NPower League Two
Bradford C (0) 0
Macclesfield (1) 1 Draper 23
Att: 10,779 (199 visitors)
Next fixture
L2 (h) v Accrington November 23rd KO 7.45pm
Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html
===========================
Fixtures
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/Fixtures/0,,10266,00.html
Pictures
"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html
Links
===========================
Match stats
Stats: Bradford C - Macclesfield
Possession: 69 - 31%
Shots on target: 5 - 2
Shots off target: 11 - 4
Fouls: 8 - 16
Corners: 13 - 0
Ref: Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton, Warwickshire).
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: Bullock (67 min).
Macclesfield: Reid (45+3 Min), Brown (69), Barnett (77), Daniel (89).
Bradford C: 40. Lenny Pidgeley, 26. Rob Kiernan, 6. Luke Oliver, 29. Richard
Eckersley, 3. Luke O'Brien, 23. Dave Syers, 20. Tom Adeyemi (59), 22. Lee
Bullock (76), 11. Lee Hendrie, 7. Omar Daley, 17. James Hanson.
SUBS: 1. Jon McLaughlin (GK), 5. Zesh Rehman, 9. Gareth Evans, 14. Leon
Osborne (76), 19. Louis Moult, 28. Robbie Threlfall, 30. Jason Price (59).
Macclesfield: 1. Jose Veiga, 5. Nathaniel Brown, 6. Paul Morgan, 14.
Aristote Nsiala, 2. Izak Reid, 11. Colin Daniel, 7. Lewis Chalmers, 15. Paul
Bolland, 8. Ross Draper, 9. Emile Sinclair (78), 23. Tyrone Barnett.
SUBS: 13. Jack Cudworth (GK), 3. Carl Tremarco, 17. Sam Wedgbury, 19.
Matthew Lowe, 20. Matthew Hamshaw, 24. Vinny Mukendi (78), 26. Adam Roberts.
Position: 14th
===========================
Monday morning match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/8679248./
Midfielder Syers' initiative and energy go unrewarded as City fall for sucker punch from Macclesfield
6:50am Monday 22nd November 2010
By Connor Murphy
City 0, Macclesfield 1
The scoreboard dished out a dose of extreme cruelty to leave City scratching their heads after Saturday's clash
with Macclesfield.
A quick glance at the result may have told one story but the action on the pitch told quite another.
After the stubborn visitors left Valley Parade with all three points, Peter Taylor must wonder what more his side
must do to get back on the winning trail.
If the narrow defeats at Colchester and Wycombe were not frustrating enough, City's third in a row topped the lot.
Chance after chance presented itself, particularly during the second half, but time after time clever build-up play
went unrewarded.
On another day David Syers could have had a hat-trick, the midfielder constantly getting himself in good positions
yet lacking the combination of luck and composure possessed by all good goal-scorers.
His fortunes – and those of his side – were encapsulated by a couple of opportunities late in either half.
The first, in time added on before the break, saw Syers snatch at a shot after Omar Daley had sent him clean
through, slicing it wide of the post. The second saw a combination of goalkeeper Jose Veiga and the angle between
post and bar deny his well-placed header ten minutes from time.
Syers said: "I'm still trying to get my head around it really. We're really disappointed, especially myself because
I had more chances today than the rest of the season put together but still didn't manage to put one in.
"I'll be suffering with it for a couple of days before the Accrington game. I just can't believe we've not got
anything out of it.
"No-one can doubt the performance was there to warrant something out of the match. It's just so disappointing we've
not managed to score and not managed to take something out of it."
Whatever City did, they simply couldn't score – a situation that had seemed unthinkable considering the start they
made.
Fizzing the ball around at pace, while using bright movement to disrupt the visitors' defensive shape, they made
all the early running.
Although clear-cut chances proved rare, a couple of decent opportunities still presented themselves that, with a
little more composure, could have resulted in a breakthrough.
The first fell to Syers but he could only find the grateful hands of Veiga with a 20-yard effort from a
half-cleared Lee Hendrie corner.
But while Syers at least hit the target, Luke O'Brien was somewhat less accurate as City failed to capitalise on
their best move of the half.
James Hanson provided a perfect example of centre-forward play, holding the ball up before floating a well-judged
crossfield ball into the path of Syers. The lively midfielder then slipped it through for a charging O'Brien but he
lashed wildly over the bar from 15 yards out.
Yet despite all their early endeavour, City were hit by a cruel but stunning sucker punch midway through the first
half.
Rob Kiernan was caught out trying to overcomplicate matters at the back and when a half-clearance fell to Ross
Draper 30 yards out, he thumped a sublime drive past a helpless Lenny Pidgeley and into the bottom corner.
It was almost 2-0 moments later but luckily Emile Sinclair could not capitalise on a glorious chance, firing wide
from close range.
Aside from that awful two-minute spell, the hosts continued to dominate. Hanson was just off target with a powerful
shot on the turn, while O'Brien could not find the target with a speculative 30-yard shot from Hendrie's short
corner.
Even as time ran down before the break, City continued to press, possibly their best opening coming two minutes
into injury time.
Picking the ball up five yards inside the opposition half, Daley did well to ride a bad challenge and weave his way
across field before slipping in Syers, who shot wide from 12 yards.
Starting the second half exactly as they had ended the first, City continued to create chances yet, much to the
supporters' frustration, failed to take them.
Veiga pulled off a smart one-handed save to keep out Syers' well-struck volley and Tom Adeyemi saw his shot blocked
by a lunging defender as Macc threw bodies in front of everything.
The energetic Syers continued to be heavily involved going forward and should have scored just before the hour
mark, getting himself into the right position as Hanson flicked on O'Brien's cross but again slicing wide of the
target.
After soaking up an unbelievable amount of pressure, Macclesfield could have put the game to bed on one of their
few forays over the halfway line.
Tyrone Barnett raced clear after intercepting a poor pass from Kiernan just inside the City half but rather than
square the ball to give the unmarked Sinclair a simple finish, he went himself, pulling a weak effort wide of the
post.
That let-off sparked the home side into action once more and, with ten minutes left, a string of openings presented
themselves.
It was hardly surprising when the first fell to Syers, the midfielder watching in disbelief as Veiga tipped his
header from O'Brien's inviting cross onto the woodwork.
The resulting corner saw a long-range effort from Hendrie deflected over the bar, before Hanson's header was saved
by Veiga from the second corner.
Four minutes from time, Syers sniffed another opening but had the ball pinched off his toe by Aristote Nsiala as he
tried to get on the end of Daley's through ball.
And O'Brien's corner came unbelievably close to producing the equaliser, Jason Price heading across goal while a
string of players lined up at the far post just failed to get a decisive touch.
One final fling saw Pidgeley race forward for an injury-time corner but Daley directed the ball over the bar after
Leon Osborne and Syers had combined to tee him up.
Attendance: 10,779
===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/8679236./
Third defeat on bounce has not hit confidence of City manager
7:50am Monday 22nd November 2010
By Connor Murphy
Peter Taylor believes City remain on the verge of something special despite Saturday's setback against Macclesfield.
Although his side have lost three in a row, the Bantams boss refuses to let results dent belief.
City fell to 14th in League Two following the 1-0 defeat to Macc but tomorrow's clash with Accrington, who currently sit one place above, offers the chance for a swift response.
Taylor said: "I do believe. There's a lot of football left and the next time we get a win I'm very confident the boys can kick on and get half a dozen on the spin. That's how much I believe in them.
"I hope confidence isn't dented. It shouldn't be. I've been here many times this season where the performances have been very poor, so that really does affect your confidence.
"But to me, that shouldn't affect their confidence. I don't want them to be over the moon that we've lost 1-0 but I expect them to be quite pleased with the way they played.
"Hopefully the crowd enjoyed the effort and we can come back here on Tuesday night and enjoy a bit more luck in front of goal."
Taylor insists recent performances justify continued confidence.
Frustration at the result was tempered by the positives from Saturday's game. City totally dominated possession and created a host of chances, yet lacked crucial composure and fortune in front of goal.
Taylor said: "Yes, it's frustrating that we didn't score, but the performance was good. We've lost our last three matches but the three performances have been really good.
"It's very important the players know that and don't drop their heads because we're going to bounce back and we're going to win a match. Hopefully it'll be the next one but the players have to keep believing.
"Their goalie had a good day and their defenders were strong but we still created a lot of chances and there were some very good performances from us."
One of the most notable positives was the performance of full back Richard Eckersley, who was handed the official man of the match award on his City debut.
Signed on a one-month loan from Championship high-fliers Burnley, the former Manchester United youngster's showing highlighted the skills that earned him a £500,000 price tag.
Taylor said: "Richard did very well. His crossing needs to be a little bit more into the danger areas because it's a bit too low at times. But his getting forward was excellent and that's why we put him in.
"We were without Tommy Doherty, so we needed as many attacking options as possible. We knew Richard and Luke O'Brien would keep getting up and down those lines."
===========================
City midfielder wants to banish memory of missed chances
5:10pm Monday 22nd November 2010
By Connor Murphy
David Syers is grateful he will have no time to dwell on the defeat to Macclesfield.
Saturday's 1-0 reversal proved particularly frustrating due to the amount of chances City created, yet wasted, but tomorrow night's clash with Accrington provides the ideal opportunity for a swift response.
Syers himself was guilty of several spurned opportunities against Macc and is keen to quickly banish them from the memory banks.
"Everyone knows we deserved something from the Macclesfield game," he said.
"I think it helps having the Accrington match come up so quickly, rather than dwell on it for a few days. Hopefully we can go out there, put on the same performance and put a few goals past them.
"It was one of those days. It was disappointing giving the goal away in the first place because it allowed them to sit back and all credit to them, they went away with the three points.
"If we'd got the first goal I think it could've been three or four. It just wasn't going to happen though.
"From one to 11 we performed well and we did exactly what we said we wanted to do. We created a hatful of chances but the final touch just wasn't there."
Syers has impressed since signing for City in August – his first professional contract after spells in non-League football with Farsley, Harrogate Town and Ossett Albion.
An energetic box-to-box midfielder, the 22-year-old has impressed with his ability to support the attack from deep, chipping in with five goals already this season.
And despite his bad luck in front of goal against Macc, he is confident more will follow.
"I hit the target a couple of times early on and I thought to myself, 'if I keep going like this I'll get my chance and put it away'," said Syers.
"The chances kept coming but when their keeper managed to turn my header onto the bar, it went through my head then that it just wasn't going to be our day.
"But you have those days. I've been lucky to be able to put some away so far and you've got to hope the luck will turn again. Against Accrington, hopefully I'll get three chances and put three in the back of the net."
===========================
BRADFORD CITY KEEP HOLD OF STRIKER PRICE
Jason Price will stay at City until the new year after Carlisle agreed to
extend the striker's loan spell.
The Welshman arrived at Valley Parade on an initial four-week loan last
month but that has been extended until January 3.
Price has made seven appearances, including three starts, at City so far.
===========================
FA CUP IN 'HOME' VISIT AS PART OF CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
By Sports Desk (T&A)
Lifelong Bradford City fan Mark Neale has claimed a unique FA Cup hat-trick,
as celebrations to mark the centenary of Bradford City winning the FA Cup in
1911 get into top gear.
The famous trophy will be coming back to the city where it was designed –
and coincidentally won in the same year – in April 2011 to play its part in
a novel re-enactment of the day City returned to Bradford having won the FA
Cup.
It's the third time that Neale has organised for the cup to come to
Bradford.
"I must be the only Bradfordian who has brought it back to Bradford three
times," he joked.
"Unfortunately, I was never a good enough player to do it on the field. But
I have always taken the opportunity to hold it above my head in the style of
a Wembley winner. Who wouldn't?"
Last November, Neale organised for the FA Cup to visit Valley Parade for a
photo-shoot which raised £1,200 for the Burns Unit Appeal, and later that
night the FA Cup appeared at Bradford Cathedral to take place in a
Remembrance Day event.
That ceremony remembered the three cup-winning City players who later lost
their lives in the Great War.
Mark also organised for the FA Cup to come to Bradford in 2003 as part of
the Bradford Festival, when a group of City fans dressed in period costume
took the cup through the streets of Bradford in a double-decker bus before
arriving at the Midland Hotel.
"We were amazed at the freedom they gave us with the cup that day," said
Neale. "We even took it to the Goldsborough Pub in Bolton Road and drank
beer from it."
There are several events planned to mark the centenary of City's historic
win under the banner of 'Glorious 1911' – the title of a new book which will
be launched at Pictureville on November 21 (7.30pm), when authors David
Pendleton, John Dewhirst and David Markham will be present.
FA Cup centenary badges, scarves and replicas of the winners' medals are
also available.
The FA Cup will be guest of honour for two days during an exhibition at the
Industrial Museum from March 19 to June 12, 2011, which is called 'When The
FA Cup Came Home'.
On Tuesday, April 26, following a day at the exhibition, the FA Cup will
once again travel across Bradford, to the Midland Hotel.
The evening will feature a brass band, and the speeches made in 1911 when
City celebrated their victory will be made in the same spot.
All of these events are being organised by a small group of supporters and
further details can be found at www.bantamspast.com and
glorious1911@paraderspast.co.uk.
===========================
No comments:
Post a Comment