L2 D2-2 (A) v Chesterfield January 29 2011. K.O. 3:00PM

Next fixture
L2 (H) v Lincoln City Feb 1st 2011 K.O. 7.45pm

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

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Match stats

Chesterfield: Lee, Robertson, Ford (Vidal, 46 ) , Breckin, Niven (Bowery, 85 ) , Whitaker, Allott, Mattis, Lester

(Smalley, 52 ) , Talbot, Davies
Subs not used: Morris,Griffiths,Lowry,Redmond,

Goals : Whitaker 11 Bowery 90

Bradford: McLaughlan, Duff, Oliver, Eckersley, O'Brien, Worthington ( Flynn, 79 ) , Osborne ( Daley, 36 ) ,

Adeyemi, Syers, Evans, Hanson
Subs not used: Speight, Threlfall, Cullen, Elliott, Hunt,

Goals: Syers 12 Hanson 53

Bookings: Smalley (Chesterfield)
Attendance: 7556

Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)

Spireites  STAT ATTACK Bantams
61% Time of Poss. 39%
5 Shots On Target 4
6 Shots Off Target 1
6 Fouls (Conceded) 8
7 Corners 6
1 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0



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Match report

Last-gasp leveller leaves Bantams with mixed emotions
7:30am Monday 31st January 2011
By Simon Parker

Chesterfield 2 Bradford City 2

Well they couldn't quite "do a Rochdale" as the lads in the dressing room call it.

A win at the new b2net Stadium would have been every bit as impressive as Peter Taylor's debut victory at Spotland

last March.

And they so nearly pulled it off.

But when the head shaking over Chester-field's late, late leveller subsides, City and their magnificently vocal

travelling fans can acknowledge a heartening afternoon.

At least we can see a chink of light in that black cloud that has parked above Valley Parade in recent weeks.

It could have been brighter; it should have been brighter had City dealt with that final stoppage-time cross as

they had done with most of its predecessors.

But after four losses on the spin, a point's a point; especially against the team with the division's best home

record.

Chesterfield don't just score in every game at their new home. They also usually win them.

Only three of the previous 13 visitors had left with any reward. So Saturday's draw should not be underestimated.

Of course, it will only mean something if City follow it up with the right result against Lincoln tomorrow.

The Imps themselves have won three in a row. But then Chesterfield were unbeaten in seven – and had not conceded in

the last three.

James Hanson, whose header for so long looked like being City's winner, hopes a line has been drawn in the sand

after all the recent misery.

Hanson said: "You expect to hold on when you're coming to the last ten minutes 2-1 up. We thought we had done but

didn't deal with that ball in the end and got punished.

"We're all gutted but it's still a great point. It's what we needed after the back-to-back defeats.

"We worked extremely hard and the gaffer was always confident we'd get something. Chesterfield score a lot of goals

but they can also concede.

"We haven't been scoring many but he said we could cause them some problems and I think we did that.

"It's a big week for us and this is a good start. We're not going into training on Monday morning feeling down, as

we have done in the last two or three weeks."

The home fans crowed "You're getting sacked in the morning" as Taylor's team struggled to get out their own half in

the opening exchanges.

The manager responded, as always, with sarcastic applause but must have feared the worst when Chesterfield struck

the first blow in the tenth minute.

Jack Lester produced his one moment of note in an otherwise disinterested display, teasing enough of an opening to

supply left winger Danny Whitaker for a sweet finish.

We all settled in for a very long afternoon.

But City came straight back at them. Hanson was foiled by the agility of one-time Oakworth Junior Tommy Lee before

the big man's presence played a significant part in the equaliser.

Intended target Hanson missed Leon Osborne's cross but his dive took Ian Breckin with him and deceived the home

defence, leaving David Syers on his own to half-volley his eighth goal of the campaign.

Chances were swapped at either end. Gareth Evans and Osborne found good positions for City, while Luke Oliver

pulled off an inch-perfect tackle on Craig Davies in the away box.

City's performance was chalk and cheese compared with the last Saturday outing at Oxford a fortnight earlier. There

had been good moments against Crewe but this time they put it all together.

A solid back four kept the clamp on free-scoring Davies and Lester, overseen by Jon Worthington in the holding

role. What a useful acquisition he's going to be when fully up to match speed and fitness.

Worthington's calming presence gave Syers and Tom Adeyemi scope to bomb up and down alongside him, backing up a

front three boosted by Hanson's aerial control over Breckin.

City's attacking edge improved further when Omar Daley replaced the injured Osborne before half-time. Even though

Chesterfield spotted the danger by bringing on quicker right back Javan Vidal at the break, Daley gave them a run

for their money with every touch.

Vidal was flailing in his slipstream when Daley's sprint and cross went unrewarded as nobody had gambled at the

near post.

But Hanson was in exactly the right place for the right ball eight minutes into the second half.

He was also right to applaud the contribution from Evans in the build-up after it seemed that City's best chance

had just gone begging.

Adeyemi burst into the box but narrowly failed to reach Hanson's knockdown from a cross by Luke O'Brien. But Evans

refused to let the opportunity disappear, rescuing possession on the touchline and delivering the sort of cross

that Hanson dreams about.

"I knew it was mine as soon as he put it up there," smiled Hanson. "It was a great ball in from Evo. I've been

asking them for a while to hang it up in a good area where I can attack like that.

"I was quite disappointed not to get another one after that from OB's cross. I just mistimed my jump.

"But playing like we did should bring confidence back to the attacking players. If we can go to the leaders and

score a couple then we should be able to take that forward."

City inevitably got pushed further and further back as Chesterfield threw everything at an equaliser.

Jon McLaughlin saved from Mark Allott and Michael Flynn arrived on the pitch in the nick of time to cut out a

dangerous cross from Drew Talbot. Sub Deane Smalley then blew a glorious chance by skying a free header from eight

yards. City's three-point mission looked complete.

But then Gregor Robertson pinged in one last centre, City failed to react to Breckin's flick-on and Jordan Bowery –

who'd been on the pitch for less than ten minutes – found room to swivel and shoot past McLaughlin.

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Dobie signs for Bradford City to end of season
7:18pm Monday 31st January 2011
By Simon Parker

Bradford City tonight confirmed St Johnstone striker Scott Dobie had signed on loan until the end of the season,

although the deal is subject to international clearance.

It is unclear whether Dobie will be able to play for City in tomorrow night's League Two game against Lincoln at

Valley Parade.

Dobie, 32, a former Scotland international, has played for West Brom, Nottingham Forest and Carlisle and has racked

up 399 league appearances.


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Baldwin: Let's hear an encore from the Bantams fans
7:36pm Monday 31st January 2011
By Simon Parker

City are calling on Valley Parade's 12th man to pull out all the stops against Lincoln tomorrow night.

The fans were in superb voice in Saturday's battling draw with leaders Chesterfield.

Now the club hope that backing can be replicated for the Lincoln showdown.

Director of operations David Baldwin said: "The away crowd on Saturday had a very positive contribution to the

outcome and really motivated the players. Even when we went 1-0 down, they kept going and that support and

enthusiasm rubbed off on the pitch.

"It would be great if we could emulate that at home tomorrow.

"If we don't get off to the best start, I really hope the fans will stick behind the team again like that because

it can make such a difference."

Baldwin admitted the City hierarchy were blown away by the constant noise of the away supporters at the b2net

Stadium.

"I nearly jumped on the radio at half-time to say a big thank you to our fans," he added. "Regardless of the

result, they were absolutely magnificent."

Three straight wins have lifted Lincoln to within three points of their hosts – and the Imps have three games in

hand.

Baldwin said: "It's a very important game given the league position.

"We're playing a team in a bit of form and we need to use anything we can in our favour. That's why the 12th man

can have a real impact.

"We're all in this together. We've got fantastic support and we should use that to our advantage."

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Point at leaders feels more like a defeat, admits Bantams boss Taylor
7:50am Monday 31st January 2011
By Simon Parker

Peter Taylor admitted he felt for his players after watching two points snatched from City's grasp at Chesterfield.

The Bantams snapped their four-game losing run with a stirring effort against the leaders.

But Jordan Bowery's stoppage-time equaliser cost them the chance to put some daylight on the bottom two ahead of

this week's clashes with Lincoln and Macclesfield.

Sympathetic Taylor said: "I'm really disappointed for them. I had a little bit of a pop over the second goal but I

really feel for the players.

"They worked their socks off for everyone – themselves, the supporters, the club, everybody.

"It does feel a bit like a defeat but there were a lot more pluses out of it. The performance was decent and we

scored two against the leaders.

"I thought we carried on from Tuesday night (against Crewe) and we covered the ground. If we keep doing that, we'll

be hard to play against.

"Hopefully we can kick on tomorrow night."

City, who lost Leon Osborne with a hamstring injury in the first half, hit back quickly from going a goal down. Top

scorer David Syers levelled with his eighth of the campaign before James Hanson's header had them eyeing an

unexpected victory.

Taylor added: "When you concede (first) against the league leaders, there's the chance you could go on and lose by

four or five.

"But we showed good character and got back at the right time, which may have unsettled them a little bit.

"It was a good game after that. You can see why Chesterfield have done well but I think we've shown at times we can

be a very good away from home team by breaking out with the athletes we have."

Jon Worthington again made a difference in midfield and Omar Daley's pace caused plenty of problems after he

replaced Osborne.

The Jamaican should be back in the starting line-up to face the in-form Imps.

"I thought Omar was really exciting," said Taylor. "He causes some problems.

"Our crossing in the final third was better because we got the ball in a little bit earlier. Gareth Evans put in a

tremendous ball for Hanson with the second goal.

"When you work with the players every day, you know they can do it.

"That's where it's even more upsetting and frustrating when they don't perform.

"But they are good, caring lads who want to do well. You've always got a chance with an honest squad."

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BBC Coverage of transfer deadline day

1501: DONE DEAL Forget Stamford Bridge, it's all happening at Sincil Bank at the monment. Following their extension

of Gavin Hoyte's loan deal earlier, BBC Lincolnshire reports that the Imps have signed striker Scott Spencer on a

free transfer until the end of the season following his departure from Southend last week, and they have also

snapped up ex-Millwall man Ali Fuseini, who has signed until 2012. Fuseini had recently been playing for Lewes in

the Blue Square South.

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DEATH OF FORMER CITY KEEPER
By Simon Parker (T&A)

Former Bradford City goalkeeper David Knowles has died, aged 69, after a
long illness.

Knowles, born in Halifax, played 21 games for the club during the 1966-1967
season. He later became postmaster at Oakenshaw.


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