Bradford City 2 - 0 Torquay - Match Report

League Two

Saturday 29th August 2009

One criticism of City in the past has been that they have not secured enough 'ugly' wins, much like Lincoln had done at Valley Parade two weeks ago, but today they overcame Torquay without ever playing any fantastic football to win back-to-back matches and take them up the fourteenth in the table.

Stuart McCall kept with the side that had overcome Cheltenham 5-4 at Whaddon Road last weekend, which meant James Hanson was deployed down the middle and the former Guiseley man made it two from two since being shifted upfront, with a well taken header on the stroke of half-time to put City ahead.

Hanson's goal was one the few highlights from what was a generally drab game of football.

City had carved out an early chance in the fifth minute when Michael Flynn had slid a shot wide on his weaker left foot after a cross from Joe Colbeck but neither goalkeeper was troubled in the first half really as exciting goalmouth action was generally at a premium.

Colbeck himself saw his attempted chip over Gulls stopper Scott Bevan deflected over, following an assist from Flynn, and City were again off target when Gareth Evans, who was otherwise lively and involved with a number of neat touches, firing a half volley over the bar after a Hanson knock down from a long ball from Steve Williams.

If City are to be starved of genuine chances in future matches then they really do need to work on their set-pieces to exploit that angle of their game. Not for the first time this season Luke O'Brien wasted a free-kick from a good shooting position by firing off target, and perhaps a more suitable taker is his namesake, James, who swung in the free-kick from the right channel for Hanson to convert into the far corner to open the scoring.

Torquay looked a poor side this afternoon and look destined for a relegation battle this season unless they can offer a bit more spark in future. They did pick up slightly after the break, upping the tempo just after the re-start, but it wasn't until the final ten minutes that City 'keeper Simon Eastwood had a proper save to make, collecting a dipping volley that Nicky Wroe had fired straight at him.

City failed to muster any exciting chances themselves either though, the best they could manage was a tame Evans shot straight at Bevan after Flynn had played in the former Macclesfield man on the edge of the area, and a Hanson header that rolled off Evans' body and safely though to Bevan.

Paul Buckle will have been disappointed that Tim Sills couldn't have done better with a great chance in the final few minutes of the game which, if converted, would have drawn his side level. Skipper Chris Hargreaves made an embarassing hash of a header inside the area minutes earlier but Sills' miss was even worse after Eastwood spilled a cross and the Torquay man fired back into the arms of the grateful 'keeper from point blank range.

McCall had, by this point, turned to the bench to try and put the game to bed and young winger Scott Neilson ran himself into several good positions and won a few corners but will be disappointed with one heavy touch that, if controlled better, could have put him in on goal. However, City's other sub, former Gull Chris Brandon, showed him how it was done in the last minute of the game by heading down a lofted pass in behind the defence from Flynn, marching on at goal and coolly sliding home past Bevan for his first goal in City colours.

It was far from a classic performance from City but the result was all that mattered given recent home fixtures such as Port Vale when we have played pretty football but come away without a win. We managed to register another clean sheet, although the goalkeeping position will still be giving McCall food for thought after a late blunder nearly cost City the win.

BCTID MOM - I wouldn't give many of the City men anything above a six out of ten today to be honest but Gareth Evans was one of the picks of the bunch, with another hard-working performances and several tidy little flicks that linked up well with Joe Colbeck on the right. He is starting to develop a decent little partnership with James Hanson by the looks of things.