Match Report 2001-2002

Saturday 29 September, 2001, Division One

Grimsby Town At Valley Parade

The Five O'Clock hero

Jim Jefferies must have been a relieved man when Ashley Ward rose at the far post to head in a Gary Locke cross five minutes from time, had the striker not scored then Jefferies would have collected a clear black mark against his name.

Just as with the 4-2 defeat to Stockport in the week Jefferies had fractured the City midfield. On 80 minutes with the Bantams defending a 2-1 lead Jefferies tore a hole through the middle of his side by taking off Stuart McCall and Gareth Whalley and replacing the latter with Lee Makel and the former, madly, with Jamie Lawrence. At the time City needed composure, Jamie always introduces chaos.

So second later when Michael Boulding turned debut boy Lewis Emanuel and finished City looked as if they would not even have the capacity to get back into the game. A low boo greeted the Bantams as they returned back to the centre circle, eyes on Stuart McCall who looked less than impressed with his removal.

Things had started so well for City, Jefferies and 17 year old Emanuel making his debut in the place of injured Wayne Jacobs. After some neat touches and some solid defending City took a deserved lead when Emanuel flighted a ball into the box from deep wing, Robbie Blake controlled with skill, flicked down and finished with a left foot shot into the bottom right corner. It should be noted that despite the two against Emanuel impressed on his debut.

Indeed it was Emanuel combining with the again impressive Gareth Whalley to tee up a chance for Robbie Blake on the left hand side of a packed box, Blake showed Benito Carbone-esque skills that may be needed should the Italian's Torino return come to pass, to control and set up Eoin Jess who curled into the far corner for 2-0.

It should have been more, obviously, it always should with City this year. Gareth Whalley once again carried the can after he was set up in the second half just as he was at Sheffield Wednesday and hit a shot that invited a save from the keeper. Someone once said that Gareth Whalley would be the complete midfielder if he could tackle and shoot. Credit to Gareth and Jim Jefferies who has coxed it that now seems keen to engage in some getting stuck in, but his shooting is costing dear.

Nevertheless, and once again Jim Jefferies carries the can for this, City would have been able to control the game had they played the same way in the second half as they had the first. However the 433 that was working well with Jess and Blake dropped back to create 451 when required giving the Bantams genuine width and strength in the middle became straight line 433 without movement and without the forward flank players coming back. Jefferies should have had this, the reason why Grimsby were able to come back into the game, force a series of corners that Jonathan Rowen headed home, and acted on it. He did not.

But up came Ashley Ward five minutes from time to get the winner and turn Jefferies' black mark to blushes that the away side were able to get back into it. It is two weeks until City get back to league action and in fourteen days time Jefferies will have a fitter squad, perhaps even with a new face or two should Carbone leave, and a win to build confidence on.

At the end of the day Jim Jefferies turned out to be the Five O'Clock hero, the man who managed to patch up a team with up to nine senior players missing training on Friday and get a win, but had it not been for Ward's winner he would have sat uncomfortably for the next two weeks.

Man of the Match

Gareth Whalley

Improving in his all round game, should not have been substituted, made telling passes and kept the left hand axis of Emanuel/Whalley/Blake working.

City Team:

Walsh
Halle Wetherall Molenaar Emanuel
Locke McCall Whalley
Jess Ward Blake

Subs: Lee Makel and Jamie Lawrence for Stuart McCall and Gareth Whalley