Crewe Alexandra 0 Bradford City 0
The Bantams were held to a goalless draw by a Crewe side who have been ‘Hot and cold’ of late. City had their chances to win the game during the 90 minutes but it just wasn’t to be as neither side could firmly get a grip of the game in tough conditions. So, Phil Parkinson’s men had picked up a second successive away league draw to keep themselves in 6th position in the table.
The game started in quite a hectic fashion given the fact that the blustery conditions were causing all sorts of problems in terms of judging where the ball was going to drop once it had been caught by a gust of wind. England youngster Max Clayton came close to opening the scoring inside 2 minutes but he could only curl a shot a couple of yards wide after Kelvin Mellor had picked him out.
James Meredith received a short corner to present Raffaele De Vita with a decent opening and the full back’s cross was headed towards goal by the latter at the far post but stand-in goalkeeper Alan Martin held the ball well.
The next chance of the game fell to James Hanson as City searched for an opening goal and after Adam Dugdale failed to deal with Stephen Darby’s cross it was Hanson who scooped a shot over the bar from inside the 18 yard box.
Manchester City teenager George Evans had recently joined Crewe on loan and his first major input on the game came when he forced Jon McLaughlin into a precarious parry with his firm long range drive.
Nahki Wells was enjoying his first start for a moth following the injury he picked up against Shrewsbury in late September and he came close to opening the scoring on the half hour; Darby beat Clayton in a challenge and found Wells who fired an angled shot narrowly over the bar from just inside the area.
Wells had another chance shortly after when Nathan Doyle sent him racing clear after intercepting Evans’ pass and despite getting away from the Crewe defenders he could only see his shot go narrowly wide of the far post.
The Bantams were certainly having the better of the chances and early in the second half Doyle’s shot deflected into the path of Hanson who dragged a shot wide when he probably should’ve scored.
Hanson did come millimetres away from heading City into the lead; he headed Gary Jones’ corner towards goal and somehow Martin prevented the ball from crossing the line with a sprawling save.
Harry Davis’ free kick had to be tipped wide brilliantly by McLaughlin after Meredith had halted a Crewe counter attack by bringing Anthony Grant down just outside the area and a couple of minutes later Martin made an equally good save to deny Hanson once more after Meredith had picked him out with a cross.
Substitute Bradden Inman went close with an 18 yard curling shot that went narrowly wide of the far post with McLaughlin at full stretch.
Wells almost scored a spectacular 86 minute winner but after rolling the ball away from his marker his audacious attempt at a lob shot was held alertly on the goal line by Man of the Match Alan Martin.
Inman was causing problems as he looked to snatch all three points for his side and after beating Darby on the left flank his teasing cross towards Byron Moore had to be put behind for a corner by Meredith. In injury time, again involved in the action, Inman’s header fell to Moore who produced a venomous volley that was held well by McLaughlin.
Byron Moore led a counter attack in the last remaining seconds before teeing up Evans who curled a shot over the bar from 20 yards out to signal the end of play and the result; a goalless draw and a point for both teams in tricky conditions.