July 21st 2009 Kick Off 1pm

Bradford City 1 Manchester City 3

Poole (13), Nimely(60), Ball (88)

 

REPORT TAKEN FROM BRADFORD CITYS OFFICIAL SITE

Bradford City entertained a youthful looking Manchester City outfit at a damp and chilly Coral Windows Stadium in a behind closed doors fixture.

The experimental Bantams side sent out by manager Stuart McCall struggled to get a foot hold in the match and went down by three goals to one at the hands of their Lancashire neighbours.

The fixture gave McCall another chance to cast his eye over some of the many trialists currently at Valley Parade, including Estonian international Jevgeni Novikov, Guiseley forward James Hanson as well as Grant Smith and Jordan Hadfield.

Smith was in fact playing in his third different position in as many matches. After starting in centre midfield against Burnley and central defence against Bradford (Park Avenue), McCall chose to look at Smith in the role of left back.

 

Also in the City line up was goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, who was gaining his first taste of pre-season action since returning from the World Student Games,

Manchester City's line up was predominantly made up of current members of their famed academy system, but did include Kasper Schmeichal in goal. Schmeichal, the son of former Manchester United great Peter, had been a regular in the City line up at the start of the Eriksson era at Eastlands a couple of season ago.

The game started in an even fashion with both sides having spells of decent possession, but not producing any real attempts to trouble either goalkeeper.

As can happen sometimes in football, the first real effort on target of any danger resulted in the opening goal of the game.

Manchester City's lively number 10 Alex Nimley fed his strike partner David Bell, Bell's progress was blocked but the ball fell kindly to winger James Poole, who poked home despite the best attempts of McLaughlin.

 

Nimley nearly made it 2 - 0 moments later when he capitalised on some hesitant Bantams defending. The Manchester City forward robbed City defender Louis Horne on the edge of the Bantams area and drove into the box. Nimley was forced wide by the recovering Horne and could only flash his effort agonisingly across goal from a tight angle.

The lead Poole had given Manchester City seemed to lift the away side as their forward line of Nimley and Ball continued to look lively. At the other end, the Bantams were getting little change from the Manchester City defence, which was being marshalled by the giant frame of skipper Clayton McDonald.

Despite the competence of the visiting defence, the Bantams strike partnership of Peter Thorne and James Hanson had looked always willing to try and get things moving in the right direction for their side. On the 34th minute the pair combined, albeit in slightly strange circumstances, to draw the Bantams level.

A cross from City full back Jonathan Bateson was met by Hanson, who connected with a firm header. The attempt from Hanson was heading wide until it deflected off City defender Dedryck Boyata into the path of Thorne, who could not miss from a few yards out.

David Ball had two bites of the cherry to re-hand his side the lead a few minutes before half time. A superb turn by Ball gave himself the space to engineer a strike that whistled across goal. Team-mate Poole collected the ball on the far side and picked out Ball with a far post cross. Ball had just enough time to fire in on goal, but saw his effort turned away by Bantams goalkeeper McLaughlin.

 

Manchester City made two substitutes at half time, including Slovakian Robert Mak. Mak was part of the side that faced Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Coral Windows Stadium in the recent UEFA Under 19's Elite Tournament.

Early in the second half, Hanson tested Manchester City keeper Schmeichal was a 20 yard drive. Unfortunately for Hanson & Bradford, Schmeichal was able to get his finger tips to it and push it away for a corner.

Just before the hour mark Novikov and Thorne were replaced by Luke Dean and Rory Boulding.

Dean's first involvement in the game was to give away a free kick on the very edge of the area for a foul on Manchester City forward Nimley. The resulting free kick from Paul Marshall was cleared and the danger appeared to be over. Moments later though, the ball was fed to the tricky sub Karl Moore, who crossed for Nimley to head home from close range past McLaughlin.

There was a nasty looking moment a few minutes later when Manchester City forward Mak and Bantams defender Horne both slid in for the ball on the byline. Both ended up in the advertising boards, no doubt not helped by the slippery pitch conditions the constant drizzle had brought, both though were able to continue after a small period of treatment time.

 

As the half wore on, it became clear the visitors were having the lions share of possession, though the experimental Bantams side were gamely sticking to their task.

In the 70th minute, Manchester City went agonisingly close to doubling their advantage through Mak. Winger Moore superbly picked out Mak with a low driven cross, but a combination of McLaughlin and Horne managed to somehow deflect Mak's effort wide.

As the rain begin to intensify, substitute Moore managed to miss another golden opportunity for his side. The winger skipped inside Grant Smith and drove into the box, but only managed to curl an effort narrowly wide of McLaughlin far post.

A quite superb flowing move from Manchester City finally opened up the dogged Bantams for a third time. A neat flick from Moore played in fellow winger Poole, who created an opening for David Ball having re-entered the field of play for the injured Nimley and he took his chance well and beat McLaughlin at his near post.

Ball's strike saw an end to goals for the afternoon and moments later referee Moss' whistle brought an end the proceedings to hand City their first pre season defeat

 

Schmeichel,Kay, Logan, Ibrahim, McDonald, Boyata,Poole, Marshall, Ball,Nimely, McDermott

Subs: T Johansen(GK),Moore, Mak, Cunningham