Match Reports

Nationwide League Division 1

26 Dec 2002: Bradford City 4 Stoke City 2 Att: 14,575

STOKE GIVE GENEROUSLY TO BANTAMS IN THIS FESTIVE FIXTURE by AndyP

I went to this game full of hope and expectation. The two games previously had been good performances restored some faith, and Bradford looked poor to me when we played them, and the tales from my Bradford colleague suggested they were a team Stoke could seriously hope to beat. Through most of this game Stoke indeed looked likely victors, being the better side and taking a 2-1 lead. Then calamity struck at the back and somehow we were on the end of a 4-2 reverse that flattered Bradford and was entirely of our own making.

Pulis made changes to the midfield for this game, choosing to drop the flair players of Gudjonsson and Hoekstra in favour of the more battling Henry and Heal, while Icelandic international Marteinsson started in the middle replacing the suspended Gunnarsson. It raised a few eyebrows, but I could sense the rationale behind the changes, and in the first half the players fully vindicated the manager's team selection.

Stoke started brightly, but Handyside was called into action on four minutes to make a good challenge in the six yard box to prevent a header meeting a decent cross from the right. Stoke then won a couple of free-kicks in quick succession but could not capitalise. However on 8 minutes the more direct approach almost got Stoke in. Bank's punt downfield was flicked on by Iwelumo, but Greenacre just failed to latch on to it before it ran out. But seconds later Greenacre provided a cross from the right, Iwelumo flicked on, and Marteinsson arrived at the back post to stab home before the keeper could gather. Nine minutes gone and Stoke led 1-0! Stoke continued to pressure and won a corner on 11 minutes, then 2 minutes later Iwelumo chased a good ball down the left flank by O'Connor after some decent midfield play by Neal.

Stoke were dominating the early exchanges with Bradford seemingly rattled and it was on 16 minutes when they had their first effort, a harmless chip over from 20 yards. However they were thrown a life-line by the referee on 20 minutes when he awarded a penalty after a tussle in the box. It looked pretty much an even jostle for the ball between defender and striker, but the ref pointed to the spot and Gray slotted home to equalise. (Interestingly enough for the rest of the game such jostling at corners all went the way of the defender!) Bradford won another corner on 22 minutes after a fine covering header by Thomas. There was a bit of a scramble, but Molenaar eventually fired in a poor shot. Stoke didn't look too worried by this Bradford resurgence, and promptly took the lead again on 23 minutes. Neal got free on the left after a good move, and he sent a fine cross in which was met by Henry to fire a low shot into the bottom coner of the net. It was a fine goal and Henry's first for the club.

Having once again obtained the lead, Stoke's performance in the first half forced Bradford into mistakes, and the visitors were running the midfield battles with Marteinsson and O'Connor excelling in particular. Bradford gave Stoke an occasional scare, like on 28 minutes it took a great Shtaniuk challenge to prevent a shot from 6 yards, and on 30 minutes Tod arrived at the back post to meet a cross from the left, but he put it wide. Yet it was Stoke who looked the more likely to add to their tally. On 33 minutes a great cross from the left was hit on the volley by Henry, and it was heading for goal before being blocked allowing Bradford to break. On 41 minutes Stoke tried an inventive free-kick routine after a foul on Iwelumo 30 yards out, but it didn't come off, and Hall failed to capitalise. Hall was involved again 2 minutes later as his cross was headed back by Iwelumo, but no one arrived to dispatch a shot. In the same minute Stoke won a corner, but despite the delivery being poor, Neal was still able to try a shot from distance. Just before half-time a fine Stoke move ended with a cross from the left which went just behind Iwelumo as he rushed in to finish. Bradford's last effort of the half was a tame cross into the box which Banks gathered easily. At the whistle Stoke deservedy led 2-1, and Bradford left the field to booing from their supporters.

We might have expected the home side to come out at Stoke after the break, but it was the visitors who continued to dominate proceedings in the early part of the second half. From the kickoff a Stoke move down the left ended in a cross that hit the bar and went out. A minute later a foul on O'Connor brought about a lengthy delay as the young Irishman needed treatment. On 50 minutes Greenacre produced a good ball in from the right corner after cahsing a lost cause, but Iwelumo just couldn't bring it under control to have a shot. A minute later the big striker was involved again as a good passing interchange freed Iwelumo for a run on goal, but he was fouled 25 yards out which led to a booking for Atherton. Sadly the free-kick ended in a weak effort from Hall which the keeper gathered.

Stoke continued to turn the screw as more good midfield play on 54 minutes finished with Greenacre just unable to get a shot away. A minute later at the other end it needed a fine challenge by Thomas to prevent a cross from the left. However following the clearance Stoke produced a couple of minutes solid pressure, pushing Bradford back in midfield, but not managing to carve out a final opening. Iwelumo hobbled off for some treatment in this period, but was soon back on throwing himself into the action. The referee infuriated the Stoke crowd on 58 minutes for booking Marteinsson. It was certainly a foul, but the ref had let two similar challenges by the home side go by moments earlier without so much as a free-kick! On 61 minutes Stoke had a fine chance to add to their lead. A ball slipped across the box just eluded the out-stretched arm of the keeper, and ran slightly behind Henry as he rushed in. He had to adjust and swivel, but he got a powerful shot on target that the grounded keeper did very well to block.

Down the other end Stoke looked worried by a fine run by Bradford substitute Standing on 66 minutes. He ran past 3 Stoke defenders but was forced wide, and his cut back was blasted over by a teammate. A minute later the home side had equalised in fortuitous circumstances. A corner was cleared out to the left wing but Thomas was beaten by Emanuel and his low hard cross rebounded off Handyside and O'Connor before entering the corner of the net. It was an unlucky ricochet, and Bradford had not really suggested that they had any way back into the game. But from Stoke dominating the match, the game now switched and Bradford full of confidence looked to build on their good fortune. On 70 minutes Jacobs got forward and sent a cross from the left which was met by Jorgenson, who headed in powerfully from 6 yards totally unmarked. From looking the better team and the most likely winners, Stoke were now 3-2 down and rocking. Standing went on another run through the defence on 73 minutes and Hall forced him wide and did well to win a goal-kick. Two minutes later Shtaniuk was booked for checking a run, and Standing hit the 30 yard free-kick wide.

On 76 minutes Pulis made a double substitution to attempt to rescue the game. Marteinsson and Neal came off, and were replaced by Gudjonsson and Hoekstra. Hoekstra almost made an immediate impression by making a quick run down the left and his whipped in cross was blocked with the strikers steaming in to meet it. The rebound fell to Hall and he blasted well over. On 79 minutes Bradford had the ball in the net gain but it was given offside. Stoke continued to probe for an equaliser but looked suspect on the break with fewer defensive midfielders now on the pitch. With four minutes left they had a classic chance to equalise. Gudjonsson did really well on the right, and cut inside to put a brilliant low ball across the 6 yard box that begged to be turned home. Greenacre slid in and somehow missed it, but it squirmed out and fell to Hall about 15 yards out with a gaping goal to aim at. It needed composure and a simple sidefoot pass into the net, but he produced neither, slicing his effort horribly wide to the disbelief of the Stokies behind the goal willing it in.

Having missed a golden opportunity to draw level, it was typical Stoke luck to concede a fourth goal which gave Bradford a very flattering win indeed. With Stoke pushing forward Bradford broke and Gray found himself running into the area with Handyside back-peddling in close attention. Gray hit a shot from 15 yards, which deflected off Handyside and found its way just inside the post with Banks left completely wrong-footed. That was the prompt for many Stokies to start streaming from the ground early, and despite a couple of corners at the death Stoke looked unlikely to add to their total. The final whistle blew, and a jubilant Valley Parade rose to heartily applaud off a Bradford side that had been outplayed by Stoke for 70 percent of the game but somehow taken a precious and unlikely three points. It's tough at the bottom!

Team Marks:

GK Banks (6) Didn't have much to do, and not at fault for the goals.

RB Thomas (6) First half was very good when he was allowed the freedom to get up the right wing and put crosses in. He also defended pretty well in the first half. In the second period he was at fault for the second and third goal, with the crosses coming from the left.

LB Hall (7) First half very good, and reasonable in the second. Dreadful miss with a chance to level blots his copybook, but I suppose he is a left-back!.

CB Shtaniuk (6) Where was he for the third goal? A bit clumsy. Gave away a penalty.

CB Handyside (6) First half he was fine, but had a nightmare in the second with two goals coming off him and going awol for the cross that led to the third goal.

RM Henry (7) Good creative play, especially in the first half. Good tackling and a brilliant finish for the goal. Faded in the second and might have done better with a shot which was blocked.

CM O'Connor (7) Very good in the first half, chasing and picking up lose balls. Linked well with Henry and Marteinsson.

CM Marteinsson (7) An excellent showing in the first half. Controlled midfield, looked assured on the ball, and never wasted a pass. Scored a well taken goal too. Tired in the second half, and was subbed for that as much as tactics. We need to see him regularly in the team, and it makes you wonder what Cotterill was thinking of by trying to freeze him out.

LM Neal (7) I felt he too had a good first half as Stoke dominated midfield. Put in a great ball for Henry's goal. Begining to fade before he was subbed. Maybe head dropped when Bradford turned things round.

CF Greenacre (6) Ran around willingly and made intelligent use of the ball. His cross led to Marteinsson's goal. Awful and crucial miss with four minutes to go. Needs a goal for confidence boost. Maybe snatched at chance in desperation.

CF Iwelumo (7) Hard-working and committed, winning plenty of headers. His flick on led to Marteinsson's goal. Led the line well and worried the defence. Sadly no one really capitalised on his decent flick ons or head downs. [STARMAN]

SUBS

Gudjonsson (7) Did well in his short time on the pitch. A piece of magic to set up the equaliser chance. He deserved a better class of forward on the end of it!

Hoekstra (6) First touch was his most telling contribution, sending a decent cross. Disappeared after that.

Conclusion

An excellent first half display from Stoke had Bradford in trouble. We dominated the midfield and scored two good goals. The Bradford penalty looked a bit of a gift, but to Stoke's credit they bounced back regained the lead, and deserved to be ahead. We started the second half in pretty much the same manner and looked the most likely to add to the score. A third goal would have certainly finished Bradford. However following one moment of bad luck (and defending) it was all square and Bradford sensed an unlikely change of fortunes. They came at Stoke dangerously and it was no surprise that we conceded a third. The fourth was a flattering end to a Bradford display that merited nothing for the vast majority of the game. It is paramount that we start finishing some of the chances we've been creating because otherwise it proves so costly. If we had equalised from Greenacre and Hall's dreadful efforts late on we would have at least taken a point from a game where we were capable and likley to get three. In the end we took nothing from a poor side who might have been likely candidates to soon fall into the bottom three with their current form. I had a very depressing Boxing Day thanks to this latest Stoke melodrama, and I hope the New Year brings something to cheer about!

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