Match Reaction: Carlisle 3 – 0 Bradford

City went down 3-0 last night up in Cumbria, but could take heart from their performance. Playing almost half the game with ten men, the Bantams battled there way through with a weakened side and if the sides had remained equal for 90 minutes then it could have been a different story…

Read McCall’s reaction to Rambo’s red card

Read the full match report

Match Gallery

Look at the stats of the game on BBC site and McCalls interview with the BBC

Your say: Tonight’s match…

Come on you Bantams!

Tonight see’s us take on Carlisle in the Northern Semi Final of the Johnstones Paint Trophy. It gives the lads a break from the game but also a real chance to progress to the next round.

Three games from Wembley? That has to be an incentive for any player. James O’Brien has spoke about his ambition to get to Wembley. I’m really impressed by the desire and determination this lad has shown since he arrived and he is the type of player that this club needs.

Whatever happens tonight we can be proud of our team for doing so well in getting to this stage. As McCall has said it would be a great achievement to get through past a decent League One side, with the incentive of further income aswell.

Where do we go from here lads?

It was another disappointing loss for the Bantams this evening and one that will no doubt sound alarm bells amongst disgruntled fans.

Okay, we didn’t play that badly and 4-2 probably flattered Rotherham but it’s results that matter and we now find ourselves falling further and further away from the leading pack.

Bradford's Gareth Evans (Picture By Xonalz1)

McCall today claimed on Sky Sports News that Rotherhams third goal was a great goal, but the intial freekick should not have been given in the first place. In my view you have to question Eastwood’s position and don’t blame the referee for conceeding a 50-yard free kick.

Yes it happened at the Stoke match with an experienced goalkeeper in Sorensen, but I think it just showed the naivity of the young goalkeeper, not his fault he’s learning, but his mistakes are costing our season in my view.

He’s young and naive and bound to make mistakes. I will be majorly surprised if his loan is extended after Christmas, but with McCall you can never guess what he’s going to do. Our midweek poll suggested that the majority of you want to get rid of him.

I have to say I’m with that majority. A more experienced goalkeeper is needed if the club are going to try and push for the playoffs as McCall has said previously.

January will be interesting and I expect a few changes, not too many however.

McCall needs results sooner rather than later. We’ve had some good results this season but we’ve also had some disappointing ones and thats the difference between an average side and a side pushing on up the league.

Eastwood wants answers…

On-loan goalkeeper Simon Eastwood has today asked Stuart McCall to make up his mind whether or not to keep him until the end of the season or let him return to his parent club, Huddersfield Town.

For me this could turn out to be a big decision for McCall. Eastwood’s been solid in recent games but we have to look at his overall form and his lack of experience which could hinder us in the latter stages of the season.

Maybe thats why McCall’s taking his time to decide on what to do. I’d prefer an experienced keeper in nets after Christmas but McCall may keep faith with the England Under 19 International.

The T&A is suggesting that Huddersfield may want him back anyway with speculation over their own first choice, Alex Smithies, who has been linked with various clubs in recent weeks.

While we’re on the subject we might aswell ask you lot. What do you think McCall should do?

Bust Up!

Rumours coming out of Stoke suggest James Beattie and Tony Pulis have had a little bust up in the changing rooms after the defeat to Arsenal.

However, can you think of any past bust ups at Bradford since you started following them?

I was young at the time but I seem to remember Robbie Blake and Lee Mills having a bust up about something which was said between each other. Ultimately, Mills was sold on not long after but Robbie stayed on for a few more seasons.

But as we know, bust ups happen all the time but the media seem to find out about them through their sources.

The most recent one is the Reo Coker saga. But we can’t forget the infamous Lee Bowyer versus Keiron Dyer which was shown in the clear light of day, as shown below, thanks to Youtube.

Two tough lessons of the Football League

Bradford were taught two very different but important lessons in their games against Rochdale at home and Darlington away in the last week.

After a great result against Grimsby, the Bantams were looking to keep their unbeaten run going when Rochdale came to town.

However the Bantams were taught a lesson in affective and more importantly better football, going down 3-0. That flattered the Bantams who were well and truely beaten and the scoreline could have been a lot worse.

McCall was looking for a good response on Saturday against a Darlington side that have struggled this season due to numerous problems with finances affecting their league performance.

Steve Staunton is now in charge and he has tried his best with a side that is low on confidence and low in ability. However they scraped against a Bradford side who were themselves trying to rebuild their confidence after a disappointing home defeat in midweek.

A single goal by Steve Williams was enough to secure a hard-fought win, in a game not for the purists. However a result like this against a side battling for survival shows alot of character.

The Bantams will be looking to gain a result against another tough opposition in Rotherham.

Another meeting for the Bradford fans with Ronnie Moore will make sure of a good atmosphere I’m sure!

Bantams Review: August to November

The month of October is usually a make or break time for clubs. You see lots of managerial changes around this time. Clubs panic, especially if they’ve had a bad start to a campaign where they were expected to do better.

Look at John Barnes. I think he was unlucky to lose his job. They had a horrendous start, that is not in question. However, surely when you install a manager in the summer, you have to give them time to settle in and get the football club the way they like it. It seems that because football teams are now run like a business, results are key. It doesn’t matter if you show glimpses of potential, if your bottom of the league and not winning then the odds are by October you’ve been sacked.

Whaley jumps for a header

McCall has had it tough in his reign as City boss. He’s had highs and lows as a player but I’m sure he’ll say that he had a fairly successful career and will want to carry that on into management.

His career in management has had a bit of everything along the way. Many fans didn’t expect him to stay on for a third season after the disappointment of last season. He had two seasons to get the club promoted and he was a ‘failure’ in his own eyes.

How far away was he from quitting? I’m pretty sure he was close to throwing in the towel. However, he was persuaded to stay and the summer rebuilding began once more.

New signing’s in and players shipped out, it’s third time lucky for the Bantams and McCall this season.

September was a poor start by the Bantams. McCall knew that they needed a fairly good start to get the minority of fans off his back but some fans were quickly calling for his head after shipping eight goals in two games in Nottingham.

A draw at home to Port Vale didn’t exactly help his cause, followed by a 2-0 loss at home against Peter Jackson’s Lincoln. I have to be honest, at this stage I was expecting a managerial change. It was surely time to go for the Bantam boss and keep his ‘McGod’ reputation intact.

Cheltenham away. Make or break? Again, we’ll never know what would have happened if we’d lost that match. However the Bantams came on top in a thriller. Cheltenham 4 – 5 Bradford. Some fans were still negative nevertheless. We’d scored five, but we’d conceded four. Defensively we were looking poor.

The next match was another must win. The pressure was on, with the Bantams taking on Torquay at the Coral Windows Stadium. City came through it unscathed with a 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Brandon and Hanson.

Then came the cup game that many clubs don’t find beneficial…until the latter stages anyway. The Johnstones Paint Trophy. Rochdale the opponents. The Bantams came from behind to beat a good Rochdale side 2-1.

Four days later saw City take on another team who had underachieved last season, Shrewsbury. A battling performance and a lot of luck, saw the Yorkshire side come away with yet another win. That made it four in a row and suddenly McCall was starting to get it right.

Two draws followed against Burton Albion at home (1-1) and Barnet away (2-2) before a 3-0 home thumping of promotion chasing Chesterfield. Had we turned a corner after a bad start?

A dull bore draw at Morecambe (0-0) was not a bad result, but nor was it a good result as the Bantams looked to kick on after showing their potential in the previous games.

Neilson taunts the defence

Bantams then looked on to a game against Northampton away. A game which we should have won. After scoring twice in less than five minutes if looked like the points were heading back to Yorkshire. However, in true Bantams fashion we managed to draw the match, conceding a 90th equalizer. It felt like a defeat for McCall, his team and the loyal travelling fans.

Joy was to come however, in the form of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. After knocking out Rochdale in the previous round, the Bantams were handed a tough home game against wealthy League Two side, Notts County. The match, full of incidents including former Bantam Graeme Lee been sent off, went to penalties, Steve Williams scoring the decisive kick after heroics by Eastwood in the Bradford goal.

Bradford were hoping to use their form in the cup to help them kick on in the league but two defeats followed. The Bantams were embarrased at home with Dario Gradi taking over once more at Crewe and setting up a 3-2 victory for his side, former Bantam Steven Schumacher amongst the goals for the Railway men.

However, the Bantams were unfortunate against a good Dagenham and Redbridge side who won 2-1, Flynn with the goal for Bradford.

A 1-0 at home to Hereford set the Bantams on their way again but a disappointing draw away at Macclesfield, despite controlling the game, left McCall frustrated.

Bradford were knocked out of the F.A cup 2-1 by Notts County, the third meeting between the sides in the 2009-2010 season.

Three consecutive home draws were to follow. Port Vale (2-2), Bournemouth (1-1) and Accrington Stanley (1-1).

Simon Whaley was brought in by McCall to give the Bantams boss more options after a succession of injuries.

He made his full debut against Grimsby, grabbing a goal in the 3-0 demolition of the Mariners.

Come the end of November Bradford were sitting in mid-table with plenty to play for, but they had to cut out the silly mistakes that were costing them. To many draws had also cost the Bantams but some encouraging results displayed the ability of McCall’s young side.

Poll: Have Your Say…

So with Christmas fast approaching the league is starting to take shape. However where do you think the Bantams will end up by May next year.

I’ll put my head on the block. I think we’ll get in the playoffs.

 

Bantams have Whale of time in Fisherman’s capital

City players congratulate Whaley Photo by T&A

Bradford finally won for the first time in six games as they overcame a poor Grimbsy side with a convincing win at Blundell Park.

It was new signing, Simon Whaley, who opened the scoring after McCall decided to start the former Preston player in place of Chris Brandon.

Whaley found space outside the box after a long ball from City keeper, Eastwood and picked his spot leaving the Grimsby keeper with no chance.

That’s how it stayed until after the break when the Bantams double their lead on 60 minutes. This time it was centre back, Steve Williams, getting the faintist of touches after an uncleared corner.

With the home side pushing for a comeback the Bantams capitalised, this time through in-form striker, James Hanson.

The former Co-op worker striking from 20 yards eight minutes from time to pile the misery on Mariners’ new boss, Neill Woods.

Read the full match report on the T&A here.

See more reaction from the match plus the goals on the BBC website.

Any Grimsby fans need not worry. Here’s a helping hand from a ‘friend’.