City win opening friendly of Irish tour
Tuesday 24 July 2012
Pre-season fixture
Wexford Youths 0
Bradford City 4 (Hanson 18, 29, Hannah 20 pen, Wells 83)
Kick Off: 8.00pm
at Ferrycarrig Park
City began their Irish tour in winning fashion with a straight forward victory over League of Ireland First Division side Wexford Youths.
Two goals from James Hanson, including a particularly impressive second strike, and a penalty from Ross Hannah capped off a pleasing first half display for Parkinson's men.
Second half substitute Nahki Wells then completed the scoring for the Bantams with a late fourth to take City's pre-season goal tally to eleven in two games.
After starting Saturday's opening pre-season friendly of the summer at Tadcaster Albion, Matt Duke, Ricky Ravenhill, Rory McArdle, James Hanson and Ross Hannah were all once again in Parkinson's line up at Ferrycarrig Park.
Young duo Forrayah Bass - the only apprentice to travel with the squad - and first year pro Adam Baker also featured for the second friendly running.
Along with Wells, new boy Alan Connell was one of a raft of changes made by Parkinson on the hour mark as eighteen of his travelling squad saw action at some point in the match.
The quartet of Ritchie Jones, Kyel Reid, Stephen Darby and Garry Thompson all missed out, however, after Parkinson decided not to risk them because of minor injuries.
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MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 4
90min: Jones' low effort from around outside the area is kept out by a smart low save from Doyle before Bass fires the rebound over from a tight angle around 10 yards out.
89min: Connell fires over at the near post following good link up play between Atkinson and Boateng down City's right flank.
83min: GOAL - Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 4 - Wells and Atkinson combine to allow the Bermudian striker to grab City's fourth of the match. Atkinson's clever ball forward places Wells in the clear and the striker finishes the move nicely by rounding Doyle before slotting home.
78min: Bass lashes over with a first time snap-shot from inside the area after an effort from Connell following Wells' ball into the area was blocked.
73min: SUB - McHugh has been brought back into the action to replace fellow trialist Donnelly. The defender has been placed in the left back position, meaning Meredith will join Jones in central midfield.
72min: A looping effort from Shane Nolan from just outside City's penalty area is comfortable enough for Duke.
70min: Jones drives an angled drive from just outside the area narrowly past Doyle's far post.
67min: Gary Jones' fiercely-struck first time half-volley from just inside the area following Wells' cross into the box is repelled by a smart reaction save from Doyle.
64min: Oliver can't quite scramble the ball home after sneaking in at far post to connect with Donnelly's searching ball from a City corner.
60min: SUBS - As expected pre-match, Parkinson makes a host of changes right on the hour mark. James Meredith, Luke Oliver, Andrew Davies, Will Atkinson, Gary Jones, Nahki Wells and new-boy Alan Connell come on. McArdle, McHugh, McNamee, Ravenhill, Baker, Hanson and Hannah are the ones taken off. Following McNamee's departure and Meredith's arrival, apprentice Bass has been pushed forward into the left wing position.
58min: Rory McArdle heads wide at a City corner with an effort that flashes across Doyle's goal.
56min: Wexford think they have pulled a goal back when half time replacement Brian Nolan volleys home fellow substitute Joseph Mulcahy's cross from close range but his far post effort is ruled out for offside.
46min: Hannah fires wide with an ambitious effort from distance almost straight after the restart.
46min: Wexford restart the match.
HT: Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 3
43min: Hannah fires over with a first time snap-shot on the turn from around six yards out after Hanson had headed Forrayah Bass' far post cross back into his path.
39min: Craig McHugh is in the right position to produce an important block to keep out Tom Elmes' goal-bound effort from around ten yards out following a Wexford corner.
33min: Baker fires a drive a few inches over the bar from distance following Donnelly's lay-off.
31min: Hanson heads onto the top of the net following Hannah's far post cross.
29min: GOAL - Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 3 - City grab a third on the night thanks to a superbly-crafted effort involving a number of Parkinson's men. Scott Donnelly starts the move with a perfectly weighted flighted cross-field pass into the path of Baker on the opposite flank. After showing nice control to bring down Donnelly's pass, Baker neatly lays the ball off in the direction of Hannah just outside the area. Instead of taking the ball under his control though, Hannah smartly steps over the ball to allow it to run through to Hanson, who finishes the move impressively with a thunderous first time finish into the top corner.
23min: Michael Boateng powers forward on City's right before laying the ball back to Hanson just outside Wexford's area. The City striker's effort isn't cleanly struck though and Doyle can comfortably gather the bobbling effort.
20min: GOAL - Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 2 - Hannah dusts himself down to confidently slot the resulting penalty home and double City's lead.
19min: PENALTY TO BRADFORD - City are awarded a spot-kick after Hannah is tripped up in the box by Scallon.
18min: GOAL - Wexford Youths 0 Bradford City 1 - Hanson fires City into the lead with a fine powerful header into the far bottom corner following Anthony McNamee's flighted cross into the box.
16min: Impressive closing down from Baker sees the young attacker in with a sniff of goal after robbing Scallon off the ball inside Wexford's area. Doyle is out quickly, however, to smash the ball clear just ahead of the lurking Baker.
14min: Ross Hannah's downward header from a teasing Baker centre is set to find the bottom corner until Wexford 'keeper Doyle gets across to keep the effort out with a smart reaction save.
6min: Wexford 'keeper Graham Doyle and team-mate James Scallon get in a bit of a mix-up on the edge of their own area following some hard closing down from James Hanson. Doyle slices a clearance to the waiting Adam Baker around 30 yards from goal but the youngster isn't quite able to take full advantage of the slight opening as his attempt for goal is blocked.
3min: YELLOW CARD - Ricky Ravenhill receives a booking for a robust tackle on Wexford's Thomas Croke just inside the hosts' own half.
0min: The Bantams kick off the friendly.
City's starting line up
DUKE
BOATENG MCHUGH MCARDLE BASS
BAKER RAVENHILL DONNELLY MCNAMEE
HANSON HANNAN
WEXFORD YOUTHS BRADFORD CITY
1. Graham Doyle 1. Matt Duke
2. Shane Clarke 2. Michael Boateng
3. James Dermody 3. Forrayah Bass
4. Gary Delaney 4. Ricky Ravenhill
5. James Scallon 5. Craig McHugh for 8 (73)
6. Craig Wall 6. Rory McArdle
17. Eric Molloy 7. Adam Baker
8. Thomas Croke 8. Scott Donnelly
9. Danny Furlong 9. James Hanson
10. Tom Elmes 10. Ross Hannah
11. Aidan Kennan 11. Anthony McNamee
Substitutes: Substitutes:
12. Shane Nolan for 4 (46) 12. Luke Oliver for 5 (60)
13. Brian Nolan for 6 (46) 13. Jon McLaughlin
14. CJ Browne 14. James Meredith for 11 (60)
15. Joseph Mulcahy for 11 (46) 15. Gary Jones for 4 (60)
16. Dean Broaders for 10 (46) 16. Nahki Wells for 9 (60)
18. Glen Hawe for 17 (46) 17. Alan Connell for 10 (60)
21. John Yeates 18. Andrew Davies for 6 (60)
19. Shane Corcoran for 3 (46) 19. Will Atkinson for 7 (60)
41. James Kenny
31. Chris Fennor