L2 v Rochdale (h) L0-3 DEC 1 2009

Football League Two - KO 19:45
Bradford    0 (0) - 3(2) Rochdale  
                         Dagnall 12 , 28
                         O'Grady 58
   
  At Valley Parade on 01-12-2009  



Bradford: Eastwood ,Ramsden ,Rehman (Bateson ,46 ) ,Luke O'Brien ,Williams ,Flynn ,Bullock ,James O'Brien (Neilson ,57 ) ,Evans (Michael Boulding ,72 ) ,Whaley ,Hanson
Subs not used: Clarke,Brandon,Rory Boulding,McLaughlan,

Rochdale: Heaton ,Thomas Kennedy ,Wiseman ,Stanton ,Dawson ,Taylor ,Jason Kennedy ,Thompson (Higginbotham ,53 ) ,Atkinson ,O'Grady ,Dagnall
Subs not used Toner,McArdle,Glover,Flynn,Taberner,Gray,

Bookings: Thomas Kennedy (Rochdale)

Attendance: 11472


Referee: Dave Foster (Newcastle)


As it happened (in reverse)
72'   G. Evans is substituted out.
  M. Boulding is substituted in.
58'   C. O'Grady has scored a goal for Rochdale!
57'   J. O'Brien is substituted out.
  S. Neilson is substituted in.
54'   T. Kennedy gets yellow.
53'   J. Thompson is substituted out.
  K. Higginbotham is substituted in.
46'   Z. Rehman is substituted out.
  J. Bateson is substituted in.
28'   C. Dagnall has scored a goal for Rochdale!
12'   C. Dagnall has scored a goal for Rochdale!



STAT ATTACK  
Bantams / Dale
3 Shots On Target 8
5 Shots Off Target 8
8 Fouls (Conceded) 8
5 Corners 5
0 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0




===========================
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sportbcfcmatch/4770802.City_at_sixes_and_sevens_against_Dale/

Only Eastwood prevents total humiliation
7:10am Wednesday 2nd December 2009

By Simon Parker

City 0, Rochdale 3

Sorry City were completely overwhelmed as Rochdale roared to the top of the League Two table with as one-sided a

victory as you will see.

If it wasn't for Simon Eastwood, the only home player to emerge from a dismal night with any credit at all, the

goals against tally could have reached humiliating proportions.

City were frequently at sixes and sevens – thankfully the final winning margin did not reflect that.

Outplayed and outclassed. It was the worst possible way to kick off a potentially decisive December schedule.

Yet City's team selection had been no surprise. The unchanged line-up had earned another crack after the demolition

job of Grimsby.

Rochdale, whose purple kit was the spitting image of Harchester United from the Dream Team TV series, were missing

key midfielder Will Buckley with an ankle injury.

City began brightly, with James O'Brien firing in a decent effort and namesake Luke creating a half-chance for

Gareth Evans.

But Rochdale had chalked up impressive wins at Bournemouth and Dagenham in the last two away games and their

confidence was clear as they got forward whenever possible. Full backs Tom Kennedy and Scott Wiseman were not

scared to push up and link with midfield.

They hassled City into mistakes and Chris Dagnall, their top scorer with ten goals, turned Steve Williams inside

out to open up a sight of the target but luckily for City seemed to trip over his own feet.

But there was no escape when City coughed up a self-inflicted strike in the 12th minute. Williams scuffed a

clearance straight to Dagnall, who rounded James Hanson1 before working the ball beneath Eastwood.

It was a cheap goal to concede, especially against such dangerous opponents, and there was an edginess in the

stands as City struggled to get back into the game.

Williams claimed he was held by Chris O'Grady in the Dale box but referee Dave Foster was unimpressed. Evans then

tried to play in Michael Flynn but he was smothered by three purple shirts.

The place needed a lift and Simon Ramsden nearly supplied it against his old club with a thundering tackle on Will

Atkinson, before whipping in a bending cross that was just beyond James Hanson and the stretching Evans.

It got the crowd going but a City free-kick 25 yards out nearly proved their undoing.

Flynn's shot cannoned into the wall and suddenly Dale were on the break. Dagnall rode Rehman's desperate lunge on

the halfway line to charge away but his chip over the advancing Eastwood sailed wide.

But Dale were back on the offensive again and took a firm grip on proceedings with another goal after 28 minutes.

It came via left-wing crosses from O'Grady, who had already done more in just over half an hour than he managed in

a month on loan with the Bantams last season.

He picked out Dagnall, lurking with intent at the far post, whose initial close-range blast was well kept out by

Luke O'Brien. The rebound came straight back to the Dale hitman and although his connection was far from

convincing, the sliced effort completely bamboozled the grounded Eastwood.

It may have been a miskick but Dale's all-round superiority deserved the advantage.

City were reeling and their night threatened to get even worse as O'Grady found more room to deliver from the left.

Joe Thompson was on hand to convert but the assistant flagged for offside.

City won their first corner but Williams missed his header and Rehman's follow-up did not pack enough power.

Rochdale continued to threaten and Eastwood produced a fine double save to keep the deficit at two, first foiling

O'Grady and then getting across quickly to turn Atkinson's goal-bound effort over the bar.

City were getting the run-around and Thompson cut in dangerously to set up O'Grady. He sliced at the ball and this

time it bobbed gently into the keeper's hands.

City's own attack had been bottled up with Simon Whaley, the chief destroyer against Grimsby, getting no change at

all out of his former team-mates.

Lee Bullock's flick header from a free-kick was pouched by Tom James Hanson3 right on half-time but it did not save

City from a few frustrated boos when the whistle followed. The only saving grace from such a one-sided opening 45

minutes was that Rochdale were only two ahead.

Stuart McCall made a change for the second half, with skipper Rehman replaced by Jonathan Bateson. There were

plenty of candidates who could have made way.

Ramsden switched to centre half and given the task of shackling Dagnall before he did any more damage.

The drum in the TL Dallas Stand was pounding but the fans were waiting for signs of a recovery. James Hanson2

knocked down Whaley's cross but nobody reacted quick enough to the second ball on the edge of the penalty area.

Tom Kennedy received the game's only booking for tripping Whaley but the free-kick from a decent position came to

nothing.

Kennedy then handed City a corner with a bizarre fluffed clearance from halfway. Hanson could not get over his

half-volley from the set-piece.

Scott Neilson replaced James O'Brien but had not touched the ball before Rochdale bagged the third goal they had

long been threatening.

Dagnall was through again and, although Eastwood did well to keep him out, the rebound was snaffled at the second

attempt by O'Grady.

It looked all over bar the shouting even though the Bradford End continued to maintain an impressive wall of noise.

It was strains of the Accrington embarrassment from two seasons ago.

Sadly the only hope for their team was a Plymouth-style abandonment and the freezing rain was not heavy enough for

that.

Rochdale were seemingly queueing up to pile on the agony. Only Eastwood stood between Dale and a thumping as he

proceeded to foil O'Grady and substitute Kallum Higginbotham.

But City remained wide open as Rochdale cut them apart at will. Neilson back-pedalled to whisk the ball away from

Dagnall and Atkinson missed with a chip after the back four once again went walkabout.

McCall swapped Evans with Michael Boulding but the goal threat was only at one end. O'Grady again wreaked havoc to

find Dagnall but Ramsden was across in the nick of time to block.

By the end, the rain was coming down with full force – but it still wasn't the biggest shower on display.

Attendance: 11,472








===========================

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/4770848.City_just_no_match_for_Dale/

McCall accepts his team were well beaten by a far better side
7:40am Wednesday 2nd December 2009

By Simon Parker

Stuart McCall hailed League Two leaders Rochdale as the best side City have faced and admitted: We could not handle

them.

The Bantams were swept aside 3-0 at Valley Parade last night and were never in the game.

Two goals from Dale's leading scorer Chris Dagnall and another by former City loan striker Chris O'Grady sealed the

heaviest home defeat for two years.

Rochdale, who went top with their fourth straight away win, could have clocked up more goals as McCall's men were

blown away.

McCall said: "It was a poor night from us but you've got to give credit to Rochdale because they were excellent.

They were far and away the best team we've played.

"They dominated most areas of the park and Dagnall and O'Grady are the best strike partnership we've come up

against. We couldn't cope with them.

"I thought they were outstanding but that doesn't take away from our deficiencies. We weren't good enough.

"There are a lot of disappointed players in our dressing room as you can imagine. Apart from Simon Ramsden, Easty

(Simon Eastwood) and Scott Neilson when he came on, there are not many who can come away with any credit."

Eastwood's saves kept the score down as Dale seized control from the moment Dagnall pounced on a careless clearance

from Steve Williams.

McCall said: "It's a steep learning curve for a lot of our players. Look at Steve Williams, who's only been in the

league for a few months and will never have come up against a Dagnall or O'Grady. But we've got to learn and learn

quick.

"We'd had a good week's training and were all positive for the game after our result at Grimsby but it all stemmed

from the front two.

"We didn't put enough pressure on them and create anything on goal and Rochdale could have had more."

After being crushed by the leaders, City now head to basement side Darlington on Saturday and McCall will demand

that heads are back up at training tomorrow.

"It was a sore 90 minutes and a long 90 minutes but we've got to remember what we are aiming for," he said.

"Rochdale on that form will look to go on strong and finish in the top three. Our ambition realistically is to try

and get in the play-offs.

"We've got to make sure this result and performance doesn't put a pin in the balloon of what we are working for."



===========================

Winger picks up booking as he begins his comeback
9:38pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009

By Sports Desk

Omar Daley made his long-awaited return in a losing cause as City's reserves bowed out to Oldham 1-0 in the

totesport.com League Cup.

The flying winger played the opening 45 minutes at Stalybridge Celtic's Bower Fold ground as he recovers from knee

ligament damage.

Daley has been forced to watch from the sidelines since suffering the injury back in February and his return to

action in City colours will come as a welcome boost for all connected with the club.

Esdaile Biney scored the only goal after an hour against a Bantams side that also included two trialists.

Central defender Laurence Gaughan of Sheffield FC and Mike Brickhill of host club Stalybridge were handed a chance

to impress the watching Stuart McCall.

City could have edged in front as early as the seventh minute thanks to quick thinking by Rory Boulding, who set up

Luke Sharry with a clever flick.

Sharry raced into the box and forced Latics keeper Tomas Jones into a smart save with his legs.

Daley then exchanged passes with Boulding before firing a fierce shot across Jones' goal which whizzed just wide of

danger.

The winger picked up a booking for tugging back Djeny Bembo-Leta, having been warned earlier for a rash challenge.

Daley did not reappear for the second half and neither did defender Matt Clarke, whose troublesome back seemed to

hamper his movement.





===========================
From a pre-season article on an unofficial Rochdale website

The article is below and the link to the website is

http://www.clubfanzine.com/rochdale/v2.showNews.php?id=25864

In many ways,Bradford are the most difficult side in the division to predict where they'll finish. We all know

where they should be finishing.

If this was an Olympic 100m sprint, they'd be the ones lining up in the flash sports gear, with all the top

coaches, going on about past victories they'd enjoyed against world class sprinters. The rest of the division would

look like they'd just been dragged out the pub, wearing trainers where the right and left weren't even from the

same pair. On paper, nobody else in this division should stand a chance.

But over the past couple of years, Bradford have fast become part of the furniture down here. Of course, they still

enjoy outstanding support both home and away which could rival any level of support in this division over the past

twenty five years. After all, can you think of any other team since possibly Sheffield United back in the very

early 1980's to comfortably get five figure crowds for every single home game? But you have to question what good

it is actually doing them.

So looking at it the other way, maybe Bradford are the easiest team in the division to predict as what exactly has

changed over the Summer to suggest things will be any different at all down at Valley Parade this season? Was there

a great run of form late last season to suggest things were coming into place? Has there been an influx of cash? Is

there a crop of young talented players ready to be unleashed on the first team? Have they got rid of Stuart McCall?

There must be half a million different reasons why Stuart McCall has not been able to bring any success to Bradford

in the past couple of years. There may even have been some of those reasons which actually hold water, but having

operated on a budget that has been the envy of 90% of the clubs at this level, the days of getting away with being

new to the job must surely come to an end now that he's been in the job longer than well over half of his peers

heading into the 2009-10 season.

The question for me is whether there has been any proof so far that McCall is getting to grips with management.

Well respected coach he may have been but finishing 10th and 9th over the past couple of seasons is not really

evidence that this young manager is developing into a good young manager, especially when the likes of Dagenham,

Brentford and Bury comfortably leapfrogged the Bantams over the past season, despite far inferior budgets to

operate on.

That old adage of how he's still new to the job and learning the ropes must even make McCall laugh, and can anyone

still try using Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford as an excuse for not getting rid of a manager with a straight face?

We'd have McCall down as a favourite to be the first manager sacked, but he has certainly enjoyed the support from

a fanbase which tends to sympathise with him rather than be critical of him, and last season's comments from McCall

suggest that he's more likely to walk rather than be pushed. Well at least he'll claim that he'll walk, whether

he'll do it is a different matter altogether.

Perhaps we're being too harsh on McCall. But as an outsider, all we see is a manager who has struggled to compete

with sides put together on a pittance on what he has had to work with. I appreciate there are other issues such as

the huge rent that is paid on Valley Parade, for which a great percentage of the matchday income must go towards,

so it isn't quite the blank cheque book that many, including ourselves, have accused Bradford of having. But if

there are other reasons to defend McCall, I'd genuinely love to hear them.

So looking towards this forthcoming season, how is going to be any different for the Bantams this time out? Well

what we do know is that McCall is having to work with a reduced budget from the past two seasons, and despite any

differences of opinions there may have been between Hilly and McCall with respect to this budget when Simon Ramsden

signed for them, the indications seem to back up the reduced budget based upon the signings.

Last Summer saw them make a selection of signings that were almost Championship Manager style, as McCall went out

grabbed the division's top scorer, a top class midfielder with pedigree in Paul McClaren, and two defenders who'd

been there and done it at higher levels in Graeme Lee and Paul Arnison.

This Summer has been much more restrained. Our own Ramsden joined them, and whilst Rambo will always be thought of

affectionately at Spotland, he certainly wasn't a player who's position in our side was guaranteed with many

supporters pleased that his departure ensured the recall of Wiseman. Other signings include former Stone Roses

manager Gareth Evans who has joined from Macclesfield, and the permanent capture of loanee Zesh Rehman.

All in all, its hardly a case of a whole load of better players having arrived. In fairness, they've not lost

anybody that you'd particularly worry about. Paul McClaren went having failed to live up to the aforementioned

pedigree, Conlon has gone but he was far from a vital cog in the Bradford wheel and Graeme Lee has gone to join the

Sven revolution at Notts County as part of a Bradford wage cutting exercise.

The biggest concern would be up front. Thorne and Boulding still know where the back of the net us, but they will

go into 2009-10 with a combined age of almost 70. With their aging legs, despite more than capable of still doing a

job in League Two, will they really be as good this season as they were last season?

Comparing squad quality from this season to last, I'd have to say that they are marginally worse off this time

round and as such I can't see them finishing as high as they did last season, especially when their true position

of 9th last season was actually 11th taking the points deductions into account.

I think a failure to compete at the top will see the cracks start showing with McCall this year, and surely the

Bantams supporters cannot tolerate another season of suffering defeats to teams who are minnows in comparison and

settling for a place in the league table alongside the likes of Morecambe and Dagenham. It's not going to be

pleasant, and whilst there are many teams who would snap their hand off now for a position of 12th, is that really

good enough for Bradford City?


===========================



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