Saturday 21st August 2010
npower League 2
Torquay United vs Bradford City
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at Plainmoor
Match Officials:
Referee: S J Tanner
Assistant Referee: R J Corp
Assistant Referee: M Russell
Fourth Official: A A Laver
Bantams team news
Peter Taylor have to do without the services of a number of his players for the Bantams trip to Torquay.
Skipper Simon Ramsden is still troubled by the calf injury that ruled him out of last weekend's Stevenage fixture.
Ramsden will not travel with the side to Torquay and is expected to miss the next two weeks at least due to the injury.
Jake Speight has also had his injury woes in recent days after a swollen knee prevented him from taking part in Saturday's victory.
Speight's knee issue have improved over the week, but with two matches in four matches coming up for the Bantams, Taylor has decided to not to take any chances on the striker.
Michael Flynn is another injury problem for the Bantams boss after only lasting 35 minutes in the reserves on Tuesday.
Flynn had targeted the fixture with Rotherham as a test of his recent groin and back problems, but after failing to see out the first period, the football club have decided to act.
The Welsh midfielder is now expected to undergo an operation on his groin problem next Tuesday.
Steve Williams should return to the playing squad though for this weekend after missing out against Stevenage due to disciplinary reasons.
Tom Adeyemi will also be in Taylor's travel plans after having cause to celebrate during the week. The 18 year old midfielder picked up two A+'s and an A in his recent A-level results.
Taylor is also hopeful of having a new face in the squad in time for the trip to Plainmoor.
Torquay team news
The Bantams will come up against a Torquay side this weekend that hasn't conceded a league goal in over nine matches.
The run, which carries over from the end of last season, has seen the Gulls go over 14 and a half hours without conceding.
Torquay United last conceded a league goal, an own goal in fact, on Saturday 3rd April 2010 - over 871 minutes of playing time ago.
As well as holding a remarkable cleansheet record, Torquay ended last season as the league's form side.
Their two league wins at the start of this season means the Gulls are ten matches unbeaten in the league (including their results at the end of the 2009/10 campaign).
Their only defeat of this season came as a result of a narrow extra time defeat by Reading in the Carling Cup 1st round.
Gulls striker Elliott Benyon maybe one for the Bantams to watch out for after starting the season bang on form.
Benyon has scored three league goals already and stands as an early joint top scorer in League 2.
Kevin Nicholson's deliveries from throw ins and free-kicks may also be another threat for City to be wary of.
Manager Paul Buckle is expected to have no major injury worries within his squad, but Martin Gritton could be still ruled out after missing the last two matches with a gashed knee.
Gritton will take part in a fitness test ahead of the weekend, as will defender Guy Branston.
Branston, who picked up an injury last weekend at Lincoln, will be replaced by Kieran Charnock if injury forces him to onto the sidelines.
Expected match kits
Torquay United Bradford City
BANTAMS PLAYER coverage
For LIVE match commentary from the Bantams match with Torquay United, look no further than Bantams Player.
Bantams Player is the surely best place to hear LIVE match commentary from Plainmoor as City go for their first away win of the season.
Please click here more information on Bantams Player.
Bradford City official website
The Bantams own website, www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk, now bring you match updates exclusively from the ground for City fixtures. This ensures City fans can keep up to date with any red cards, penalties, missed chances, substitutions or goals as they happen.
Line ups from both sides are normally on the site approximately 45 minutes before kick off, before the match updates kick in come the start of the match.
Please click here for an example of the match updates layout.
Bantams text alert service
Even on the move, you can still keep updated with the Bantams progress. A subscription to the Bantams text alert service will make sure you receive the followings text straight to your mobile on a matchday.
> Team line-ups
> Red cards
> Half time and full time results from all League 2 fixtures
> Goals for and against
To find out more about the Bantams text alert service, please click here.
City social network pages
From the turn of the year, the Bantams joined the social networking revolution and opened facebook & twitter pages.
Both pages will not only allow you to keep up to date with all things Bradford City during the week, but you can also obtain score updates from a Bantams match on both pages.
To view the Bantams official facebook page, please click here
To view the Bantams official twitter page, please click here.
