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Next/Upcoming Game
Signings & Loans
Injuries & Suspensions
Andrew Davies, hamstring
Keeper Jak Alnwick has returned to parent club Newcastle this week for treatment after
damaging his wrist in training.
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Preview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32081312Game links
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/12871400.FT__Doncaster_0_City_3/http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/12871802.GALLERY__Picture_special_of_Bantams_and_Bulls__Good_Friday_victories/
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=398686&action=statsChant
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/bradford-fans-produce-greatest-chant-5463125Highlight/ Goals
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBD9nwfOmIPost Game Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqTh6nx-O9Y===========================
Final whistle - match report
Not just a Good Friday, an excellent one for Bantams
9:00am Saturday 4th April 2015
By Simon Parker
Doncaster 0 Bradford City 3
TWENTY four hours on from the leaders' debate, the play-off ballot remained every bit as tough to call as the political
one.
All the indicators still point to the battle going right to the final game on May 3, the same week as the country go to the
polls on that other matter.
And City should have swayed the floating voters questioning their own credentials with a decisive win last night which
shoved them back into the thick of the chase – and effectively removed Doncaster from the contest.
The Yorkshire derby victory instantly erased the disappointment of that Chesterfield setback as they kept on the heels of
the side currently occupying the coveted sixth spot.
Everything had looked to be falling into their lap as the afternoon's matches panned out. Peterborough and Rochdale both
went down and – with half an hour left – Chesterfield were two down at rock-bottom Yeovil.
But by the final whistle, the Spireites had backed up their Valley Parade victory with a dramatic 3-2 triumph in the west
country to extend their advantage.
At that stage, you sensed that anything less than a win would not have been good enough at the Keepmoat for either team.
So City's response was exactly what they needed – and brilliantly sets up Monday's tasty home clash with second-placed
Preston.
Good Friday has traditionally been good for the Bantams. Think last season's Adam Reach-inspired win over Peterborough, the
two-goal fightback against Southend the year before that galvanised the late play-off push, the win over the same opponents
the year before that effectively secured league survival.
Yesterday maintained that run with a second-half treble which City fully deserved. The fight goes on.
Phil Parkinson had indicated his attacking intentions by recalling Filipe Morais after his three-match ban. Similarly, Mark
Yeates was also back in as City lined up with a flat four-man midfield.
Jonson Clarke-Harris had scored three times against City last season in Oldham colours – and the on-loan Rotherham striker
was a whisker away from adding to that tally for the home side in the first minute.
Harry Forrester got past Stephen Darby to cross in low and Clarke-Harris whipped a shot past the near post.
There was an edge to the early proceedings that had been lacking against Oldham, although not much quality on the ball.
Gary MacKenzie had copped some flak for his blunder for the goal in the previous game but the big Scot was back to his most
solid – emphasised with a crunching challenge on the edge of the box to halt Forrester after Gary Liddle had given the ball
away.
City were slightly fortunate to get away with a penalty shout after 19 minutes when Clarke-Harris was bundled over by Darby
as they competed for a Coppinger cross. The derision rained down from the home fans as referee Graham Salisbury played on.
City created their first opportunity five minutes later when Morais got in behind left back Enda Stevens. But he put a bit
too much on the cross from the byline for James Hanson to control his header.
Yeates then wildly sliced wide from 25 yards as the visitors began to grow into the game, roared on by a superbly
vociferous 2,410 following.
But Doncaster were causing problems out wide and Richie Wellens crossed for Coppinger, whose shot was blocked by Rory
McArdle.
From the corner, Wellens lifted the ball back in the goalmouth, where Clarke-Harris nodded wide just beyond team-mate Andy
Butler at the far post.
There was no lack of determination by either side with the stakes so high. That extended to the coaching staff in the two
dugouts, and fourth official Declan Ford had his work cut out dealing with the agitated reactions from Parkinson and Rovers
boss Paul Dickov.
But passes were too often going astray and neither keeper had been called into action in a frantic but fruitless first
half.
That threatened to change just before the break when Curtis Main, who had notched Doncaster's winner at Valley Parade,
threw off McArdle and drove past Ben Williams from just inside the penalty area.
The ball cannoned back off the post and Coppinger dived to try and nod it back goalwards. Forrester went down as he tussled
with Darby in front of the net but the raised flag was against the Doncaster winger for offside and not a penalty.
The half finished with MacKenzie volleying over from City's first corner but it was Doncaster who had created the livelier
moments – without actually warming Williams' fingers.
City made the most of those let-offs with a more positive start on the resumption – and it soon led to a crucial
breakthrough.
Hanson saw his goal-bound header from a Morais cross blocked by Andy Butler right under his crossbar.
But the opener arrived in the 56th minute from another ball into the mix from the winger. McArdle prodded it goalwards and
MacKenzie scrambled it home from close range. The big Scot took a whack for his bravery and needed treatment – but that
goal will have eased the pain of City's previous game.
Stung by falling behind, Doncaster responded immediately and Forrester teed up one-time Bantam Dean Furman for a 20-yard
blast that Williams superbly tipped over.
As the contest came to the boil, the City keeper's efforts were matched at the other end by Stephen Bywater, who
brilliantly denied Billy Knott from close range.
But City were not to be kept out for long and doubled their lead after 64 minutes. Hanson held off Luke McCullough with his
back to goal before picking out Billy Clarke to confidently blast past Bywater from outside the box – and move level with
his strike partner on 11 for the season.
That was the signal for some home fans to start heading for the exits and there was never a hint of a Fleetwood-style
fightback.
They did miss another goal in stoppage time as City nailed a third, sub Tony McMahon latching on to a slip from Reece
Wabara to finish off a memorable evening.
Doncaster's tenth defeat at the Keepmoat this season had been confirmed – as had City's position as a genuine runner and
rider in the chase to get over the play-off line.
===========================
Three and easy, beams Bantams boss Parkinson
8:00am Saturday 4th April 2015
By Simon Parker
A JUBILANT Phil Parkinson savoured City's biggest away victory of the season at Doncaster and roared: "Winning 3-0 didn't
flatter us."
Second-half goals from Gary MacKenzie, Billy Clarke and Tony McMahon propelled the Bantams back up to seventh in League One
– and three points off the play-offs.
It was a huge result on the back of Tuesday's home loss to sixth-placed Chesterfield and Parkinson could not contain his
delight.
"In the context of wins this season, that's got to be right up there," he said.
"The talk in Doncaster's camp was how they'd had two weeks to prepare and we'd had two tough games in that time. But there
was only one team looking fatigued when the final whistle went and it wasn't us.
"We did the right things. We did what we set out to do as a team.
"There was only a small spell in the first half of about ten to 15 minutes when we stopped but every team is going to have
that.
"But we dominated the second half and had other chances. So I don't think 3-0 flattered us."
The margin of victory also meant that City levelled the goal difference with the Spireites and Parkinson felt his players
enjoyed performing on a decent pitch again after the midweek slog at Valley Parade.
He added: "Tuesday night was tough. The conditions were awful and it was so difficult to play on a quagmire of a pitch.
"So the lads relished playing on a good surface. You could see that players like Billy Clarke, Billy Knott and Yeatesy
(Mark Yeates) really enjoyed the game. I was pleased with Tony McMahon as well. We put him on in an unfamiliar position –
wide left wasn't one of his criteria – and he showed us what he's all about.
"He's got nous and that's what you need in those situations. He saw the game through and then got a goal."
Fellow Blackpool loanee MacKenzie also scored his first goal for City as he bounced back from the mistake that cost them
dear against Chesterfield.
"Football is about character tests all the time and that was one for him," said Parkinson. "I thought he was terrific
against Oldham but him and Rory McArdle weren't as physical in the Chesterfield game and cost us the goal.
"But all you can do as a player is get back on the bike and produce a performance, which Gary has done "The mentality was
good. It was similar to the Oldham game and once we got ahead, we weren't going to concede.
"Doncaster have got some good players like Richie Wellens and James Coppinger, an array of Championship talent, and if you
sit off them and let them play they are a team that will create chances against you."
City will assess Mark Yeates over the weekend ahead of Monday's home tussle with second-placed Preston. The Irishman went
off clutching his shoulder.
Parkinson said: "His shoulder popped out again. I don't think it's too serious but because of the timing of the game, I
wasn't going to take any risks."
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BRADFORD CITY LOAN KEEPER ALNWICK RULED OUT FOR SEASON
by Simon Parker (T&A)
Keeper Jak Alnwick's stay with City has finished after just one game.
Alnwick returned to parent club Newcastle this week for treatment after
damaging his wrist in training.
And today he revealed that he has to go under the knife, ruling him out for
the rest of the season.
Alnwick tweeted: "Unfortunately my season is over. On route to Manchester to
get wrist surgery."
Alnwick was only signed on loan by Phil Parkinson last month to replace
Jordan Pickford, who was recalled by Sunderland.
His only City appearance was in the 1-1 draw at Notts County.
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