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Bradford City 2-0 Rochdale

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Ahh the city of Bradford. Whilst there may have been excitement in some quarters ahead of visiting a former Premier League club the city itself really isn`t the best. In fact, I imagine if Rochdale were a city it would be like Bradford. Mind you if we were a city we`d still probably have no fans. When you leave Bradford Interchange you are greeted by some rather nice old buildings and the area around the Town Hall is pleasant enough but it`s downhill from there really. The walk towards the ground takes you past numerous pound shops and I spotted two boarded up Night Clubs, you see why I think it`s like Rochdale? Anyway, the ground is quite tucked away and had it not been a match day I may well have struggled to find it.

As we walked towards the Midland Road side of the ground in which we were to be housed there was a rather large queue of Dale fans. Unfortunately this was down to poor organisation at the turnstiles rather than a particularly large away following, although we must have took about 1000 down. There were quite a few Daleys who missed the kick off and struggled to find seats. The stand was far superior to the TL Dallas stand behind the goal we had been given last time and many Dale fans took the opportunity to enjoy a pint under the stand at half time.

On with the game then and the underlying feeling at the end of it was we struggled up front. Indeed, it is a view shared by many that the difference between the two sides was the strikers. Bradford had the duo of Boulding and Thorne up front who taught Dale a lesson in taking your chances.

It was a lively start and there was a good atmosphere inside the ground. Dale were passing the ball around nicely and making City do the hard work. First to try his look for us was Adam Rundle who cut inside from the wing but his shot was weak and easily collected by the Keeper.

We would go on to have two more good chances before the inevitable Bradford goal. Firstly a Ciaran Toner header went narrowly wide and then Shaw should have done better when Dagnall fired in a low cross across the box. Had Shaw gambled on the cross he would have been surely celebrating his second goal in as many games.

Daley had been causing us some real problems, something we picked up on before the match. Our fear was that with his pace he would have the beating of Ramsden and that was certainly the case. This isn`t an attack on Ramsden who is a very consistent performer for us but you can bet McCall had been encouraging the lad to run at Ramsden at every given chance. It was certainly a tactic that worked for Bradford as Ramsden struggled and received a yellow card for his efforts to keep him under control.

As I said it wouldn`t be long before Bradford took the lead. Thorne crossed for Boulding who rose unmarked to head home from close range. Bradford didn`t deserve it but it summed up everything that the Dale strikeforce had lacked. Daggers wasn`t having his best game and Shaw, for me, seems decent until he gets in and around the box. In my view the lad`s playing with a fear at the moment and he needs to overcome this before we get him firing.

Still we pressed on, there was plenty of time for us to get back into the game and with the chances we were creating there was every possibility of us doing so.

Toner was playing out of position on the right and it showed, I`d stop short of saying he had a bad game but we created little down the right with him choosing to wander into the middle more often than not. Rundle was though causing Bradford problems on the left.

Dale`s first chance to draw level fell to Dagnall whose fierce drive was tipped over by the Keeper. Rundle would then fire in yet another cross which Shaw failed to get on the end of once again. Both Rundle and Jones had poor shots drift wide.

It wasn`t all Dale though and Bradford looked extremely dangerous on the break. One such counter attack led to a hotly disputed free kick. Stanton was adjudged to have fouled Boulding on the left wing. It was a harsh decision and one which would cost Dale dear. As the ball was whipped in the DAle defence completely ignored the onrushihng Peter Thorne who put his side two ahead. No mater what the complaints over the feekick were there is no excuse for the way we defended the freekick.

The second half continued in much the same way with Bradford sitting back and hitting us on the break. Hilly changed tact and brought Wiseman on for Rambo and ALF replace Toner.

It didn’t take long for ALF to get involved and his first reall contribution was to see his header samsh against the inside of the crossbar. A goalmouth scramble followed and Daggers got a shot in which was saved by Evans and tehn a Bradford defender managed to clear the danger with his head. ALF looked particular lively throughout and with Daggers and Shaw both not firing on all cylinders he must be in with a shout for next week’s game.

In the end that was to be the nearest Dale would come although both Jones and Keltie had further efforts in the second.

Bradford almost made it three when a Boulding shot hit Russell’s post and bounced out along the goalline. It would have been extremely harsh on Dale but sooner or later we’re gonna have to start taking our chances.

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