NPower League Two
Bradford C (0) 1 Williams 90+2
Gillingham (0) 0
Att: 10,722
Next fixture
Next match: (A) Northampton, Saturday Sept 25, 2010. K.O. 3:00PM.
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Lee Hendrie info
http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=3422
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Fixtures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/Fixtures/0,,10266,00.html
Pictures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2158553,00.html?
"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html
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Match stats
Bradford Gillingham
9(3) Shots (on Goal) 7(4)
6 Fouls 12
1 Corner Kicks 5
4 Offsides 4
51% Time of Poss. 49%
1 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0
6 Saves 4
Ref: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: Osborne (54 min).
Gillingham: Fuller (90).
Bradford C: 1. Jon McLaughlin, 15. Lewis Hunt, 16. Shane Duff, 12. Steve
Williams, 28. Robbie Threlfall (46), 22. Lee Bullock, 8. Tommy Doherty, 3.
Luke O'Brien, 10. Jake Speight (46), 6. Luke Oliver, 19. Louis Moult (66).
SUBS:13. Lloyd Saxton (GK), 5. Zesh Rehman, 7. Omar Daley, 9. Gareth Evans
(66), 11. Lee Hendrie (46), 14. Leon Osborne (46), 23. Dave Syers.
Gillingham: 26. Lance Cronin, 2. Barry Fuller, 16. Josh Gowling, 15. Matthew
Lawrence, 3. John Nutter, 8. Mark Bentley, 17. Danny Spiller, 28. Jack
Payne, 12. Chris Palmer (63), 10. Cody McDonald (77), 27. Adebayo Akinfenwa
(63).
SUBS: 1. Alan Julian (GK), 4. Curtis Weston (63), 7. Kevin Maher, 9. Mark
McCammon, 21. Dennis Oli (63), 23. Stefan Payne, 30. Stanley Aborah (77).
Position: 19th.
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Saturday evening match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/8400744.
CITY 1 GILLINGHAM 0
4:57pm Saturday 18th September 2010
By Simon Parker
Steve Williams scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to give City three vital points against Gillingham at Valley
Parade.
With the game in the second of three added minutes, centre half Williams rose at the far post to nod home Tommy
Doherty's first-time cross.
It was a huge win for the Bantams - their first since August 14.
Lee Hendrie enjoyed a winning start after coming on as a second-half substitute.
He nearly made it a goal-scoring debut with a diving header which flew just over.
Peter Taylor used Luke Oliver as a targetman and the big fella battled gamely in the role. He twice went close
early on with headers as well as setting up sub Leon Osborne for a good effort after the break.
Gillingham substitute Stanley Aborah wasted their best chance when he headed straight at Jon McLaughlin.
And City cashed in when Williams capped an assured return to the side with his priceless winner./
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/9006949.stm
Hessenthaler praises mentor Peter Taylor ahead of clash
Gillingham's Andy Hessenthaler has paid tribute to his mentor, Bradford boss Peter Taylor, but says there will be
no love lost when the two sides meet.
Ahead of their game at Valley Parade on Saturday, the Gills boss said Taylor had been one of the most influential
figures in his life.
"Other than my father, Peter would be second in line without a doubt. I owe him a lot," he told BBC Radio Kent.
"We've known each other for a long time and know each other inside out."
It was Taylor who helped get Hessenthaler his first professional contract at Watford in 1991.
Their close friendship later brought Taylor to Priestfield as Gillingham manager when Hessenthaler was captain.
"At that time myself and Steve Butler weren't ready to take over," he said.
"Peter was out of work at the time after being relieved of his duties with the England under-21s.
"I made a call and asked him if he would come here and be manager of Gills. The rest is history - and he's gone on
from there.
"I think I've done him a favour, I'm taking credit for that and I'm sure he'll say that," joked Hessenthaler.
"It'll be an interesting day but afterwards we'll sit down with a glass of wine or a beer."
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Monday Match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/8401115.print/
New Bradford City No 11 Hendrie will enjoy it while it lasts
7:20am Monday 20th September 2010
By Simon Parker
Bradford City 1 Gillingham 0
It has been the ghost shirt rarely seen at Valley Parade.
The number 11 has started only 53 league games in over five years.
Chris Brandon, Alex Rhodes and Owen Morrison all struggled to make more than fleeting appearances. Only Lee Holmes
had a decent stab at it and he was on loan and gone within five months.
And Scott Neilson, who started this season with the jersey, was sold to Crawley within a couple of weeks.
So let's hope Lee Hendrie does not believe in omens.
His open-ended deal is of the "suck it and see" variety. Wayne Jacobs reckons he's here for six months, Hendrie
himself believes it's up to January.
It could stretch to the end of the season or the end of next month. There is leeway on both sides to change as
circumstances pan out.
But there is no doubt about Hendrie's commitment to the cause while he is here.
The player still nurses the hurt of recent rejection at Sheffield United and Derby. That burning sense of injustice
should stoke up his efforts in claret and amber.
First impressions on Saturday were very favourable. A few quality passes, a near-miss with his head and, more
importantly, a desperately-needed home win.
Hendrie played the whole second half – his first real action of any sort since early May.
"It might take me two or three games," he said afterwards. "I have missed a pre-season and you do find yourself
playing catch-up.
"I'd get the ball and think I'd have more time but I'd be doing one thing one minute and then get smashed by
somebody the next. The timing will come as I play more at this level.
"I had to get my second wind but it felt brilliant just to be out on the pitch again and the fans gave me a great
reception. That was a big thing for me.
"I felt a bit nervous but that's natural and it's good to be like that. I can't wait to get to the stage when I'm
fully confident again and the fans made me feel like that towards the end.
"The contract just depends on what happens and if (the club) want me here. I'm not even looking at that.
"I'm here until January at the moment and until then I'll try and enjoy it and bring something positive in."
Hendrie had no part in Steve Williams' late, late winner but showed his quality with the way he'd make space for
himself to get the ball and then look to spread the play.
The pass he slipped through for Gareth Evans right at the death should have earned an assist but the sub slid his
shot the wrong side of the post.
And Hendrie could have had a goal himself with a header that flashed over the bar from Lewis Hunt's cross.
He added: "I'm disappointed with that. It was just a little glance but I'm not one for heading the ball!
"Maybe I should have scored myself but I tried to get in some good positions. Sometimes I will shoot but usually
I'm looking to give that pass.
"The lads will get used to the way I play. I've already told the front boys that every time I get on the ball and
start running at the defence to just go and I'll try to slide you in."
Hendrie's presence may have raised a few eyebrows but the biggest surprise Peter Taylor sprung on Saturday was
throwing Luke Oliver up top on targetman duties.
It did allow Taylor to revert to 4-3-3, with Oliver flanked by Jake Speight and Louis Moult given a start ahead of
Evans.
Williams also found himself back in from the cold alongside Shane Duff at the heart of the defence.
That pairing completely snuffed out the battering ram threat of Adebayo Akinfenwa. At the other end, Oliver enjoyed
himself in the air against two centre halves who were each giving away at least half a foot in height.
Oliver could have scored twice in a bright City opening.
Robbie Threlfall's free-kick swung in from the right was nodded into the side-netting and behind with keeper Lance
Cronin floundering. Then Luke O'Brien's cross from the left was headed just wide of the other post.
Having failed to find that early breakthrough, City seemed to lose heart, despite the best efforts of the crowd to
encourage them to keep passing.
Gillingham, without an away win for 26 games, had their moments but a lack of conviction betrayed their low
confidence from so many unsuccessful forays outside Kent.
Taylor shuffled the pack at half-time. Speight, troubled by a heavy cold, and Threlfall were sacrificed for Leon
Osborne and Hendrie.
The atmosphere picked up with the sight of the new boy and even more so when Osborne found himself on the wrong end
of a couple of borderline challenges.
Gills skipper Barry Fuller meted it out but Osborne was the first name in the book for retaliation. Fuller's own
yellow card towards the end was long overdue.
As the crowd came into it, so did City, and Hendrie had two goes at breaking his duck.
But neither keeper had been unduly called upon. Cronin got fingertips to Osborne's cross-shot that was going wide
anyway and Jon McLaughlin didn't have to move to pouch a wasteful free header from Stanley Aborah.
Then City got their break in the second of the three added minutes.
Given a soft foul, Luke O'Brien's free-kick was headed clear of danger by Josh Gowling. Tommy Doherty chased
towards the right touchline and swung it back in first time on the half volley.
It should have been Cronin's catch at the far post but the keeper was spooked by Williams, who bundled the ball
into the roof of the net.
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http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/8401108./
Bradford City goal hero Williams turns negative into a positive
8:10am Monday 20th September 2010
By Simon Parker
City's last-gasp hero Steve Williams today thanked Peter Taylor for giving him a "kick up the backside".
The big centre half nodded the only goal against Gillingham deep into stoppage time, earning Taylor's troops their
first win in a month.
It was payback for Williams after he had been branded unprofessional by his boss and dropped earlier in the season.
He said: "I started most games under Stuart McCall but now it's maybe more in and out. But we've got a big squad
and everyone wants the shirt.
"Nobody wants to be injured or miss training. Nobody wants to be slack because everyone's up for it.
"I definitely need that kick up the backside from the gaffer like some of the other lads do.
"Even if we go in 1-0 up, he'll still point out the negatives and how we need to improve. But if you've got him and
some of the experienced lads getting on to us, we'll take that on and hopefully have a good season."
New signing Lee Hendrie played the second half and assistant manager Wayne Jacobs believes he has provided a "shot
in the arm" for the club and the fans.
Jacobs said: "Lee's come in here with a smile on his face and it's infectious.
"He's caused a buzz down around the city and down at the training ground and I think that he's the little boost we
needed. We all know he's been a good player over the years.
"He was so close to getting a contract at Reading in the Championship so it speaks volumes that he has come here.
He's certainly not here on high wages, that's for sure.
"Lee has shown a desire to play for this club and he'll get better as he gets to know our lads and how they play as
individuals."
Williams can already see the benefit of the midfielder's arrival.
"You can see him getting in little holes and making things happen," said the defender. "The attacking players will
learn a lot.
"We've been working hard and trying different things in training but things just haven't fallen for us on a
Saturday. But at some point you're going to win and hopefully the club can start buzzing now. We can take that
confidence forward."
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Opposition View
http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Cronin-mistake-cost-us-__-Hessenthaler-newsinkent40069.aspx?news=sport
Cronin mistake cost us - Hessenthaler
By David Pritchard
Andy Hessenthaler said he would not rush to judge Lance Cronin too harshly after the goalkeeper's error allowed
Bradford City to grab a last-gasp winner on Saturday.
The Gills stopper was out-jumped by Steve Williams in stoppage time and the defender nodded into the net. The
visiting players looked forlornly to the officials in the hope they would give a foul, but their muted protests
suggested they knew it was a legitimate goal.
It was harsh on Gillingham's players, who sank to their knees when the full-time whistle blew a minute later. A
disappointed Hessenthaler found little wrong in their efforts but could not hide his frustration at Cronin's
slip-up.
"To work so hard for that amount of time and then it's taken away from you right at the end it's a bitter one to
take. That's how it is, you've got to defend and concentrate for 90-plus minutes and unfortunately we didn't do
that," he said.
"[Cronin]'s saying [Williams] held him down, but it didn't look like it for me. I'm not going to be too critical of
the lad, he's made a mistake and we all make mistakes. Unfortunately it's come right at the death and it's cost us
the game."
Alan Julian, whose hand injury gave Cronin his chance in the team, is due back in training this week but
Hessenthaler stopped short of saying Julian would be rushed back into the side.
Saturday's game was book-ended by mistakes from Cronin. If anything his decision to come and miss Robbie
Threlfall's ninth-minute free kick was more glaring, but Shane Duff was so surprised the ball reached him that he
headed wide at the back post.
Gillingham's best spell was in the half hour leading up to the interval. They gained control of the game without
creating clear chances, but it was enough to get the home fans agitated.
The break rejuvenated City, who were galvanised by the introduction of Lee Hendrie for his debut. The former Aston
Villa midfielder came close to opening the scoring with a header which flew just over on the hour as the hosts
increasingly dictated the play.
Gillingham's only chance of the half also fell to a debutant, but substitute Stanley Aborah headed tamely at Jon
McLaughlin.
While they had been on the back foot for much of the second half, Gillingham's back four gave little away. It
looked like they had ground out the point their display had merited, until Williams' late winner.
The result did much to undo the momentum generated by beating Shrewsbury a week earlier. With Burton Albion and
Southend United visiting Priestfield in the next week Hessenthaler demanded a swift response.
He said: "We're gutted but we've now got to win our next two home games. Simple as that."
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