Gray Meadow

The grey skies over Shropshire were a fitting backdrop for the football we were about to witness.

This was very much a lacklustre performance from The Bantams. The midweek display in nearby Wolverhampton was sadly lacking and it took Shrewsbury all of 9 minutes to score.

Ex City loanee David Hibbert scored from the spot after Darren Williams who was having a torrid time at right-back brought down pacey Shrewsbury winger Mark Pugh needlessly i might add as the ball was going nowhere but out of play

Bradford seemed to lack any sort of urgency and at times were pedestrian in their efforts to muster an attack on the Shrewsbury goal, in fact the nearest Bradford came to a goal in the first half was from full back Paul Heckinbottom after 35 minutes play. Heckingbottom released a ferocious free kick towards the Shrewsbury goal but sadly it hit the foot of the post and that was that.

Half Time 1-0

Heavy rain made the surface slippery thus preventing either team from producing fluent football in the second half and so many balls went astray, much to the crowds disgust. Referee McDermid added to the crowd’s frustration with over efficient whistle blowing and at times he seemed to be the only entertainment on the pitch.

Seventy minutes had passed before Bradford City finally came to life. Three substitutions in the space of six minutes seem to spark the Bantams into action. Nix, Conlon and Colbeck all tried to salvage some pride but it was left to Shropshire born Paul Evans to almost spoil the Shrews party.

Evans hit one of his trademark 25 yard drives through a crowd of players and although it took a slight deflection Shrews keeper Garner somehow managed to get one hand to the ball and turn it away for a corner.

The 889 travelling fans greeted the final whistle with ironic cheers. For me it was a case of too little to late and there has to be a vast improvement upfront. After all, goals win games.

Player Ratings

Ricketts 5
Poor distribution again.

Williams 4
Torrid Afternoon.

Heckingbottom 6
Steady performance.

Evans 8
Ran his socks orchestrated some of our our best moves.

Wetherall 6
Solid performance.

Bower 5
Still below his best.

Daley 6
Plenty of the ball but unable to get past Shrewsbury defence.

Johnson 4
Virtually none existent in midfield.

Rhodes 5
Not his best performance in a City shirt.

Joynes 6
Surprise inclusion in place of Conlon, did well.

Ndumbu-Nsungu 7
Dave, always a threat but final touch let him down.

Conlon 6
Neat touches but no one able to capitalize.

Nix 6
Got stuck in and looked useful again after his Wolves debut.
Didn’t really produce much with time running out.


Subs not used Ainge and Phelan.