Bradford City 2 Rochdale 0 - Full Time Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Defenders on top: Matt Clarke got the better of Jon Shaw throughout the afternoon

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Bradford City 2 (Boulding 20, Thorne, 35)
Rochdale 0 

Bradford City took a two goal into the half time interval and they maintained their advantage through to full time despite Rochdale enjoying plenty of chances and plenty of possession. The difference between the sides, in what was an entertaining encounter, was that the home side converted their opportunities.

Michael Boulding made a superb run to latch onto Peter Thorne’s excellent cross to bury a powerful header to give the Bantams the lead and then Thorne got in on the act himself when he was gifted a free header at the far post from a free-kick.

The woodwork was struck at both ends during the second half as Dale pushed to get back into the game and Bradford played on the counter. Adam Le Fondre’s header cannoned the crossbar, while at the other end Boulding hit the post with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Keith Hill made one change to the side that beat Barnet last week, with Ciaran Toner making his full debut for the club, replacing Kallum Higginbotham on the right hand side of midfield.

The game lived up to its billing in the opening stages with chances at both ends. Dale enjoyed plenty of possession early doors but it was the home side who were first to test a goalkeeper. Bradford floated a freekick into the Dale box and the ball fell for the lively Omar Daley, who turned inside Ramsden and fired a low shot that Sam Russell did well to save low at his near post.

Debutant Toner was presented with a gift of an opening thanks to Adam Rundle’s pin-point low cross and the visitors should have been in front but Toner miss timed his header.

Moments later and Dale should have had the lead once more as Chris Dagnall turned in the box and fired in a low cross that had the keeper beaten and Jon Shaw had an open net to aim at but he couldn’t reach the ball on the stretch.

From one to the other and Bradford took the lead against the run of play. Peter Thorne’s superb cross was met by the equally impressive run of Michael Boulding, who planted an unstoppable header beyond Russell.

The goal did not seem to affect the play of the visitors and the excellent service to the Dale strikers continued. Dagnall drew a fine save from Rhys Evans after he was able to turn in the box once more and then Shaw was presented with another excellent opportunity thanks to a delightful delivery from Adam Rundle.

The wonderful football played by the visitors emphasised Keith Hill’s recent claim that his side can be the best football side in the division but there was no end product. Gary Jones and Adam Rundle both fired in shots when well placed but they did nothing to trouble Evans.

Meanwhile there was plenty of end product at the other end and Bradford, to the disbelief of the travelling fans, secured a two goal cushion when the troublesome Thorne rose to nod in a free header from a free kick that he simply could not miss.

It might have been good football to watch from the visitors but they could not convert it into goals, while their defence was busy leaking them at the other end. Bradford did not deserve but their two strikers were more than willing to convert.

After a quiet opening to the second half Keith Hill saw fit to make a double change early on in the hope of instilling some life into his side’s attack. Scott Wiseman and Adam Le Fondre were introduced for Simon Ramsden and Toner. The home side were pegged back, happy to soak up Dale attacks and play on the counter.

It became a game of cat and mouse and one in which Dale were not having much joy. The Bradford defence was not giving the Dale strikers much change despite their domination of the possession.

Suddenly things began to happen for the visitors and it was thanks to a combination of the crossbar and Evans in the Bradford goal that they were able to maintain their lead. Le Fondre rose superbly to head goalwards but, with the keeper comprehensively beaten, the ball cannoned off the crossbar. After a scramble it came to Dagnall, who found room to shoot low across Evans, who made a fine stop and the ball was headed off the line by Lee Bullock.

The woodwork came into play at the other end, this time helping Dale and denying Bradford the chance to make victory certain. The home side sprung a counter attack and the ball came to Boulding, who had Russell beaten with his shot from the edge of the box but the ball hit the inside of the upright and somehow the ball flew across goal went wide of the other post.

The game of attack versus defence continued but there were no further chances and Dale were condemned to their first defeat of the league campaign against a Bradford side who maintained their 100% start to the season. 

Attendance: 13,154 (915 from Rochdale)

Bradford: Evans, Arnison, Heckingbottom, McLaren (Nix 56), Lee, Daley, Bullock, Thorne (Conlon 71), Clarke, M. Boulding (Moncur 77), Colbeck.
Subs (not used): Bower, R. Boulding, Moncur, Nix.

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden (Wiseman 54), Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Toner (Le Fondre 54), Jones, Keltie, Rundle, Shaw (Thorpe 67), Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Higgbotham, Spencer.

Booked: Ramsden, Keltie, Wiseman.

Attempts (on target): Bradford 6 (4) Rochdale 12 (5)
Freekicks: Bradford 13 Rochdale 11
Offside: Bradford 2 Rochdale 2
Corners: Bradford 3 Rochdale 14