Tuesday 6 November 2012
npower League 2
Bradford City 0
Chesterfield 0
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 8,841 (353 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Gintare Karpaviciute
City were unable to breakdown Chesterfield's defences during a largely uneventful contest at the Coral Windows Stadium as Phil Parkinson's men were forced to settle for only their second home draw of the season.
With debutant John Egan in their starting line up, City started the match on the front-foot with Gary Jones forcing Chesterfield 'keeper Richard O'Donnell into a smart save early on from a direct free-kick.
The match failed to truly spark into life thereafter, however, as City toiled away in their attempts to try and find a way through their well-organised opponents.
Egan did have an opportunity to mark his debut with a goal early in the second period but could only head over from a Jones corner.
City then had two mild appeals for penalties turned down when there was a suggestion that Nahki Wells and then later in the half, Zavon Hines, had been clipped inside the area.
There seemed to be a similar amount of contact in both incidents but both shouts were waved away by referee Stuart Attwell.
The last meaningful chance of the evening fell the visitors' way but Matt Duke was in position to save Spireites substitute Chris Atkinson's header.
MATCH UPDATES
FT: Bradford City 0 Chesterfield 0
90+3min: Doyle fires over with a hopeful drive from distance.
90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
89min: Atkinson heads wide following Darby's cross to the far post.
89min: Wells looks like he's in behind the Chesterfield defence for a moment but Smith is able to just about halt the striker's progress with a vital tackle before the visitors can eventually clear their lines.
88min: Bringing down a flick forward, Atkinson volleys narrowly over the bar with a looping effort from the edge of the area.
88min: YELLOW CARD - Atkinson is booked for catching Nathan Doyle late with a tackle after the whistle had already gone for a City free-kick.
86min: Duke just beats Atkinson to a dangerous flick forward from Westcarr.
84min: Atkinson's header from a Darikwa cross is held by the well-positioned Duke.
83min: YELLOW CARD - Jones is booked for stopping Talbot in full flow as the Chesterfield right back looked to surge into City's half.
83min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Craig Forsyth for Hines.
82min: After bringing down a Wells cross, Connell shoots narrowly wide of the far post with a shot on the turn from just inside the area.
74min: McArdle fails to connect properly with a Jones corner and his near post header bounces harmlessly wide of O'Donnell's goal.
73min: SUB - Craig Westcarr replaces Bodwn for Chesterfield.
70min: Connell drags a shot from outside the area a few yards wide of the near post.
69min: City have another shout for a penalty turned down when Hines seems to be clipped by Smith by the far edge of the area. Once again though, the tight call goes against City.
68min: SUB - The Bantams make a substitution of their own by bringing on Alan Connell for Thompson.
64min: SUB - The visitors now bring on Liam Ridehalgh for Whitaker.
59min: SUB - Chesterfield bring on Chris Atkinson for Randall.
57min: Appeals go up from the City bench for a penalty after Wells appears to be clipped by the outstretched leg of Togwell just inside the area. Referee Mr Attwell doesn't think the same, however, and waves away the appeals.
53min: Jones fires comfortably over the bar after being teed up by Wells around 20 yards out.
48min: An unmarked John Egan heads over from around twelve yards out following Jones' corner into the area.
46min: Duke is quickly off his line to just beat Boden to a testing Sam Togwell through ball.
46min: Chesterfield get the second half off and running.
HT: Bradford City 0 Chesterfield 0
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
38min: After O'Donnell fails to deal with a looping Meredith cross into the area, Thompson flicks a headed wide of goal from Hines' follow-up ball into the mix.
37min: Despite at one stage looking like having a dangerous break in the making, a counter-attack from Chesterfield eventually ends with Danny Whitaker dragging a shot from outside the area harmlessly wide of the far post.
33min: Jones' latest corner picks out the run of Rory McArdle inside the area but the defender's header for the target goes across goal instead of towards it.
32min: Matt Duke is out in enough time to comfortably beat Scott Boden to Mark Randall's defence-splitting through ball.
24min: A nice one-two down City's left flank between James Meredith and Atkinson puts the former into a decent crossing position by the byline. Meredith's low cross into the six yard box is in the right area but Wells' connection in the middle unfortunately takes the ball out for a goal-kick.
21min: After picking up Stephen Darby's flicked header forward, Atkinson curls an effort a yard or so wide of the goal from the edge of the area.
12min: Wells scuffs an effort from outside the area harmlessly wide of O'Donnell's near post.
11min: A teasing Nahki Wells cross is diverted back to his own 'keeper by Drew Talbot at the far post while under pressure from Will Atkinson. The home fans give up a roar for a potential back-pass but nothing is given.
10min: A testing Jones corner nearly makes its way through to Garry Thompson in the middle of goal but Chesterfield just about clear their lines. Tendayi Darikwa tries to lead a dangerous counter-attack for the visitors seconds later but Hines gets back to dispossess the Spireites winger just inside's City own half.
10min: Richard O'Donnell has to dive full length across to his left to tip a curling 20 yard free-kick from Gary Jones around the post.
6min: YELLOW CARD - Nathan Smith is booked for bringing down Zavon Hines out on City's right flank.
0min:The Bantams kick off the match. They will attack towards the Carlsberg Stand end in the first half.
7:42pm: Both teams make their way out onto the Coral Windows Stadium pitch. Opponents Chesterfield are wearing City's black away shorts to avoid a kit clash after their only bringing along their usual white bottoms.