Bradford City 0 Stockport County 1 ( Football League 2) Saturday 8 October 2022

 

 

County came away with an important and impressive 1-0 win at Valley Parade the home of high-flying promotion fancying Bradford City today.

Not far short of 19000 turned out today the majority of whom  expected a home win for Mark Hughes side, but those expectations melted away in the face of a fiercely competitive performance from County who bravely took the game to their opponents from the off.

Indeed, we thought they had the lead within 6 minutes of the start when Hippolyte netted only for the near side liner`s flag to rule it out for a dubious offside.

That said I have no complaints of the officials…..yes the afore said liner was flag happy but consistently so to the Bantam’s ire after the break so fair does, and I felt Mr Dougherty refereed the game even handedly not pleasing either side overly. This royally upset Mr Hughes` boys but was richly deserved our hosts having been `none to particular` when it came to fouls with Collar and Wootton stand out victims.

For County it was a stella team performance fully meriting the 3-point haul it garnered- reducing the City back line to panic measures at times and a shed load of `indiscretions`.

County`s back line was just unshakable – Johnson was my M.O.M, with Horsall close, Hippolyte had a belter and debutant Callum McDonald and Ash Palmer shone brightly both fully justifying their introduction by DC.

Ash Palmer deserves a special mention and loads of kudos for the assured performance which was just what was required when he was introduced for Sarcevic with the second half just 3 minutes old and the Bantams looking to up their game!

Unfortunately for them, County’s subsequent tactical changes did not signal any noticeable reduction in their determination and resolve. They were not drawn into too many foul induced traps along the way as the game got ever more tension ridden, and with the officials getting most of the decisions right when it mattered most late on  ….the home side were done for !

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Back at 3 o`clock there were almost 1700 County supporters on the premises to loudly greet their team onto the sun-drenched Valley Parade pitch.

We got an early `sampler` from Richie Smallwood who carted Croasdale within seconds of the game starting.

I didn`t see any card which was a distinct disappointment, and more followed as twice Hippolyte went crashing down in the box to no re-dress after Bradford`s stand out M.O.M Harry Lewis had parried a fine strike from Sarcevic with just 2 minutes gone.

A corner followed this but again no goal as Johnson`s header flew over the bar.

This was a great start from County, but Lewis again denied them diving to keep Wootton`s shot out shortly after.

Harry Chapman for a moment looked like  nicking one  for Bradford but  4 minutes in he saw his shot come out off the woodwork from Tyreik Wright`s cross.

Back came the blues, and the home back line was carved open like a succulent Sunday roast – Lewis again doing well to push a shot by Madden out. He was nowhere when Hippolyte`s follow up effort nestled into the back of the net, but the near side liner came to his rescue cancelling what looked a perfectly good goal.

It was a nervy time for the home defence and Hippolyte was not that far away from forcing the keeper to concede moments later and Myles` efforts just mirrored those of his teammates who were reducing their opponents to panic measures and sundry indiscretions.

County were pretty much in control, but the 13th minute saw a response by Alex Gillead for Bradford, who burst through the County midfield at an alarming rate of knots.

Johnson came to County`s rescue to stop Gillead`s run with a terrific tackle - Jaros doing well from the subsequent corner to deny Chapman and local favourite Andy Cook.

This served to set County off in search of the opening goal again – Sarcevic forcing a corner. McDonald took this sending it to the back post where Madden`s header came out off a defender- Wootton missing the target with his follow up effort.

There had been a noticeable improvement in County`s football last week, in everything bar the finishing, and I was again impressed to see them refusing to waste a ball in what sometimes were fairly tight situations with the Bantams fired up to impress the locals again!

But it was the blues who were doing the impressing- Camps unlucky to see his shot cleared off the line on 17 minutes. Thus far the corners were not noticeably better than of late, the latest fired in beyond the back post where Johnson could only head wide.

Within a couple of minutes of that last action Johnson was in the thick of it again with a superb tackle to stop the rot for County as Cook bore down on goal!

That was 20 minutes gone, another 6 and the two stands containing the County supporters were alive with excitement as County took the lead.

It started at the wrong end where Jaros made just about his only save of the game pushing a clearly offside Dion Pereira`s shot around a post. County defended the resultant corner well, and their subsequent cool play saw them converge in numbers on the home goal where in a state of near panic Timi Odusina upended Sarcevic as he set his sights on goal.

Mr Dougherty wasted no time at all in pointing to the spot, and Madden did the rest sending an immaculate kick well wide of Lewis into the net to give the blues a well-deserved lead.

Credit to Bradford who replied within a minute through Tyreik Wright but when his cross was headed down across the goal Johnson`s intervention ended County`s discomfort.

It was tense stuff all right with both defences doing well to keep it at 1-0, but with 10 minutes remaining of the half we wondered if the second goal was upon us from County as the ball sped from Johnson to Hippolyte and on to Madden who was in on goal, but only until the liner`s flag disappointed us again- once more I was not convinced the liner was correct…..it mattered not …it stayed 1-0!

There was some consolation not long after as Richie Smallwood at last got a card. His foul had teed up a County free kick and sadly another offside flagging from the liner.

It got a touch messy about now, with Mr Dougherty flashing the cards ( at the home  bench I thought but I am open to being corrected).

The Bradford   defence looked decidedly uncomfortable facing County thus I could not help but wonder how they would fare with the TL Dallas Stand at their backs after the break?

That was to come though and meanwhile County`s defence had work to do with half time nearing- Mc Donald doing well to sort matters after Wootton had spilled possession on the edge of the County box.

Bradford were trying a bit now, and Collar and then Horsfall both earned kudos with good defending under pressure.

County had their moments but added time came and went with no addition to the score

That was a cracking performance by County, but could they do 90 minutes?

And, how will Bradford react ?

Will Hughes send them out to rough us up and disrupt our rhythm? But then I realised that that is what they had tried in the first half to no great advantage!

We would see!

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The re-start saw changes as Bradford brought Songo`o and Oliver on for Odusina and Pereira, and Oliver wasted no time in giving County his calling card more precisely Collar who was clattered comprehensively by the Bradford new face!

Collar showed no lasting affects from this rude awakening indeed won a corner and had a shot charged down some 6 minutes into the half.

By this time DC had moved to bring Palmer on for Sarcevic placing Ash in the centre of 3 central defenders for County.

As a counter to the moves made by Hughes this would prove to be massively effective, but it was McDonald who showed up to good effect next for the blues keeping Oliver from the ball at the back post.

Another minute and Madden had an under-hit effort held by Lewis and another 2 saw Madden there again onto Horsfall`s incisive through ball. His shot screamed in across goal before going wide but not by much with Lewis beaten!  

We were beyond the hour mark now and County`s tactical switch was working thus far, and Palmer was fitting in seamlessly.

Johnson was in the mix still and doing excellent work too blocking the path to goal with Cook threatening.

But Bradford were definitely upping the revs a tad and getting lucky with the free kicks and the latest looked a decent shout being central but circa 10 yards outside the box thus scoreable, but a surfeit of finesse and the absence of fire power saw the chance dissipate in a blizzard of happy smiling faces in the County portion of the Bradford Lifts Stand as the ball flew harmlessly out.

County replied next through Hippolyte who ran Bradford dizzy down the right before feeding Madden who was unlucky to see Lewis rattle off yet another important save to keep his side afloat and Madden`s shot out.

Cue an inglorious dive in the box by Oliver with 20 minutes left, and more smiles in the Bradford Lifts Stand in response as Mr Dougherty pointedly ignored the  theatricals.

But…as I said earlier, Bradford were definitely upping those revs now and it took an excellent tackle by Horsfall to keep the Bantam`s latest raid out , but County couldn`t clear their lines and were perhaps fortunate to see a free kick whipped in at pace by Wright  fly out.

It was getting busy at the wrong end for sure and good to see Camps and Palmer combine to usher the ball away from goal with the home side on the lookout for the equaliser.

The corner from this was only half cleared and ushered straight back by Halliday only for Cook to head over the bar.

Into the last 10 minutes we went with Bradford still trying but increasingly more desperate in their methodology- bringing Lewis into play more often to lump the ball long.

Thus County looked to catch their opponents on the break, but when Hippolyte and McDonald did just that Hippolyte was hacked down by Halliday. This was seen and flagged immediately by the liner…confirmed as a free kick by the Referee but without any sign of a card which was disappointing!

The free kick was cleared but County had a late second wind now and, with Wright now on for Madden, they had a corner. Mc Donald delivered this with commendable precision to where Palmer lurked midst the multitude in the City box. The header from Ash was just excellent and deserving of a goal but denied by another fantastic finger tip save by Lewis- his best of the day! That was disappointing that would have killed the game off, but instead we watched forlornly to see the ball whizz between Wright , Horsfall and Croasdale whose shot was held comfortably by the keeper.

County brought Evans and Hussey on for Hippolyte and McDonald with 4 minutes left of normal time, and the fresh legs saw County push Bradford back again…rattled `em a touch in doing so…..forcing fouls from Hughes` men that only served to help County`s cause.

With 1 minute left a Wootton knock down saw Croasdale`s shot drift wide keeping it at 1-0.

We really did deserve this win, but history has shown us time after time that we do rather major in letting leads slip late on, would it be so today?

Somehow we contrived to ratchet up the angst factors via a free kick conceded unhappily but then defended well. It was not cleared up the park to a blue/white shirt though and came back, and this got the home specs overly excited …they fancied a penalty…it wasn`t and the eventual shot brought Valley Parade regulars more despair as it carried the bar!

We were deep into 6 minutes added time now and County were defending a long throw. We have not made the greatest of fists of defending against this particular weapon but….hey ho….this time Bradford could not keep a lid on the discipline and any notional chance disappeared with the free kick County were awarded by Mr Dougherty for the Bantam`s latest indiscretion.

Into the games dying embers we went with Lewis reduced to wellying the ball the length of Valley Parade and it must be said his delivery was not half bad, but County`s response was top notch and with a blast or two of the Referee`s whistle at the end their clean sheet, an exemplary one under the prevailing circumstances, was sorted!

Cue celebrations as County supporters having been in outstanding form themselves enjoyed the moment with the team.

This was a well-deserved success for DC and his County team and a definite pleasure after penning so many down beat reports of late.

Congratulations all, and here`s to more of the same on Saturday against Grimsby Town!

 

Bradford City line up:-

Lewis, Halliday , Platt, Smallwood, Cook, Gillead, Foulds, Odusina ( Songo`o 45), Chapman ( Angol 59), Pereira ( Oliver 45), Wright.

Subs not used: Doyle, Sutton, Horratt, Crichlow.

 

Stockport County line up\;-

Jaros, Collar, Horsfall, R Johnson, McDonald ( Hussey 85), Camps, Croasdale, Sarcevic ( Palmer 48), Hippolyte ( Evans 84) Madden ( Wright 80), Wootton.

Subs not used : Hinchliffe, Brown, C Jennings.

 

Attendance: 18615 ( 1679)

hedgegrower

 

Crowd shots from today:-