After all the pre-season friendly malarkey, at last back to football that means something. Welcome one and all to season 2019/20.
My first jaunt of the regular season takes me to Valley Parade to witness the Bantams who find themselves back in the bottom tier after a disaster of a season in League One saw them emphatically relegated.
Cambridge had a struggle last season and Colin Calderwood and his staff will be looking for an improvement on a 21st place finish as he embarks on his first full campaign as U’s boss.
LINE-UPS:
BRADFORD CITY (4-3-1-2)
1; O’Donnell
2; Mellor 5; Richards-Everton; 6; O’Connor; 22; Henley
18;Anderson 16; Palmer 17 Gibson
9; Doyle
12; Vaughan 10; Donaldson
CAMBRIDGE UNITED (4-4-2)
1; Mitov
2; Knoyle, 4; Taft, 5; Taylor, 3 Jones
7; Hannant, 8; O’Neil, 22; Lewis, 19; Lambe
9; Dallas , 14; Ibehre
Warm summer sunshine greeted the teams as they entered the arena packed with a terrific 14,810 crowd, most of them clad in the Claret & Amber colours of the hosts.
FIRST HALF:
As you may expect the hosts started the game trying to get on the front foot but in the early stages the U’s defence were dealing with any threat quite comfortably. Having held the hosts at bay Cambridge began to ease their way into the game in an attacking sense and only an excellent block from Bantams man mountain CB Richards-Everton prevented Us new striker Andrew Dallas getting a shot in after a superb Luke O’Neill through ball.
Cambridge continued to press and Dallas did get in a shot on target on 18 minutes, but it was a weak effort that was comfortably saved by O’Donnell in the Bantams goal. On 23 minutes there was a bit of a scramble near the Bantams goal which resulted in U’s defender George Taft only managing to hit the side netting when well placed.
Bradford’s attacks were being snuffed out by Cambridge’s well drilled back line but on the half hour mark new experienced striker James Vaughan had two chances to give the hosts the lead. He firstly headed wastefully wide when well-placed but almost immediately hit the bar with an audacious overhead kick from an excellent pass by the industrious Jordon Gibson. Vaughan had another headed effort go narrowly wide under pressure from the U’s new Bulgarian keeper Mitov as the half came to an end with the scoresheet blank.
HT: BANTAMS 0 U’s 0
Ex Port Vale wide man Luke Hannant looked lively at the start of the second half in his competitive debut for the U’s, firstly getting a shot away that went well over the top then crossing for striker Ibehre who wasn’t able to test O’Donnell in the hosts goal.
Just after the hour mark a series of remarkable tackles resulted in a stupid petulant red card for Cambridge midfielder Luke O’Neil. Initially Bantams midfielder Anderson stayed down under a heavy Taft challenge, nothing was given and play continued, as the ball reached U’s full back Dan Jones, he was clattered by Richards-Everton & stayed down, again nothing given and play on. Clayton Donaldson then set off on a run and was cynically brought down by O’Neil seemingly incensed by the previous challenge on his team-mate. A deserved red card for the U’s midfielder I’m afraid.
Bantams manager Gary Bowyer sent on winger Sean Scannell and forward Danny Devine for the disappointing Eoin Doyle and Jermaine Anderson as they tried to profit from having the extra man but apart from a brave gather of the ball by Mitov at the feet of Donaldson and a Scannell cross that sailed across goal with no Bradford player able to get a touch, Cambridge and their excellent back four negotiated the last half hour very well despite only having ten men. A draw was a fair result in a competitive game rich in endeavour & work rate from both sides but sadly poor in quality and entertainment for the bumper crowd.
RESULT: BANTAMS 0 U’s 0
Cambridge will be the happier of the teams, gaining an excellent away point at the home of one of the promotion favourites.
It was a poor game but one that both managers can take positives from. For Bradford Matt Palmer their debutant midfielder on loan from Rotherham was excellent as holding CM. He did the simple things well, hardly wasted a ball and regularly broke up the opposition’s play either with his tackling or interceptions. James Vaughan will also be an asset to the Bantams with his all action style that will keep the oppositions CBs busy, wasn’t his day today but it soon will be.
Calderwood will be delighted with the fighting quality his team showed today which earned them a great away point. On first impression goalie Mitov looks confident and assured, didn’t have that much work to do today but what he did have to do he did well. The Cambridge back four worked together as a combative rugged unit that for the most part kept Bradford’s highly rated front line at arm’s length. Winger Hannant looked lively at times and is capable of delivering the crosses Ibehre thrives on.
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter