are now on sale for next season from the Ticket Office at
Valley Parade and yet again the club are offering supporters the chance
to make amazing savings.

Adults Season Tickets can be purchased for as little as £110.00 for the
2010/2011 season - thats all of the Bantams 23 Football League home
fixtures for less than £5.00 a match!

Seats for next season can also be secured for Juniors, 25 Year Season
Ticket holders and Suite members and all at equally great prices.

Any supporters wishing to take advantage of these fantastic offers have
only until close of business on 31st December 2009 to do so.

So hurry on down to the Ticket Office now and secure your place for
another exciting campaign at the home of the Bantams, as joint-chairman
Mark Lawn said "You'd be cracker's not to!"

The Ticket Office will now be open every Wednesday throughout the month
of December to cater for season ticket sales.