BRADFORD CITY AFC

Saturday 30 August 2014
Sky Bet League 1
Rochdale 0
Bradford City 2 (Kennedy 60, Hanson 66)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at Spotland Stadium

Attendance: 4,758

Two second half goals from City saw the Bantams record a professional away-day victory at Rochdale on their return to Sky Bet League 1 action.

Coming off the back of Wednesday's dramatic Capital One Cup win over Leeds United, efforts from Jason Kennedy and James Hanson - his fifth goal of the season already - ensured the Bantams picked up their second away win of the season.

The first period at Spotland Stadium was a largely even affair, perhaps shaded by the hosts, although it was Hanson who had the best chance of the half when he headed wide from a Filipe Morais cross.

Morais was replaced at the break by Billy Clarke, as City seemed to kick on after the restart.

Phil Parkinson's men took the lead bang on the hour mark when Hanson headed down an Alan Sheehan cross into the path of Kennedy and the midfielder fired past home 'keeper Conrad Logan with a low drive.

Better was to come for City just six minutes later when Sheehan and Hanson combined again as the City striker headed home from the Irish defender's corner delivery.

Rochdale threw men forward as they desperately tried to force a way back into the contest but City, who were cheered on by an estimated 2,000+ visiting supporters, held on in comfortable fashion as they eased over the line to pick up another early season win.

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FT: Rochdale 0 Bradford City 2
90+2min: YELLOW CARD - Bennett is booked for bringing down Dolan just inside City's own half of the pitch as the Bantams midfielder looked to break forward.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of match.
90min: YELLOW CARD - Dolan is booked for tugging back Bennett around the halfway line.
82min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Matthew Dolan for Knott.
81min: Andrew moves in-field from a wide position and shoots for goal but his effort from a distance out sails comfortably high and wide of goal.
79min: An attempted clearance from Rory McArdle on the edge of City's penalty area deflects back off Andrew into the path of Donnelly but the striker's volley for goal goes over the stand behind.
75min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Aaron Mclean for Bennett.
72min: SUB - Rochdale bring on Calvin Andrew for Vincenti.
72min: Henderson has a direct free-kick roughly 20 yards out from goal but the effort bounces wide of Pickford's far post.
67min: SUBS - Rochdale bring on Shamir Fenelon and George Donnelly for Done and Rafferty respectively.
66min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rochdale 0 Bradford City 2 - The Bantams double their lead when Hanson rises highest to head home Sheehan's corner delivery.
62min: YELLOW CARD - Rafferty is booked for catching Knott from behind inside City's own half after the Bantams midfielder had knocked the ball away from the Rochdale right back.
60min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!! Rochdale 0 Bradford City 1 - The Bantams take the lead through Kennedy. Sheehan's hanging cross into the box is headed down by Hanson into the path of the midfielder, who finishes well with a low drive past Logan's outs
57min: Done's lofted centre across the six yard box is headed back across goal by Bennett but Sheehan is positioned perfectly to boot away and clear the danger.
56min: Cutting inside from a wide position, Clarke fires in a low drive from just outside Rochdale's penalty area that is repelled by Logan with relative ease.
54min: Kennedy's flighted ball into the Bantams box finds the head of the on-rushing Rhys Bennett, who powers a header from just inside the box into the grasp of Pickford.
50min: Knott moves away from the advances of Jamie Allen deep inside Rochdale's half but the midfielder's eventual effort for goal from a distance out flies comfortably high and wide of Logan's goal.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT SUB - The Bantams bring on Billy Clarke for Morais just before the start of the second half.
HT: Rochdale 0 Bradford City 0
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
44min: Kennedy latches onto the ball just inside Rochdale's penalty area after the hosts had failed to clear a free-kick from deep by Pickford. Kennedy takes the ball on the bounce but his rising effort on the half-volley sails into the stand behind Logan's goal.
32min: Following a driving run forward from Bastien Hery, the midfielder eventually feeds the ball wide to Vincenti but the attacker's angled effort from just inside the box drops over Pickford's bar.
31min: Kennedy's stretches to reach an Alan Sheehan corner but the midfielder's volley for goal is well held by Logan despite the effort going through a ruck of players.
29min: A delightful cross into the box by Filipe Morais is met by the head of a flying Hanson in the middle but the striker can't quite seem to get a clean connection on the ball and the effort drops wide of Logan's goal.
27min: Vincenti's low drive from outside the box is wayward and Pickford is able to watch it roll past his near post.
20min: GOAL....NO! Rochdale think they have the lead when Matt Done heads home a Peter Vincenti cross but the effort is ruled out for offside.
19min: Stephen Darby's long throw-in into the area is flicked on by James Hanson into a dangerous area in the middle of Rochdale's penalty area but no one in a white City shirt is quite able to reach it and capitalise. Rochdale are threatening on the counter-attack seconds later but Billy Knott gets back to rob Ian Henderson of the ball just as the striker had moved into the Bantams box.
15min: Right back Joe Rafferty finds the ball in space just outside City's penalty area but his low strike across goal is dragged harmlessly wide of Pickford's goal.
8min: Jason Kennedy feeds the ball into Mason Bennett, who is situated in a decent position inside Rochdale's area but wide of goal. Bennett lashes the ball forward but his cross-come-shot sails wide of Conrad Logan's near post and into the stand behind the goal.
6min: Tom Kennedy's free-kick from around 20 yards out deflects off City's wall and behind for a corner.
5min: Matt Done lets fly with a drive from outside the area that takes a flick off James Meredith before crashing into the side-netting by Jordan Pickford's near post.
0min: Rochdale kick off the match.

ROCHDALE LINE UP
Logan, Rafferty, Eastham, Tanser, Kennedy, Vincenti, Allen, Hery, Bennett, Done, Henderson

Subs: Musangu, Andrew, Dawson, Donnelly, Rose, Camps, Fenelon

Rochdale cautions:
Rafferty (62), Bennett (90+2)

Rochdale changes:
Fenelon for Done (67), Donnelly for Rafferty (67), Andrew for Vincenti (72)

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
Pickford, Darby, McArdle, Sheehan, Meredith, Knott, Kennedy, Morais, Hanson, Bennett

Subs: Williams, Dolan, Mclean, Clarke, Yeates, Routis, McBurnie

Bradford City cautions:
Dolan (90)

Bradford City changes:
Clarke for Morais (46), Mclean for Bennett (75), Dolan for Knott (82)


MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: N Miller
Assistant Referee: G Mellor
Assistant Referee: S Meredith
Fourth Official: M Parry