Saturday 13 March 2010
Coca-Cola League 2
Bradford City 2 (Hanson 14, Daley 22)
Aldershot Town 1 (Straker 8)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium

Attendance: 11,272 (221 visitors)

The Bantams made it two wins out of two at the Coral Windows Stadium since Peter Taylor's arrival thanks to a hard fought victory over Play-Off chasing Aldershot Town.

Bradford fought back from conceding after only eight minutes to grab all three points with two well taken goals.

City had to withstand long periods of Shots possession to secure the victory, but the Bantams will argue that their better finishing and battling qualities will have made them worthy of the win.

Taylor's side suffered a sticky opening period and fell behind when Anthony Straker reacted first to tap home after Matt Glennon had parried a Scott Donnelly shot.

The Bantams showed great spirit to come back as firstly James Hanson equalised with a well directed header, before Omar Daley went one better to smash home his first goal of the season from distance.

Aldershot tried to push Bradford back in the second period and were ultimately left to rue a massive miss from Marlon Jackson as the Shots sub somehow headed wide in front of an open goal.

Shots continue to be a presence in the match afterwards,but despite the odd nervy moment, the City backline left little for Glennon to do as they hung on for the win.

The match also marked home debuts for Luke Oliver and Gavin Grant, who appeared as a substitute in the second period.

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0min: The Bantams, who will be attacking the Carlsberg Stand in the first period, will get us under way.

Bradford start with Luke Oliver and Matthew Clarke in central defence, Robbie Threlfall and Simon Ramsden in the full back positions and Adam Bolder and Lee Bullock in central midfield.

The reinstated Omar Daley will operate on the right wing, while Luke O'Brien continues on the left. Michael Flynn will support James Hanson in attack.

The visitors appear to have settled the quicker as their pop the ball about nicely in the Bantams half.

8min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Aldershot Town 1 - After starting the brighter, it is no surprise when Aldershot take the lead. Scott Donnelly is allowed room to fire in a dipping shot from the edge of the area. Matt Glennon can only parry the effort and Anthony Straker is on hand to beat Oliver to the loose ball and slide home.

10min: Omar Daley tries to find a quick response for the Bantams. He cuts inside from the right to bend an effort towards the bottom corner, though Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz does well to tipe it around the post.

12min: Jaimez-Ruiz is in need of treatment after receiving a bump from Oliver as the pair challenge for a high ball in the Aldershot area. The Venezuelan keeper seems to milk it slightly though and is able to continue after a brief break in play.

14min: GOAL! Bradford City 1 Aldershot Town 1 - The Bantams are behind for barely six minutes before they grab an equaliser. Flynn uses his strength to beat Anthony Charles to a ball on the right, before delivering a dangerous centre. The unmarked James Hanson is first to it and plants a brilliant header past the motionless Jaimez-Ruiz and into the corner of his goal.

16min: Danny Hylton tries his luck with an effort from distance but Glennon has it covered and saves it with relative ease.

22min: GOAL! Bradford City 2 Aldershot Town 1 -  The Bantams complete their comeback to take the lead with a thunderous strike. A Luke O'Brien cross is deflected into the path of Omar Daley, who shifts the ball onto his left foot before hammering in a thunderbolt past Jaimez-Ruiz from around 20 yards.

It must be said, the Bradford goals have been slightly harsh on Aldershot, who have shown some neat interplay around the Bantams penalty area.

City must take credit though for showing great heart to comeback from the blow of conceding an early goal.

31min: Robbie Threlfall delivers in a inviting free kick for Hanson at the far post, but the giant striker's connection isn't brilliant and Jaimez-Ruiz can collect the loose ball.

City have certainly grown in confidence thanks to their two goals and are enjoying decent spells of possession.

36min: Glennon is forced into a fine reflex save to keep out Charles far post header as the defender connects with a hanging Kirk Hudson cross.

36min: Hanson is booked for a late tackle on Charles.

37min: Charles is in the action again as he fires wide from a promising position.

45min: Hudson, who appeared to have taken a knock to his foot after a collision with Flynn minutes earlier, is replaced by Marlon Jackson.

45min: 2 minutes of injury time to be added onto the end of the first period

HT: Bradford City 2 Aldershot Town 1 - The Bantams keep their lead as the two sides head for the interval.

Aldershot started the match quicker and raced into the lead within the first ten minutes. Bradford fought back from their sluggish start though, to score two well taken goals and emerge as leaders. The match is now evenly poised with both sides playing at a similar standard.

46min: Worryingly, Simon Ramsden's does not re-emerge for the second period. His place at right back is taken by sub Jonathan Bateson.

Lee Bullock has now taken over the skipper's armband.

46min: Aldershot get the second half under way.

49min: Donnelly tests Glennon from distance, but the Bantams keeper grabs hold of the ball with relative ease after a small fumble.

Aldershot have started the second period as they started the first - on the front foot. The Bantams are struggling to get at Jaimez-Ruiz as Aldershot looked brighter in possession.

60min: As the match hits the hour mark, it all appears very scrappy at the moment with plenty of passes going astray and few goalscoring chances being on offer.

63min: Daley nearly caps a fine breakaway with a goal. The Jamaican sprints clear of Aldershot's last man Chris Blackburn on the half way line. As Daley enters the box, the recovering Blackburn appears to do enough to ease the Bantams winger away as Jaimez-Ruiz comes out to gather the ball.

To Daley's amazement though, referee Eltringham believes the Jamaican dived and incredibly books him.

65min: The incident is to be Daley's last action of the match as he is substituted to give Gavin Grant is first taste of Valley Parade.

Grant looks to be under instruction to push forward and stretch the Shots backline, while Flynn drops into midfield.

66min: Aldershot are also bringing on a sub as top scorer Marvin Morgan comes on for Donnelly. This means Aldershot will now play with two strikers up front.

68min: Grant appears to be pulled over by Ben Herd in the box, but referee Eltringham waves play on.

71min: Massive, massive chance missed for Aldershot! Morgan skips past Oliver to put the ball on a plate for Jackson, who is arriving unmarked at the far post. To everyone's amazement though, Jackson manages to head wide in front of an open goal from barely four yards out.

The arrival of Morgan appears to have lifted Aldershot again as they push for an equaliser.

77min: Grant spurns an opportunity to grab a home debut goal. The Bantams sub manages steal the ball of Blackburn on the touchline and race into the penalty area. As Grant gets within in sight of the goal he can only fire in a tame angled shot which is dealt with Jaimez-Ruiz.

78min: Hylton is injured after an aerial tangle with Oliver and has to be substituted for fellow striker Damien Spencer.

81min: Oliver climbs highest from a Threlfall corner, but his header is deflected narrowly wide.

Aldershot are still trying to push hard for an equaliser as the Bantams look to finish off the match.

86min: The Bantams are not holding onto the ball as well as their fans would like and this is allowing Aldershot to push forward.

87min: Aldershot force a corner, but it is cleared as far as Ben Harding, who from around 20 yards can only fire over.

City are having to survive some nervy moments as Aldershot keep the pressure on.

90min: 4 minutes of added time to be placed on the end of the second period

90+4min: Straker is booked for clipping Grant, as the Bantams winger tries to eat up some time in Aldershot's half.

FT: Bradford City 2 Aldershot Town 1

BRADFORD CITY	ALDERSHOT TOWN
40 Matt Glennon	33 Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz
2 Simon Ramsden	2 Ben Herd
3 Luke O'Brien	3 Anthony Straker
4 Michael Flynn	4 Chris Blackburn
6 Matthew Clarke	5 Aaron Brown
7 Omar Daley	6 Anthony Charles
8 Lee Bullock	14 Danny Hylton
17 James Hanson	15 Scott Donnelly
28 Robbie Threlfall	17 Kirk Hudson
32 Luke Oliver	19 Ben Harding
33 Adam Bolder	21 Oliver Bozanic
Substitutes:	Substitutes:
13 Jon McLaughlin	41 Jamie Youngs
9 Gareth Evans	7 Louie Soares
12 Steve Williams	10 Marvin Morgan for 15 (66)
16 Jonathan Bateson for 2 (46)	12 Dean Howell
25 Steven O'Leary	20 Damien Spencer for 14 (78)
29 Mark McCammon	26 Marlon Jackson for 17 (45)
31 Gavin Grant for 7 (65)	29 Omar Riza

 

MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee:	G Eltringham
Assistant Referee:	P P Davies
Assistant Referee:	S Smith
Fourth Official:	A J Scregg

 

GOALSCORERS:
BRADFORD CITY	ALDERSHOT TOWN
Hanson (14)	Straker (8)
Daley (22)

DISCIPLINARY:
BRADFORD CITY	ALDERSHOT TOWN
Hanson	Straker
Daley