Next fixture
L2 (H) v Northampton March 19, 2011. K.O. 3:00PM
Current table
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/tables/cc_league2.html
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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
Penalty Miss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti8cSlttWt4
Penalty Miss and end of game celebrations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iRHzL3qqgE
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Match stats
Npower League Two
Morecambe (0) 0
Bradford C (1) 1 Hanson 33
Att: 3,521 (1,513 away fans)
Stats: Morecambe - Bradford C
Possession: 54 - 46%
Shots on target: 2 - 9
Shots off target: 11 - 6
Fouls: 12 - 8
Corners: 2 - 4
Ref: Nigel Miller (Durham).
Yellow cards:
Morecambe: Charnock (4 min).
Bradford C: (Hanson (60 min).
Morecambe: 32. Joe Anyon, 19. Laurence Wilson, 27. Kieran Charnock, 15.
Chris McCready, 22. Andy Parrish, 18. Kevan Hurst, 17. Andrew Fleming, 16.
Stewart Drummond, 8. Garry Hunter (66), 30. Danny Carlton (86), 14. James
Spencer (68).
SUBS: 2. Andy Holdsworth, 9. Chris Shuker (66), 10. Phil Jevons (68), 11.
Neil Wainwright, 26. Tony Capaldi, 29. Scott Brown (86), 31. Laurie Walker
(GK).
Bradford C: . Jon McLaughlin, 3. Luke O'Brien, 6. Luke Oliver, 12. Steve
Williams, 15. Lewis Hunt, 11. Scott Dobie (64), 19. Jonathan Worthington, 4.
Michael Flynn, 9. Gareth Evans, 17. James Hanson, 10. Jake Speight.
SUBS: 13. Lloyd Saxton (GK), 14. Leon Osborne, 20. Tom Adeyemi, 22. Lee
Bullock, 23. David Syers, 26. Kevin Ellison (64), 28. Robbie Threlfall.
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Saturday evening match report
By Simon Parker (T&A)
Peter Jackson strengthened his grip on the Bradford City hot-seat with a
second win in four days.
James Hanson's eighth goal of the season sent 1,513 travelling fans into
raptures - and gave the interim boss further ammunition in his bid to land
the job full-time.
City had a scare after just 25 seconds when Kevan Hurst burst through but
went too wide to squeeze his shot on target.
Morecambe's on-loan keeper Joe Anyon made a blunder at Bury on his debut
from a long shot and he looked uncomfortable dealing with two early
25-yarders from Michael Flynn.
Morecambe had the better of the first half but failed to hit the target with
numerous efforts on goal.
And City made them pay after 33 minutes when Kieran Charnock's clearance
ballooned off Gareth Evans and Hanson steered a precise header across the
keeper.
City could have extended their lead after the break. Anyon pulled off two
good saves from Evans, and Hanson crashed a close-range volley wide when he
should have scored.
Morecambe pushed for an equaliser as Danny Carlton's cross-shot slid wide
after a Flynn mistake and Stewart Drummond headed straight at Jon
McLaughlin.
Evans missed the chance to double the lead in stoppage time when his penalty
was saved after Kevin Ellison was brought down. But it proved the last kick
of the game and the away celebrations could begin.
City's defence didn't always look comfortable but they worked their socks
off to protect the clean sheet that Jackson had asked for. And it clinched
another win he was desperate for.
His victory punch in the air in front of the City fans showed how much it
meant.
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Monday morning match report
Just the job as Jackson finds winning formula for Bradford City
7:10am Monday 14th March 2011
By Simon Parker
Morecambe 0 Bradford City 1
So that's two of City's biggest critics put to the sword.
First Ronnie Moore at Valley Parade followed by Morecambe's Sammy McIlroy on Saturday.
Neither of them are thought of too fondly in these parts and now both have been seen off inside a week.
No wonder the "vote Jacko" bandwagon continues to build up a head of steam.
Peter Jackson admitted he doesn't like the word interim anymore. Other more appealing epithets are surely beckoning with more results like this.
He headed to the Lancashire coast with the promise from Mark Lawn that there will be at least two or three more opportunities to stake his claim.
Another win at home to Northampton next week could make it impossible for the board to look beyond Jackson – for the rest of the season at least.
Morecambe's award-winning pies may be the best in the league but Jackson's rejuvenated visitors delivered one of the strictly custard variety.
This was no rousing cavalry charge like Rotherham. The football on City's first visit to the Globe Arena was anything but out of this world.
It was, though, a textbook away performance. An ugly win in front of a mass of fans who have grown too used to just seeing their side play ugly.
The following from Bradford made up nearly half of Morecambe's biggest league crowd in their new home. Their constant noise level accounted for double that.
And all this for a game between two teams sandwiched together at the wrong end of the table.
"Taking 1,500 away and you're fifth bottom is unbelievable," said Jackson. "Just imagine if we were fifth top?
"They've not had many away days like that this season so I'm glad they enjoyed it.
"I knew it would be difficult because we'd had a hard game in midweek. We know we can play a lot better.
"We didn't start well and could have been one down in the first minute. But once again the players gave me everything.
"I told them before the game that if we kept a clean sheet we'd win again and I'm delighted we did that.
"The supporters will look at the spirit and desire out there and you can't ask for more. I'm so proud of them."
Most of those fans were still settling in when Morecambe carved through from the kick-off. The game was only 25 seconds old as Kevan Hurst failed to get his angles right after being sent through.
It was to sum up Morecambe's finishing prowess all afternoon. They created plenty of chances but the shooting was of the "barn door" variety.
While injured Lenny Pidgeley watched on from the main stand, Jon McLaughlin notched up a clean sheet on his return to City's goal. He is unlikely to get an easier one.
Morecambe sprayed their shots here, there and everywhere – everywhere, that is, except on target, with McLaughlin limited to taking the odd cross and overhit set-piece.
There were a few wobbles which seemed to be caused by a lack of communication with the back four but generally Luke Oliver and Steve Williams dealt with most things and Morecambe's dicky radar accounted for the rest.
City's play was far from perfect and Michael Flynn is still not the player we all know. He was guilty of some loose passes, one in particular straight to Chris Shuker could have spelled trouble if Danny Carlton had worked out where he should have been aiming.
It's almost as if the Welshman was trying too hard. But that's hardly the crime of the century.
The effort being put in across the board shows how much the players have bought into Jackson's philosophy. New number two Colin Cooper was also evident in the dug-out, where he offered a more calming assessment next to his animated boss.
Flynn's shooting was at least a level above that of the home side and he fired two early long-range tests for keeper Joe Anyon, who had let a similar 30-yarder slither through his hands at Bury in the previous game.
Anyon actually got better as the afternoon wore on and pulled off a tremendous flying save from a Gareth Evans screamer that had goal written all over it.
Evans had been a tad lucky to escape with a nudge on Stewart Drummond as the Morecambe skipper sneaked along the byline. It looked a penalty but referee Nigel Miller enraged McIlroy by awarding a corner.
It was the first of several calls from the County Durham official that got Morecambe backs up. But then maybe that was karma for the Peter Thorne "non goal" he did not blow for at Christie Park two Easters ago.
Fortune continues to favour the brave for City.
After Tuesday's "was it or wasn't it over" winner from Tom Adeyemi, their goal on Saturday received an unexpected helping hand.
The charity came from home defender Kieran Charnock, whose clearing tackle on Evans pinged up off the City man and turned into the perfect cross for James Hanson to nod his first goal for six games.
It was the perfect response from the targetman after Jackson's little chat with his parents the day before.
Hanson was unlucky not to double his tally with a rocket of a volley that was diverted fractionally off course by Jake Speight's hip. He also drilled another couple of efforts high up into the stand, Morecambe-style.
The Shrimps had one final go in stoppage time but Chris McCready blazed over from ten yards.
Then sub Kevin Ellison burst away from the halfway line, only to be cut down by right back Andy Parrish.
Ellison wanted to take the penalty but Flynn grabbed the ball off him for nominated kicker Evans – whose disappointing effort was comfortably saved. It scarcely mattered as Miller promptly whistled for full time.
So Hanson's first goal since Lincoln at home had bagged City's first win on the road since Lincoln away on New Year's Day.
And a former Lincoln manager added another three points to his Valley Parade manifesto.
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Anyone got any idea why Morecambe wore their 3rd kit (blue shirts white
shorts) for yesterdays (Saturday) game?
Yesterday was Marie Curie Cancer Care Day and Morecambe played in blue shirts in recognition of the official charity of the football league. Their programme was also changed from red/white to blue/yellow.
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The football club can confirm that the Bantams' forthcoming npower League 2 fixture with Shrewsbury Town will still kick off at 3:00pm on Saturday 26 March 2011.
After discussions with opponents Shrewsbury, it has been decided that the fixture will take place at it's original time and date despite England playing Wales in an International Euro 2012 Qualifier at the same time.
Given England's fixture at the Millennium Stadium, and to avoid any confusion, the football club felt it was in the best interest of all City supporters to confirm that the exact date and time of the Shrews fixture in advance.
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Jackson gets extra time to stake his claim for Bradford City job
City are ready to keep Peter Jackson in the hot-seat for the rest of the season.
Jackson has made a bright start with two wins from three games since being put in temporary charge following Peter Taylor's departure.
The former Bantams skipper, who is desperate to land the post for good, was installed on a game-by-game basis.
But with the club's two chairmen in no hurry to draw up their shortlist for the job, Jackson is expected to hang on to the reins until the end of the campaign.
Julian Rhodes hinted that would be the case after back-to-back wins lifted City nine points clear of the drop zone.
He said: "Peter was brought in to keep us up while we interviewed people and he's going about it the right way.
"If he keeps on picking up results then obviously it gives him the chance (to be here longer). That's two wins out of three so he is clearly doing something right.
"We are in no rush and it's nice for Peter to be given a bit of time. He wants the job permanently and who wouldn't. He's doing everything right at the moment and we're taking our time to allow him the opportunity."
Only two interviews have taken place so far – one of them understood to be John Hughes – and Jackson believes a string of results will reinforce his own claims.
With the concern over City's league position easing, the board are under less pressure to make an early appointment.
Rhodes added: "We are still going to interview people and a few will happen through April. Hopefully we can secure our league status for this season in the next few weeks but then next season is a whole new ball game.
"We've had a lot more than 40 applicants. We've got a great bag-full which we are just going through, looking at the CVs and dealing with the ones we want to talk to.
"We aren't safe yet. Jacko has to keep doing what he has been and the players need to keep responding.
"But the position looks much better after three wins out of four, especially when you think back to half-time against Stockport only two weeks ago.
"At long last it looks like we are getting that initial burst you get from a new manager. I was a bit worried after Gillingham but I think we have done well in all three of his games.
"There were a few decent chances on Saturday to have won more comfortably and I don't know what game Ronnie Moore was watching last week. Apart from a 20-minute period when Rotherham were on top, I thought we thoroughly deserved to beat them."
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http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~2316403,00.html?
Jacobs and Lewis leave Bradford City
Posted on: Tue 15 Mar 2011
The football club can now confirm that both Wayne Jacobs and Junior Lewis have left the football club by mutual consent this week.
The pair had been on gardening leave since the appointment of Peter Jackson as interim manager back on Sunday 27 February 2011.
Bradford City would like to take this opportunity to express their sincere gratitude to both Wayne and Junior for their efforts during the course of their employment with the football club.
The football club would like to especially thank Wayne for his dedication and commitment to Bradford City, traits which were shown on numerous occasions during his 14 years as a player and a coach at Valley Parade.
Both Wayne and Junior will be more than welcome back at the Coral Windows Stadium should they wish to attend a fixture in the future, and the football club would like to wish the pair the very best for the future.
Supporters may still see Wayne around the offices of the football club, however, as he will continue to be heavily involved with his charity, One in a Million, which is based at Valley Parade.
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Jackson urges Bradford City to keep it clean
7:40am Wednesday 16th March 2011
By Simon Parker
Peter Jackson has told City's defence to keep cleaning up after notching the first shut-out of his reign.
Jackson was thrilled with the clean sheet his side claimed in the win at Morecambe.
It was only the second time in four months that City had prevented the opposition from scoring.
Jackson has been drumming in the message to keep it tight at the back and wants to see more of the same.
He said: "The three goals we've conceded (since I got the interim job) have all been avoidable. That's why the clean sheet on Saturday was one of the most pleasing things.
"We've drilled it into them in training about the importance of a clean sheet. You can build on that.
"You get clean sheets, you get points, you get up the table, you get in the play-offs.
"You look at the team and our strength is going forward with the attacking players we have. But a clean sheet is such a big part and that will be great for confidence."
Jon McLaughlin was back in goal for Lenny Pidgeley, who injured his thigh in the win over Rotherham, and Jackson was pleased with the keeper's response.
"I thought about giving Lennie a fitness test the morning of the game but felt it was better for everyone's sake if we pulled him out early so that Jon could be focused.
"Jon came in and did everything asked of him. It was my first clean sheet as a manager and I'm delighted for him.
"He didn't have that much to do but dealt with things when we did come under pressure.
"We looked really comfortable after the first ten minutes and it was nice for Jonny to come in and do the job."
Pidgeley did not train yesterday but Jackson has better news over casualties Tommy Doherty and Simon Ramsden, who are likely to be back in the reckoning before the end of the month.
Doherty has not featured since December and recently underwent ankle surgery. Ramsden, recovering from a thigh injury picked up in training, has played only one game in seven months during an injury-ravaged season.
Jackson said: "Both have stepped up their training and Doherty may even be back next week."
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