BIG MATCH PREVIEW | ROCHDALE (AWAY)

20 April 2018

Simon Grayson's Bantams make the short journey across the Pennines this Saturday (21 April 2018) to take on Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena.

Grayson's men face Dale at the weekend looking to close the gap to the top six after Tuesday's impressive 3-1 home victory over Portsmouth.

City have another four matches left in their league campaign following the weekend trip to Dale, meaning the Bantams still have plenty of points to play for between now and the end of the season.

Opponents Rochdale head into this Saturday's game also in need of results in their remaining games.

The Lancashire side are currently sitting in the bottom four in the Sky Bet League One table, just one point and one place away from the safety zone.

Like City, Rochdale also played a rearranged game in midweek.

Dale played out a goalless draw against near neighbours and relegation rivals Oldham Athletic at the Crown Oil Arena on Tuesday night, with defender Joe Rafferty seeing a first half penalty saved for the hosts.

Team News

Rochdale
Influential forward Ian Henderson will serve the second game of a four-match ban at the weekend following a recent red card.

Andy Cannon (fractured cheekbone), Niall Canavan (ankle) and Keith Keane (groin) will also miss out.

Bradford City
Tyrell Robinson is ruled out for this Saturday's trip to Rochdale after damaging his shoulder during Tuesday's win over Portsmouth.

Robinson is expected to see a specialist on Monday to determine whether he will have any chance of featuring again this season.

Alex Jones is definitely ruled out of the remainder of the campaign after undergoing another operation this week to cure a long-standing ankle problem.

Jake Reeves (groin) and Ryan McGowan (knee) are unlikely to be involved in any of City's final five league fixtures this season.

Earlier this season

Saturday 9 December 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 4 (Kilgallon 8, Wyke 40, Poleon 42, Robinson 78)
Rochdale 3 (Henderson 41, 45+2, Davies 75)

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Sattelmaier, McMahon, Kilgallon, Knight-Percival, Robinson (Hanson 87), Gilliead, Vincelot, Law (Thompson 77), Taylor, Poleon (Hendrie 67), Wyke

Subs not used: Raeder, McCartan, Gibson, Patrick

ROCHDALE LINE UP:
Lillis, Daniels, McNulty (Williams 46), McGahey, Rafferty (Cannon 59), Camps, Rathbone, Henderson, Ntlhe, Done (Davies 75), Andrew

Subs not used: Moore, Slew, Inman, Gillam

Previously at the Crown Oil Arena

Saturday 30 April 2017
Sky Bet League One
Rochdale 1 (Lund 66)
Bradford City 1 (Jones 9)

ROCHDALE LINE UP:
Logan, Rafferty, McGahey, McNulty, Bunney, Camps, Lund (Noble-Lazarus 86), Allen, Mendez-Laing, Henderson (McDermott 11, (Cannon 72)), Andrew

Subs not used: Wilson, Vincenti, Canavan, Rathbone

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Sattelmaier, Darby, Kilgallon, McArdle, Toner, Devine, B Clarke (Pybus 73), Gilliead (Hudson 55), Dieng, Hiwula, Jones (Penney 60)

Subs not used: Doyle, Knight-Percival, Hanson, Peters

Tickets
City supporters will be able to pay cash on the turnstiles for Saturday's match.

Admission prices will be:

Adults - £22.00
Seniors - £16.00 (65 year-olds and over)
Young Person - £16.00 (16-21 year-olds)
Juniors - £5.00 (15 year-olds and under)
Under 2s - FOC (free ticket must be obtained from the ticket office before going to the turnstiles)

Ambulant disabled fans will be asked to pay the age-related price from this table above.

They will also be eligible for a free carer's ticket, provided they are in receipt of DLA at the mid or enhanced rate.

Supporters requiring wheelchair access will be asked to pay the concessionary price - £16.00 - with a carer's ticket also being provided free of charge.

Supporters purchasing concession tickets need to have photo ID with them at Rochdale on match-day and when they purchase their tickets from City's ticket office.

Away Fans' Guide
A look at some relevant match-day information for those supporters making the journey to Rochdale this Saturday - HERE.

Match Officials
Referee Ollie Yates will be in charge of City's trip to Rochdale at the weekend. Mr Yates, who was the fourth official for the win over Portsmouth on Tuesday, is currently in his second season officiating at EFL level. This Saturday's game will be Mr Yates' first in the middle for a fixture involving the Bantams. The two assistant referees at Rochdale will be Mark Cunliffe and Abbas Khan. The fourth official at the Crown Oil Arena is scheduled to be Duncan Street.

Kit Colours
The Bantams will wear their white and claret strip for this Saturday's match at the Crown Oil Arena.

Manager's Pre-Match Thoughts
City boss Simon Grayson spoke with iFollow Bantams ahead of the match at Rochdale.

Supporters can see snippets of the pre-match interview below:

The FULL video interview with Grayson can be found on iFollow Bantams - HERE.

Back the Bantams
City supporters can back the Bantams for success at Rochdale with Sky Bet!

City are currently priced at 4/1 to defeat Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena.

The Bantams are also priced at 14/1 to beat Rochdale by a 2-1 scoreline.

Charlie Wyke is available at 5/1 to opening the scoring, while Matthew Lund can be backed at 11/2 to score at anytime during the game.

Fans can place their bets now with Sky Bet by clicking HERE.

Please note, odds are subject to change.

Coverage
For those unable to get to the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday, City supporters can follow live updates from the Rochdale game via the club's official website, plus Facebook and Twitter pages.

City's Facebook and Twitter pages will include game updates on match-day, while the 'Match Centre' on the official website will give supporters all the stats, news and in-game action.

Full audio match commentary of the Rochdale match can be found via iFollow Bantams. Keep up to date with commentary from our media partners BBC Radio Leeds for match action and reaction from the game.

Video post-match interviews from Simon Grayson and his players, plus extended match highlights over the coming days, are also available via iFollow.

On top of all that, iFollow subscribers can get interviews, action, previous encounters and highlights as well in the build up to Saturday's match.

The official website, Twitter and Facebook pages will also have post-match reaction from the City camp following the Rochdale game.

iFollow Bantams - HERE
Match Centre - HERE
Facebook - HERE
Twitter - HERE

Match Previews

Match Reports

REPORT | WYKE SECURES A POINT FOR CITY AT ROCHDALE WITH LATE LEVELLER

21 April 2018

Charlie Wyke's late intervention helped to claim a share of the spoils for the Bantams at Rochdale in their penultimate away match of the league campaign.

Wyke swooped in the final minute of normal time to convert from close range after Rochdale goalkeeper Josh Lillis had fumbled a cross from Stephen Warnock.

Wyke's dramatic equaliser - his sixteenth goal of the season - cancelled out an opener from Dale's Matt Done late on in the first period.

The strike from City's top-scorer also proved enough to extend the Bantams' recent unbeaten run to three matches heading into a home triple-header in the space of just eight days.

With Tyrell Robinson and Callum Guy picking up injuries during Tuesday's welcome win over Portsmouth, Simon Grayson restored Romain Vincelot and former Rochdale midfielder Matthew Lund to his starting XI.

Despite Vincelot's presence in the team, though, Tony McMahon kept hold of the captain's armband.

After a steady start to the match by both sides, the first real opening of the encounter in the April sunshine fell the way of Joe Thompson twenty minutes in.

Thompson held off the advances of Matthew Kilgallon to latch onto Calvin Andrew's flick on but Colin Doyle was off his line quickly to make an important block in the box.

Dale threatened again soon after when Andrew got the better of Nathaniel Knight-Percival deep inside City's penalty area.

Andrew looked to tee up Oliver Rathbone across the box for a close range finish but a watchful Vincelot was on hand to make a crucial challenge.

At the other end, City were looking to respond when they got forward; Matthew Kilgallon heading over from one attack for the Bantams following Tony McMahon's cross into the box.

City were trying to hold their own against their Lancashire opponents but it was clear that Rochdale - who began the day in the bottom four - were certainly pumped up to try and push themselves out of the danger zone.

Colin Doyle had to be alert to make a save when Vincelot deflected a Joe Rafferty cross towards his own goal just before the half hour mark, while McMahon was forced into a last-ditch block to repel a Done shot inside the box minutes later.

Done wasn't to be denied four minutes before the break, however.

As Rochdale sprang forward on the attack, a Thompson cross into the box was worked into his path and the Dale wing-back found the far corner with a fierce strike past Doyle.

City could have actually levelled things up soon after, though.

McMahon's low ball into the box found Lund unmarked over by the far post but the midfielder's shot for goal from yards out unfortunately hit an unknowing Wyke before going out for a goal kick.

There was still time in the half for one last scoring opportunity; Bradden Inman hitting Doyle's near post with a low shot from a tight angle inside the box.

In an attempt to force City back into the game in the second period, Grayson made a change in personnel and formation by bringing on Nicky Law for Kai Bruenker ten minutes after the break.

Wyke fired over on the stretch from a McMahon cross soon after, before City went even closer through Law himself minutes later.

After collecting a pass from the left by Warnock, Law turned into shooting space inside the box but his low drive rolled agonisingly wide of Lillis' far post.

The Bantams were enjoying a greater say in the game as the second period progressed, with the hosts perhaps starting to feel the nerves as they looked to hold onto what would have been a welcome three-point haul for them.

City were continuing to ask questions of the home defence, but Dale did have two half chances on the break via Done and Andrew later in the half.

Done forced a save from Doyle via his legs by his near post after getting the better of Vincelot near the byline.

Andrew's chance came after he beat the City offside trap but a recovering Kilgallon got a touch on the striker's shot and the effort bounced harmlessly through to Doyle.

Dominic Poleon was introduced for Vincelot thirteen minutes from the end to aid City's efforts to claim something from the match.

The substitute striker nearly had a sniff of goal soon after coming on but Lillis was out quickly at his feet in the box to beat him to Alex Gilliead's probing through-ball.

With the fourth official about to put the board up to show five minutes of injury time, City did eventually find a way back into the game.

Warnock's hanging cross into the box looked fairly routine for Lills in the Dale goal, but the shot-stopper fumbled the ball at Wyke's feet and the striker gleely accepted the invitation to fire home into an empty net.

Dale substitute Stephen Humphrys tried to engineer a response in the over-time that followed but his probing run ended with a low centre across goal that missed everyone in a blue shirt.

City did have one final chance to secure an unlikely victory in the last seconds when Poleon was hauled down by Harrison McGahey just outside the box.

McMahon played the ball into the middle with purpose from the free-kick that followed but Timothee Dieng was penalised for a foul as he headed for goal.

Match Reports

BRADFORD CITY AFC

Standings

BIG MATCH PREVIEW | ROCHDALE (AWAY)

REPORT | WYKE SECURES A POINT FOR CITY AT ROCHDALE WITH LATE LEVELLER