Read this article online
http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/https://www.facebook.com/groups/46810838356/===========================
Next Game
Sky Sports live games
10/12 v Barnsley
10/18 v Sheff Utd (ko 5.15pm)
Signings, Loans and Injuries
Alan Sheehan, 3 match ban for red card v Swindon (Sep 13)
Injuries
Matthew Dolan is likely to be sidelined for at least the next couple of weeks due to a hip muscle problem
(sep 12)
Hanson Sep 16
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/11485017.Hanson_could_miss_five_Bradford_City_games/Injuries
Andrew Davies, broken left arm (Aug 23)
City fans can send their messages onto Andrew via @Andrew_Davies84
https://twitter.com/officialbantams/status/504949744322756608/photo/1===========================
Preview
Preview followed by live coverage of Tuesday's League One game between Milton Keynes Dons and Bradford City.
BBC
http://ift.tt/1m7AR51City defender aims to get to Rout of problem on debut
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/11474379.Bradford_City_defender_aims_to_get_to_Rout_of_problem_on_debut/
Game links
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/11477013.FT__MK_Dons_1_City_2/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29120702http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=393850&action=stats&lang=EN&wjb=Highlight/ Goals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7rwHG4fpyEPost Game Interview
http://t.co/TRZEsLkjdkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgTujloyOCo===========================
Final whistle - match report
Report from BBC:
Bradford City climbed into the play-off places with a hard-earned victory
over fellow high-flyers MK Dons.
Aaron McLean nodded in Billy Knott's cross on 23 minutes to give Bradford a
lead, which they extended just two minutes later through Billy Clarke's
well-struck effort from 20 yards.
Dean Lewington gave MK Dons hope before half-time after an error from keeper
Jordan Pickford presented the chance.
The Dons pushed hard for an equaliser but struggled to create opportunities.
It was a frustrating night for the home side, who went into the match as
League One's top scorers, and that sense of irritation saw MK Dons boss Karl
Robinson sent to the stands midway through the second half after an
altercation on the sidelines.
--
Bantams restore Phil-good factor as Parkinson hails 'outstanding' display
7:20am Wednesday 17th September 2014
By Simon Parker
PHIL Parkinson held up City's gutsy 2-1 triumph at MK Dons as one of the best results of his three-year reign at the club.
First-half goals from Aaron Mclean and Billy Clarke fired the Bantams back up to fifth with a third straight away league
win.
Having suffered back-to-back home defeats, they picked off the division's top scorers last night – and did it without
James Hanson, who suffered a thigh injury warming up before the game.
Parkinson said: "This has to be right up there with the magnitude of the night. This was a big game for us and I thought
the manner of the performance was outstanding.
"There was a bit of negativity creeping in, which was understandable, and we were up against a team who had just scored
five and recently put four past Man United.
"We asked the lads to put their bodies on the line and some of the composure in our play was brilliant.
"We had some really good periods when we kept the ball and took the sting out of the game. That was important because MK
are an open and expansive type of team but they leave gaps.
"Discipline is so important away from home and we showed a great example of that."
Parkinson had recalled Mclean for Clarke but had to stick the pair together when Hanson tweaked his thigh.
He added: "We'd spent a lot of Monday working on our set-plays and obviously Hanson is a big part. Then we have to rejig
everything five minutes before kick-off.
"But the lads who were given responsibility came up to the plate. Aaron Mclean was asked to do a defensive job which he
did really well.
"I just felt Azza was ready to play. He was disappointing against Oldham but before that he did okay and I thought this
game was suited for him with the space that MK Dons do leave.
"It was always going to be a tough call to leave someone out but I felt we needed Aaron's pace and power at the top of the
pitch.
"It's been a difficult period for him but when Aaron plays with that bit between his teeth then he's a very tough player
to contend with."
James Meredith earned the manager's praise for getting through the game despite feeling the effects of a chest infection.
Parkinson revealed that he had planned to bring in Leicester's Zoumana Bakayogo on loan as cover – but the defender
suffered a recurrence of a serious knee injury the night before.
He said: "We agreed with Leicester he'd play some part of their (reserve) game on Monday night because he was coming back
from injury. But then he re-did his cruciate.
"Our plan was to have him on the bench if Mezza wasn't right.
"Obviously that changed so I told Mezza before the game that I wanted to see that tough Australian mentality that he's got
– and boy did he show it.
"But there were big performances all over the pitch. We could talk about every player and what they've done – it was a
terrific performance."
===========================
When the dust settled - match report
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/11477222.Three_mendous_Bantams_on_road_to_redemption_after_out_gunning_free_scoring_MK_Dons/
Three-mendous Bantams on road to redemption after out-gunning free-scoring MK Dons
8:20am Wednesday 17th September 2014
By Simon Parker
MK Dons 1 Bradford City 2
OUT of adversity comes strength – and what a powerful performance from the beaten-up Bantams at stadium:mk last night.
Deprived of James Hanson by a thigh injury in the warm-up, Phil Parkinson's battlers defied the odds to claim three of the
hardest earned points they will win all season.
It was just the sort of response that their manager had hoped for after the disappointment of those setbacks against
Yeovil and Swindon. This was the type of gutsy performance that his team pride themselves on.
And to counter-balance three successive home defeats in the league, they have now bagged a hat-trick of victories on the
road. Fifth in the table suits them nicely.
City's only winning double last season came against the Dons but few had favoured them continuing that streak against a
team who went into the game as League One's top scorers.
They had netted 14 times in the opening six matches – 21 in eight including the Capital One Cup and the four-goal
trouncing of Manchester United.
The depth of resources at Karl Robinson's disposal was evident when four of the Oakwell starters found themselves among
the substitutes, including top scorer Benik Afobe. City by contrast had two apprentices making up the numbers on their
bench.
It was a daunting enough task for the visiting Bantams – and they then lost Hanson with a tweak just minutes before kick-
off.
Hanson's 11th hour withdrawal meant a late recall for Billy Clarke, who had been left out to accommodate a return for
Aaron Mclean – and another chance to convince the doubting City public.
The other change from Saturday saw centre half Christopher Routis drafted in for his league debut as Alan Sheehan began
the ban that wipes him out of all three away trips in this testing eight-day spell.
After conceding four goals in two games from set-pieces, all eyes were immediately on the City backline as Daniel Powell
won an early home corner.
And there was a scare as Antony Kay's flick spiralled goalwards but Stephen Darby was well positioned on the line to head
away the danger.
But City's rejigged strikeforce both made their presence felt in the opening exchanges.
A sliced clearance from Darren Potter dropped for Mclean to rattle in a half-volley that David Martin beat away. Then
Clarke cleverly got past two tackles before forcing a low save from the home stopper.
Powell continued to look lively and cut inside past Jason Kennedy and Darby before unleashing a fierce shot which Pickford
turned round his right post.
The stadium, although impressive, was totally lacking in atmosphere – and was suddenly stunned into silence barring the
small batch of away followers as City delivered a shock one-two.
Kennedy's deflected shot earned their first corner and the kick from Knott was met by Mclean, whose combination of head
and shoulder forced the ball beyond Martin.
And as the home crowd were trying to come to terms with that blow, City struck another as Clarke fired hard and low into
the bottom corner.
He celebrated with a Klinsmann-style swallow dive on the side of the pitch where he was submerged by a pile of claret and
amber shirts.
Having gone over seven hours without letting in a goal, MK had conceded five in the space of 35 minutes. But unlike
Barnsley's late consolation treble, the City double meant something.
It rattled the Dons but was far from unknown territory. They had trailed Gillingham here 2-0 on the opening day – and hit
back to win 4-2.
Their response was instant and encouraged by a flap from Pickford as he made a mess of an attempted punch from one of MK's
eight corners in the half.
City survived that but did not get away with another slip from the young keeper when he could not hang on to Samir
Carruthers' free-kick. It squirmed from his grasp and veteran Dons skipper Dean Lewington fired home through the crowd.
It came four minutes before the break – spookily, at exactly the same moment as they mounted that fightback against the
Gills.
Carruthers had Pickford scrambling again with a decent crack from 25 yards before the half-time whistle gave City a
welcome breather from the increasing home pressure.
The second half opened with a flurry of penalty shouts – two from Billy Knott for hand ball – but Premier League ref Andre
Marriner was unmoved.
The action was predictably focused on the City end. Pickford saved from Reeves before Robinson increased the firepower by
bringing on Afobe and Dean Bowditch.
But that proved the MK manager's final involvement as he was sent to the stand by Marriner – presumably for something he
said after Mark Yeates received City's third yellow card for sliding in on Dele Alli.
Filipe Morais came on against his old club and was straight into the action with a driving run to set up Yeates inside the
MK box. But the Irishman's shot lacked any conviction.
Things were predictably hotting up at the other end where the Dons had introduced yet another striker in Tom Hitchcock.
Marriner again waved away frantic shouts for a penalty after Bowditch fell beneath James Meredith inside the six-yard box.
City had defended valiantly but were starting to live on their nerves. Routis sliced across his own goal and then a
combination of Darby and Pickford did enough to smother Kay's flick from a corner before it could cross the line.
MK continued to pile up the corners. Pickford, who had bounced back confidently since the break, chased one out of the
area on his own to whack away then Routis got enough of his body in the way to thwart Afobe.
As the game went deeper into added time, Hitchcock's thumped cross rebounded to Potter on the penalty spot but he skied
the shot. With it went any home hope and City had their just rewards.
===========================
TOP scorer James Hanson could miss City's next five games with his injured thigh.
The club today confirmed that a scan on the problem revealed it was more serious than they had initially thought.
Phil Parkinson expects to be without his centre forward for the next "three to four" weeks. Hanson, who had already been
ruled out of tomorrow's trip to Colchester, tweaked his thigh during the pre-match warm-up at MK Dons.
===========================
