So, off the back of our cup success against League One opposition, a third derby in 10 days & a return to league action was in order. With a certain goal v Rochdale still the talking point, Nakhi Wells 30 yard screamer to book us a home tie versus Scunthorpe United or AFC Wimbledon in the next round.
Anyways, after our usual pre match routine, which included pre match egg chasing banter with Lenny & some laughing at Lewis Grabban's movember attempt (he sees things & beats up bathrooms you know!) the teams came out & it was time for derby day at VP.
It was a bit of a sketchy start to the game with free kicks & fouls dominating the early exchanges with Rovrum's Marcus Williams having the only decent chance on goal.
But during this, the focus was on the travelling support from Sheffield (You don't have a home!) who's larger than expected following along with going through the wrong gates meant that the netting used to segregate the away fans had to be moved a block... with fails galore. First off all, the stewards moved out of position leaving Rotherham & City fans more than enough room to go for each other & in moving the netting tangled Rovrum fans in & trapped one or two before eventually blocking off an exit, lucky we didn't need an evacuation like Middlesbrough the other week then!
Meanwhile back on the pitch, Gareth Evans return to VP ended with Flynn's well timed two footed challenge caused a ligament or cartilage injury which meant he had to be subbed off for Marcus Marshall & spent the rest of the game being carried on the sidelines or on crutches.
Then after a cleared off the line header following Williams attempt to put City into the lead, Rovrum were given a clear as day penalty when the ball struck Luke O' Brien's arm. Lewis Grabban stepped up & sent Jonny Mac the wrong way to break the deadlock & put the visitors into the lead.
Bradford then went on the attack with various chances being blocked before our moment came in 34th minute. Jack Compton after passing Dale Tonge sent in a peach of a cross to be headed home from 2 yards by fellow former Falkirk man Chris Mitchell to bring the Bantams level. Jubilation was clear to see round the ground.
The first half ended who it started with free kicks & fouls in a bit of a stop start affair before pattering out to half time. So, onto the second half.
After Rovrum keeper Conrad Logan saved from Nakhi Wells & Steve Williams, Rovrum went on the attack & after some extremely poor pub league defending by the City defence, ex-Leyton Orient man Alex Revell smashed home after a deflection of the post past a helpless Jonny Mac to put the visitors back into the lead.
From here, City got worse & worse until some poor defensive errors cost us again 5 minutes later. Jason Taylor took a free kick & after some poor defensive errors despite two good saves from Jonny Mac, Marcus Marshall tapped home from 5 yards to make it 3-1 & kill the game off.
After bookings for Williams & Fagan & some more poor defence yet again saved by Jonny Mac, PP made all three of his subs in one go in an attempt to salvage something. Reid, Hannah & Hanson came on to replace Fagan, Compton & Mitchell.
City & Rovrum slugged it out with only Nakhi Wells providing some decent effort on goal, then injury time came & the game look to have ended. Until, madness ensued.
Rovrum's ex-Rochdale man Jason Taylor handled in the box to give City some salvation, with captain Michael Flynn stepping home to slide the ball down the middle for 3-2 to try put some cover on a bad performance but then with Jonny Mac up for a last chance corner, something seemed to go in City's favour for once.
After some slugging it out in the box Michael Flynn smashed the ball as hard as possible into Sheffield's third sides Jason Taylor, but it wasn't handball let alone a penalty. Flynn took the ball & placed it on the spot, one strike high down the middle is what was needed for an un-deserved yet we'd have taken it point. He stepped up & bottled it with a poor effort easily saved by keeper Conrad Logan to keep it at 3-2 & send City fans home disappointed yet again.
Bradford City Player Ratings:
Jon McLaughlin - 7 - MOTM - Yet another fantastic performance by Super Jonny Mac, the only player who deserved any sort of special praise after this shambles. Just a shame his defence let him down!
Marcel Seip - 4 - Unlike his shift at right back versus Swindle he was very poor in comparison in this game.
Luke Oliver - 4 - His poorest game of the season for me, some good clearing headers but seemed to go missing a lot.
Steve Williams - 4 - Some good headers in attack, shame he's a defender.
Luke O' Brien - 3 - How people can say he's twice the left back that Scouse is, is a joke in itself! He offers naff all to the team & was extremely poor, Threlfall should walk straight back in when fit!
Chris Mitchell - 5 - Did his bit when needed before being subbed even if he did go missing a bit, would of been a four but his goal got him a 5.
Michael Flynn - 4 - Always misses when it matters! After a nothing game in which he got some salvation with his tackle on Evans & his first penalty, to then go & blow it by missing with a poor, poor penalty.
Ricky Ravenhill - 4 - Apparently this man is the midfielder that we 'need'. What is it we need exactly PP? He just looked like another average poor loan signing of yours! Yet you can never judge a book by it's cover.
Jack Compton - 6 - One of his better games, some good crossing & unlike Reid when he loses that ball, he gets his backside into gear & bloody chases it & doesn't give up until he's got possession back! Actually did more at the back than the man behind him, OB!
Nakhi Wells - 6 - He should be in this Starting XI without fail! He was fantastic again, did all the running & chased the ball, a bigger team will snap him up if he keeps going like this!
Craig Fagan - 4 - Offered nothing to the team on the day, just seemed to run around a lot.
SUBS:
James Hanson - 3 - Yet another poor shift, won nothing & just seemed to keep losing possession. The lads always resort to Taylor style hoof ball with him on the pitch!
Ross Hannah - 4 - In typical Ross style, came on & tried his hardest, playing his big heart out. Just seemed to go missing towards the end.
Kyel Reid - 3 - Poor choice to replace Compton for him. Unlike Compton he just sulked when he lost the ball & offered very little.
Ten Categories chosen by Chapalar:
Was it worth the money? If Flynn had of tucked home that 95th minute penalty then there would have been a case but either way it was poor & I'm glad to see the back of it.
City MOTM - Jon McLaughlin - Yet another fantastic performance by Super Jonny Mac, the only player who deserved any sort of special praise after this shambles. Just a shame his defence let him down!
Rotherham United MOTM - Danny Schofield - The ex-Millwall man was the only Rovrum player who stood out for me throughout the game, some good football in middle of park by him.
Quote of the Match - "So Compton crossed it in & got his head on the end of it?" - Our beloved steward letting us know his thoughts on the possibility of Compton being Usain Bolt
Goal of the Match - None of them stick up as they were either scrappy or penalties so I'll have to go with our first as Compton was fantastic in the build up.
Moment of the Match - The build up to Flynn's missed penalty after it was awarded, just a shame about the anti-climax.
Fan of the Match - Robbo's bird for some entertainment during a dead second half.
Chant of the Match - "We've got a new ground, we've got a new ground, you won't get to see it, we've got a new ground." - Rotherham United taunt us about our very perilous position at the moment.
FB Status of the Match - Josh Chapman- Cant wait till we ditch City for the 92. - Ben vents his anger at the shambles on show.
Referee Watch - Mark Heywood - Seemed to give everything to Rotherham until injury time at the end of the game, another basic lower league refereeing performance.
And finally...
FATWATCH - It's a tie between the Rotherham fans under the Walton Swift advert. The lad in the white hoody & his friend in the Rovrum home shirt. Who wants another pie then?
Anyways, after our usual pre match routine, which included pre match egg chasing banter with Lenny & some laughing at Lewis Grabban's movember attempt (he sees things & beats up bathrooms you know!) the teams came out & it was time for derby day at VP.
It was a bit of a sketchy start to the game with free kicks & fouls dominating the early exchanges with Rovrum's Marcus Williams having the only decent chance on goal.
But during this, the focus was on the travelling support from Sheffield (You don't have a home!) who's larger than expected following along with going through the wrong gates meant that the netting used to segregate the away fans had to be moved a block... with fails galore. First off all, the stewards moved out of position leaving Rotherham & City fans more than enough room to go for each other & in moving the netting tangled Rovrum fans in & trapped one or two before eventually blocking off an exit, lucky we didn't need an evacuation like Middlesbrough the other week then!
Meanwhile back on the pitch, Gareth Evans return to VP ended with Flynn's well timed two footed challenge caused a ligament or cartilage injury which meant he had to be subbed off for Marcus Marshall & spent the rest of the game being carried on the sidelines or on crutches.
Then after a cleared off the line header following Williams attempt to put City into the lead, Rovrum were given a clear as day penalty when the ball struck Luke O' Brien's arm. Lewis Grabban stepped up & sent Jonny Mac the wrong way to break the deadlock & put the visitors into the lead.
Bradford then went on the attack with various chances being blocked before our moment came in 34th minute. Jack Compton after passing Dale Tonge sent in a peach of a cross to be headed home from 2 yards by fellow former Falkirk man Chris Mitchell to bring the Bantams level. Jubilation was clear to see round the ground.
The first half ended who it started with free kicks & fouls in a bit of a stop start affair before pattering out to half time. So, onto the second half.
After Rovrum keeper Conrad Logan saved from Nakhi Wells & Steve Williams, Rovrum went on the attack & after some extremely poor pub league defending by the City defence, ex-Leyton Orient man Alex Revell smashed home after a deflection of the post past a helpless Jonny Mac to put the visitors back into the lead.
From here, City got worse & worse until some poor defensive errors cost us again 5 minutes later. Jason Taylor took a free kick & after some poor defensive errors despite two good saves from Jonny Mac, Marcus Marshall tapped home from 5 yards to make it 3-1 & kill the game off.
After bookings for Williams & Fagan & some more poor defence yet again saved by Jonny Mac, PP made all three of his subs in one go in an attempt to salvage something. Reid, Hannah & Hanson came on to replace Fagan, Compton & Mitchell.
City & Rovrum slugged it out with only Nakhi Wells providing some decent effort on goal, then injury time came & the game look to have ended. Until, madness ensued.
Rovrum's ex-Rochdale man Jason Taylor handled in the box to give City some salvation, with captain Michael Flynn stepping home to slide the ball down the middle for 3-2 to try put some cover on a bad performance but then with Jonny Mac up for a last chance corner, something seemed to go in City's favour for once.
After some slugging it out in the box Michael Flynn smashed the ball as hard as possible into Sheffield's third sides Jason Taylor, but it wasn't handball let alone a penalty. Flynn took the ball & placed it on the spot, one strike high down the middle is what was needed for an un-deserved yet we'd have taken it point. He stepped up & bottled it with a poor effort easily saved by keeper Conrad Logan to keep it at 3-2 & send City fans home disappointed yet again.
Bradford City Player Ratings:
Jon McLaughlin - 7 - MOTM - Yet another fantastic performance by Super Jonny Mac, the only player who deserved any sort of special praise after this shambles. Just a shame his defence let him down!
Marcel Seip - 4 - Unlike his shift at right back versus Swindle he was very poor in comparison in this game.
Luke Oliver - 4 - His poorest game of the season for me, some good clearing headers but seemed to go missing a lot.
Steve Williams - 4 - Some good headers in attack, shame he's a defender.
Luke O' Brien - 3 - How people can say he's twice the left back that Scouse is, is a joke in itself! He offers naff all to the team & was extremely poor, Threlfall should walk straight back in when fit!
Chris Mitchell - 5 - Did his bit when needed before being subbed even if he did go missing a bit, would of been a four but his goal got him a 5.
Michael Flynn - 4 - Always misses when it matters! After a nothing game in which he got some salvation with his tackle on Evans & his first penalty, to then go & blow it by missing with a poor, poor penalty.
Ricky Ravenhill - 4 - Apparently this man is the midfielder that we 'need'. What is it we need exactly PP? He just looked like another average poor loan signing of yours! Yet you can never judge a book by it's cover.
Jack Compton - 6 - One of his better games, some good crossing & unlike Reid when he loses that ball, he gets his backside into gear & bloody chases it & doesn't give up until he's got possession back! Actually did more at the back than the man behind him, OB!
Nakhi Wells - 6 - He should be in this Starting XI without fail! He was fantastic again, did all the running & chased the ball, a bigger team will snap him up if he keeps going like this!
Craig Fagan - 4 - Offered nothing to the team on the day, just seemed to run around a lot.
SUBS:
James Hanson - 3 - Yet another poor shift, won nothing & just seemed to keep losing possession. The lads always resort to Taylor style hoof ball with him on the pitch!
Ross Hannah - 4 - In typical Ross style, came on & tried his hardest, playing his big heart out. Just seemed to go missing towards the end.
Kyel Reid - 3 - Poor choice to replace Compton for him. Unlike Compton he just sulked when he lost the ball & offered very little.
Ten Categories chosen by Chapalar:
Was it worth the money? If Flynn had of tucked home that 95th minute penalty then there would have been a case but either way it was poor & I'm glad to see the back of it.
City MOTM - Jon McLaughlin - Yet another fantastic performance by Super Jonny Mac, the only player who deserved any sort of special praise after this shambles. Just a shame his defence let him down!
Rotherham United MOTM - Danny Schofield - The ex-Millwall man was the only Rovrum player who stood out for me throughout the game, some good football in middle of park by him.
Quote of the Match - "So Compton crossed it in & got his head on the end of it?" - Our beloved steward letting us know his thoughts on the possibility of Compton being Usain Bolt
Goal of the Match - None of them stick up as they were either scrappy or penalties so I'll have to go with our first as Compton was fantastic in the build up.
Moment of the Match - The build up to Flynn's missed penalty after it was awarded, just a shame about the anti-climax.
Fan of the Match - Robbo's bird for some entertainment during a dead second half.
Chant of the Match - "We've got a new ground, we've got a new ground, you won't get to see it, we've got a new ground." - Rotherham United taunt us about our very perilous position at the moment.
FB Status of the Match - Josh Chapman- Cant wait till we ditch City for the 92. - Ben vents his anger at the shambles on show.
Referee Watch - Mark Heywood - Seemed to give everything to Rotherham until injury time at the end of the game, another basic lower league refereeing performance.
And finally...
FATWATCH - It's a tie between the Rotherham fans under the Walton Swift advert. The lad in the white hoody & his friend in the Rovrum home shirt. Who wants another pie then?
