Bradford City vs Bury - Reported by Hannah Ingram at the Coral Windows Stadium
After taking the points against local rivals Rochdale in their previous game, Bury travelled across the Pennines to face a Bradford City side fresh from their first win since December away at Torquay. After starting the season reasonably well and climbing towards the top of the table, Bradford had struggled with a crisis of confidence on the field which saw them slump to 16th place in the league. Bury stalled at the start of the season due to a playoff hangover but had picked up the pace and starting winning home and away, taking them up to third place in the table. The two sides met a few games ago at Gigg Lane, and Bury took three points with a 2-1 win, albeit with a controversial penalty being the sting in the tail for City. Today's match would be a tough one to call, with the Bantams needing a home win to continue their revival and Bury wanting to continue their fine away form.
An early chance fell to Bradford on 2 minutes as Evans threaded through to Michael Boulding on the left who the passed back to Hanson. With room to shoot from the left of the box, he powered a left footed drive straight at Brown who palmed the ball away to his left. A poor clearance from Daley on 8 minutes from the backline left the ball up in the air for Jones to head down into the box for Lowe on the right hand side; he fluffed his chance but was judged to be offside regardless.
A long ball forward from a Futcher free kick on 16 minutes opened up the Bradford defence as he found Worrall on the right who passed to Morrell on the right of the box. Chesting the ball down into the box for the on-running Dawson, the pace on the ball saw it go out of play.
Yellow card for Bradford on 25 minutes - Gareth Evans
A looping cross from Lowe on the right wing on 27 minutes saw Worrall with plenty of space on the left of the box, but he was dispossessed before he could bring the ball down. After a misdirected pass from Dawson saw Evans take the ball forward into the box from Bradford on the half hour, the ball fell to Flynn on the edge of the box but he lacked the conviction to put the power behind his shot and it was cleared by Sodje.
After making space on the left wing on 36 minutes, Worrall then threaded the ball through to Newey as he ran into the left of the box; shooting from an acute angle, Newey put the ball into the side netting. A well-placed forward ball from BBM on 39 minutes found Morrell on the right with space to bring the ball down and shoot from inside the box, but before he had chance he was dispossessed by Clarke.
Lowe worked hard deep on the right of the box on 43 minutes and came out of the challenge with the ball, allowing him to send in a low cross which was gathered by Glennon.
One minute of added time was indicated the fourth official as Bury moved forward courtesy of a long ball from Futcher. Time was soon called on a relatively slow first half which saw Bradford have the majority of the possession but to no avail. Bury tried to bring the ball down and play their football in the final stages of the half, but a difficult surface made it tricky as it cut up under foot.
Half Time - Bantams 0 Shakers 0
Ryan Lowe lost his marker on the right of the box on 49 minutes and took the ball towards the base line before sending a cross along the crowd into a penalty box packed with Bradford City players, who then cleared the ball up the field.
GOAL! Bury took the lead on 52 minutes after Jones tried a shot from just inside the box which Glennon came out to block. The loose ball fell to Morrell in the middle of the box and he provided a clinical finish with his right foot to send Bury into the lead.
Bantams 0 Shakers 1
Yellow card for Bradford on 58 minutes - Michael Flynn
A corner from Ramsden on the right on 61 minutes looked dangerous as in swung into the box looking for Hanson but his header was deflected wide for another corner. Again from Ramsden on the left, it swung into the box but was gathered by Brown.
Substitution for Bradford on 64 minutes - Peter Thorne on for Omar Daley
Substitution for Bradford on 68 minutes - Steven O'Leary on for Lee Bullock
Clarke kept possession well deep into the box on 71 minutes as Scott and Newey both tried to take the ball from him. He then passed the ball back to Evans in the middle of the box, only for him to shoot straight at Shakers keeper Wayne Brown.
Clarke was back minutes later, running down the right wing and fighting off pressure from Jones. The referee played advantage as he ran deep into the box again before sending the ball back to Evans. This time the ex-Macclesfield striker forced a low save from Brown as he sent the ball away to his left.
Substitution for Bury on 80 minutes - Sam Hewson on for Michael Jones
Evans was left with room to bring the ball down on the right of the box with five minutes of time remaining. Being closely watched by Newey, he fluffed his shot wide to the right.
Substitution for Bury on 87 minutes - Andy Bishop on for Andy Morrell
Evans gathered the loose ball on the left of the box on 88 minutes and was trying to tee up a shot before Sodje got in front of him. Luke O'Brien sent a rasping drive towards goal on 89 minutes only to see it tipped over the bar by Brown. The resulting corner saw Bantams keeper Glennon join the attack, only to send the ball out for a goal kick.
Three minutes of additional time were indicated by the fourth official as Bradford we awarded a free kick near the half way line. It was directed straight up the field and fell to Hanson just inside the box but he put it over the bar.
Substitution for Bury in added time - Ryan Cresswell on for Ryan Lowe
Bradford wasted a golden opportunity to claim a point in the dying seconds of the match after a corner into a crowded penalty box from the right was headed wide by Clarke from five yards out.
Time was soon called on a match which only really got moving in the second half. Both sides were contending with a poor playing surface but it was Bradford who had most of the possession in the early stages. Bury came out and started an energetic second period of play and got their reward seven minutes into the second half.
Bradford keeper Matthew Glennon did well to block from Jones, but the loose ball fell kindly to Morrell who did what comes naturally and took the goal. It was then a case of keeping Bradford at bay when they threw everything forward looking to get something from the game. Glennon came forward on two occasions to help the four Bradford strikers salvage at least a point but it wasn't to be. Bury mostly kept their composure, taking another three points and another clean sheet back over to Lancashire.
Full Time - Bantams 0 Shakers 1
Attendance - 11,965 (723 visitors)
