Match Report 2001-2002

Saturday 23 March, 2002, Division One

Crewe Alex At Valley Parade

City earn a beer

There was a lifeless air around Valley Parade during the 2-0 win over Crewe that all but rubber stamped City's First Division status for next season. In a sense this was rightfully the case. This team could have been celebrating promotion; there is little cause to throw a party just because we have squeaked into the division for another year. No cause for revelry.

Not so on the pitch. While City fans greeted both goals with polite applause and a grim gratitude, the City players welcomed the pair of strikes with delight on the field.

David Wetherall nabbed the first on his return to Valley Parade that has seen him miss the majority of the season. Wetherall's goal came when Eoin Jess faked a free kick to Wayne Jacobs for the left back to power a low cross into the middle. City's £1.5m centreback got his foot to the ball and forgot about three months in the treatment room. With the exception of Alan Combe, who was a little far away, every player shook City's next skipper by the hand.

Similarly at the end of the game when Jess faked a short corner to Claus Jorgensen who tricked around the Crewe left back and cut back to Stuart McCall who hit a low skimmer through a stream of legs and into the net. One worries that this could have been McCall's final goal at VP and it was celebrated by the stands, but the players gave Stuart the biggest tribute.

In between the goals City played some impressive stuff at both ends. Crewe are always beatable but are no slouches in the fast counter attack. David Wetherall was solid at the back, keeping the line in line and helping Mark Bower grow. Mark Bower has got to the stage in a very short time where his mistakes are noticeable as opposed to be common. He is becoming a very good player very quickly, certainly worth a new contract.

Gunnar Halle and Wayne Jacobs both performed well at full back keeping lively wingers quiet and supporting wide men well. Most victories are won in midfield; this was a victory of the ends of the fields.

Ashley Ward had a running battle with Efe Sodje that kept things lively for most of the second half. Danny Cadamarteri looks the real deal. He is greedy, you never criticise a striker for being greedy, and direct. He skipped over challenges and created chances with his distribution. Without wanting to put the Indian sign on Cadders I think we can expect big things from the Boy from Bradford next season.

Stuart McCall broke up attacks, Jamie Lawrence buzzed about doing everything wrong but at least doing, Claus Jorgensen is looking more and more the Danish Gascoigne with every game and Eoin Jess looked, well, like he was trying.

Early on Jess had seen his flick up and volley come back off the post after it beat Clayton Ince all ends up. Ashley Ward should have had a goal or a penalty but was called off side in very curious circumstances. Cadamarteri twice pushed his way around the back of the Crewe back four but could not pull the trigger.

Likewise Alan Combe did well to save as Crewe threw on Kevin Street and the outstanding Dean Ashton (Outstanding as a rule, today less so on his return from injury) turning away a close range effort. City would seem set to make a bid for Combe in the summer. I would not be unhappy about this.

So City made 50 points and would have made three nil had Jamie Lawrence not tried to chip Ince when a pass to Cadamarteri would have surely resulted in a goal. Goal difference keeps City below Nottingham Forest and no one has spoken about Forest going down. City have a four point insulation on 18th. We look safe.

That does not get the stands going of course. We are pragmatists yes, but we need more than this to dust off the open top bus.

City's players on the other hand have earned a pint. In pubs in Bradford though, Stuart McCall will never have to buy his own again.

Man of the Match

Stuart McCall

A virtuoso display.

City Team:

Combe
Halle Wetherall Bower Jacobs
Jorgensen Lawrence McCall Jess
Cadamarteri Ward