Yesterday we revealed number 10 in the countdown from 10 to 1 of the list of best City victories from throughout the 2014-15 season. Number 10 was of course the Boxing Day victory at Fleetwood Town, where Filipe Morais and James Hanson were on hand to score the goals to secure the three points for the Bantams. At 9, it’s the 1-0 win at Chesterfield…
Chesterfield0
Bradford City1 (Clarke 57)
13/12/14 – at The Proact Stadium
It was a closely fought battle between two sides who would eventually only be separated by the matter of four points come the end of the season play-off chase.
The turning point in the game though was Sam Morsy’s dismissal for catching Andy Halliday with a raised arm early into the second half, as City went on to look much the stronger of the two sides.
Billy Clarke showed the real ability that he possesses with a strike of genuine quality to win the game for City just before the hour mark; after bringing down Rory McArdle’s long ball forward magnificently, he turned into space before curling a superb shot into the top corner past Keighley born stopper Tommy Lee. Jon Stead missed a gilt edged chance to get himself on the scoresheet, when he turned his shot wide from close range, after Filipe Morais had centre the ball for him.
One goal proved enough though on this occasion for a win which moved Phil Parkinson’s men closer to the play-off places.
Starting XI:
Pickford, Darby ©, McArdle, Davies, Meredith, Liddle, Morais, Halliday (Knott 62), Yeates, Clarke (Zoko 90+2), Stead (Hanson 84)
Unused Subs:
Williams, Sheehan, Routis, Kennedy
Bookings:
Pickford, Davies, Halliday, Clarke
6,809 (1,136 City fans)Attendance:
Parkinson’s Reaction:
‘I’m very pleased. The goal was a goal worthy of winning any game of football, it was a real piece of quality from Billy Clarke. We then had chances to kill the game off and we didn’t take them.’
‘I felt that gave the Chesterfield supporters and team a bit of hope that they could get back into it, when really the game should’ve been dead and buried.’
‘We had to show resilience, even against 10 men, because Chesterfield are a good side, and we showed that real resilience and toughness in our defending which ultimately got us the clean sheet.’
League Table:
9 | Peterborough – 30
10 | Bradford – 29
11 | Fleetwood – 26
12 | Walsall – 26
Press play on the YouTube video below, to re-live the highlights of the game. Billy Clarke's winner is certainly worth a watch!
Keep your eyes peeled for number 8 in the list, which will be revealed tomorrow (Friday)