Bradford City   1 – 1  Tranmere Rovers

Windass 77               Hume 1

Attendance: 8129

Tranmere took the lead after just 45 seconds when a Ryan Taylor cross found Hume and he scored from around 8 yards in front of the travelling support.  Tranmere had more chances to extend their lead in the first half but as the game wore on we saw more and more of Bradford attacking and the inevitable equaliser came in the 77^th minute when a Nicky Summerbee cross was headed in by Dean Windass for his 17^th goal of the season.  Sadly the game’s main talking point amongst Tranmere fans on their way home was not the exciting nature of the game itself but instead a controversial moment nine minutes from time when Gareth Roberts was sent off for a 2^nd yellow Card but it was unclear why. This forced Rovers to run down the clock with ten men.

Brian Little began with the same team that started the game at Luton last week with Paul Hall and Iain Hume again supporting striker Eugene Dadi up front with Harrison and Rankine in midfield and the usual defence and wing back line up of Roberts, Goodison, Jackson, Sharps and Taylor.  John Achterberg was again in goal, his second game since returning from injury.  The substitutes were Howarth, Jennings, Whitmore, Linwood and Beresford who replaced Dagnall on the bench from the Luton game.

The pre-match atmosphere in the away end was lively as the Bradford fans seemed to fill up the stands very late but a number of Rovers fans had barely found their seats before Tranmere went ahead after just 45 seconds of the game.  A nice move down the right between Hall and Taylor resulted in some space for Taylor to cross the ball into the box.  He cut his low cross back towards the centre of the area and it seemed that it was not going to reach a White shirt but Hume had broken free and rifled a low shot past Paul Henderson for his 12^th goal of the season to the delight of the travelling Rovers fans behind that goal.

That left Tranmere with 89 minutes to hold on or build on their advantage and for the majority of the first half it looked like a second goal would come.  Hume had another shot saved by Henderson and Hall struck a post whilst Harrison hit a tame shot straight at the goalkeeper.  At the other end Achterberg made a fine double save to deny Bradford an equaliser.

Rovers were quite rightly applauded off at half time as they left the field with a 1-0 advantage but the 2^nd half was to be a lot less comfortable for the men in white.  Bradford began to look threatening and the equaliser came in the 77^th minute when a cross from the right by Summerbee was headed in by Windass after Achterberg looked to have been slightly impeded by a jumping Rovers defender as he came for the ball.

The game’s controversial moment came nine minutes from time when Harrison committed a foul, as a Bradford player ran clear from halfway.  In the confusion that followed, Harrison was booked for the foul but then referee Danson showed a 2^nd Yellow Card to Roberts but it was unclear why.  The Tranmere substitutes surrounded the referees’ assistant, Brian Little argued with the 4^th Official and Tranmere’s players surrounded the referee.  After talking to his assistant, the referee insisted Roberts left the field and the travelling fans turned on the referee.

Paul Linwood replaced Paul Hall in the wake of the sending off to strengthen the defence and two minutes from time, Jennings replaced Dadi but neither Tranmere nor the Bradford could ultimately find the breakthrough.

Once again the teams around Tranmere failed to win leaving Rovers fans frustrated at not being able to capitalise.  Tranmere now need to ensure they win at home to Colchester next week as Hull take on Luton.

My Man of the Match:

Ryan Taylor – Great performance by Ian Goodison at the back but most of our attacks went through Taylor who also set up the goal.  A very solid performance in both attack and defence.

The Teams:

Bradford City:

Henderson, Tierney, Atherton, Wetherall, Bower, Summerbee, Schumacher, Windass, Crooks (Muirhead 56), Cooke, Armstrong.

Subs Not Used: Ricketts, Morrison, Emanuel, Forrest.

Bookings: Atherton

Tranmere Rovers:

Achterberg, Roberts, Sharps, Jackson, Goodison, Taylor, Harrison, Rankine, Hall (Linwood 85), Hume, Dadi (Jennings 88).

Subs Not Used: Howarth, Whitmore, Beresford.

Bookings: Taylor, Roberts, Rankine, Hume, Harrison.

Sent Off:   Roberts

Referee: Mr P Danson

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