Wednesday 29 July 2009
Pre-Season Friendly
Hyde United 0
Bradford City 0
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at Ewen Fields
Attendance: 142
Bradford City's second friendly in as many days ended in a dour goalless draw with Hyde United.
Chances were at a premium for the Bantams during an unconvincing performance at Hyde's Ewen Fields.
The main positive for Bantams boss Stuart McCall will have been the fact many of his senior squad members racked up more vital match practice with less than two weeks before the kick off of the league season.
After half of the Bantams squad received a welcome 90 minutes on Tuesday night at Alfreton, the remainder of McCall's playing staff featured at Ewen Fields.
Joe Colbeck, Steve Williams and Gareth Evans managed to last the full distance, while Peter Thorne and Chris Brandon also got vital minutes under their belts.
Jon McLaughlin took over the goalkeeping duties from loan keeper Simon Eastwood as the battle for City's number 1 jersey hots up between the pair.
The Bantams forward pair of Peter Thorne, who was captain for the night and Gareth Evans endeavoured well to try and engineer openings, but struggled to get constant service from their team mates as City seemed to struggle in the final third of the pitch.
Chris Brandon occupied the left wing position again and looked busy and hungry for the ball. The former Huddersfield midfielder had seemingly been heading for the exit door earlier this summer, but now could play a vital role in City's promotion bid.
Grant Smith was given a further chance to try and impress Bantams boss Stuart McCall after receiving 90 minutes action. The former Carlisle midfielder kept things simple, but struggled to make an impression on proceedings. Smith did however show his versatility when switching to left back during the second half.
Hyde, managed by former City striker Neil Tolson have had an unsatisfactory start to this campaign, having yet to win any of their pre-season fixtures in seven attempts.
Tolson has spent the summer beg, stealing and borrowing players in a bid to cobble a side together capable of competing in Blue Square North.
Despite the undesirable way of putting his team together, Tolson's charges were competent and composed and offered no evidence to suggest that they lost their last seven fixtures.
The first half featured very few chances of note for either side, Colbeck blasted over a rare opportunity after he found himself in a good position mid way through the half.
The unfamiliar look to City's line up seemed to be the main reaso for some disjointed play at times from the Bantams. Several times, blind alleys seemed to be led down and wrong choices were made.
A late tackle from Chris Brandon on Hyde midfielder Tom Manship resulted in a brief skirmish between the pair. Referee Kavanagh regained order moments later, but Hyde nearly opening the scoring from the resulting free kick. Defender Ash Eastham's header looped onto the crossbar and over via McLaughlin's finger tips.
Hyde midfielder Nathan Arnold tested McLaughlin early on in the second half, forcing the Bantams stopper to make a smart save down to his left.
Arnold's chance aside, the second half at Ewen Fields continued in the same vein as the first, with clear cut chances being at a premium.
Just before the hour mark, Thorne wasted a good opportunity to place his side in front. Colbeck whipped in an inviting cross, which Thorne, at full stretch, could only volley wide.
Hyde went agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 70th minute, when a marauding run from defender Nathan D'Laryea set up Robbie Smith. The on-rushing Smith looked certain to put his side in front, only for the Hyde midfielder to somehow place the ball wide from point blank range.
With 10 minutes to go, Brandon tried to catch out Hyde keeper Michael Jones with a low free kick, the Hyde keeper being more than up to the task to keep out his effort.
Moments later his and team mate Thorne's night work were over, being replaced by youngsters Dean Mitchell and Jordan Barker.
Substitute Luke Dean came close with the game nearing an end, his shot whistling just wide of Jones post after he had done well to work himself the opening.
Hyde almost sneaked it at the death through substitute Scott Mooney. Both sides appeared to stop for an apparent foul by Luke Sharry, leaving Mooney the chance to nip in and slide an effort past McLaughlin, but thankfully for the Bantams wide of the post as well.
After the game Stuart McCall admitted: "There were not too many positives to take out of the match".
"The lads did however get around 90 minutes under their belts, which is important only 10 days away from the start of the season.
"I felt we lacked quality in the middle and the final third.
"We created one or two decent chances, but not too many given the players I sent out tonight.
"I was slightly disappointed overall and it certainly leads to one or two things to work on, but over the second of consecutive matches a lot of the lads have got 90 minutes and we have kept two clean sheets which is important."
| HYDE UNITED |
BRADFORD CITY |
| 1 Michael Jones |
1 Jon McLaughlin |
| 2 David Lees |
2 Jonathan Bateson |
| 3 David Thompson |
3 Ryan Harrison |
| 4 Nathan D'Laryea |
4 Grant Smith |
| 5 Ash Eastham |
5 Steve Williams |
| 6 Aidan Kirkbride |
6 Louis Horne |
| 7 Robbie Smith |
7 Joe Colbeck |
| 8 Tom Manship |
8 Luke Sharry |
| 9 Paul Gedman |
9 Gareth Evans |
| 10 David McNiven |
10 Peter Thorne |
| 11 Nathan Arnold |
11 Chris Brandon |
| Substitutes: |
Substitutes: |
| 12 Lee Rick for 7 (76) |
12 Luke Dean for 3 (64) |
| 13 Will Burns |
13 Chris Elliott |
| 14 Lincoln Adams for 3 (68) |
14 Dean Mitchell for 11 (83) |
| 15 Dan Barry for 10 (78) |
15 Jordan Barker for 10 (83) |
| 16 Scott Mooney for 9 (64) |
16 Curtis Collantine |
| 17 Ben Rowbotham |
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| 18 Vincent Arajo |
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| MATCH OFFICIALS: |
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| Referee |
C Kavanagh |
| Assistant Referee |
D Adamson |
| Assistant Referee |
J Simpson |
| 4th Official |
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| GOALSCORERS: |
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| HYDE UNITED |
BRADFORD CITY |
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