Match Report 2002-2003
Saturday 30 November, 2002, Division One
Millwall away
Earning your pay
The news that the City players would not be paid for November broke few City fans hearts. Five straight defeats and you had to wonder why the club was promising to sort the finances out in the week at all. Employment law and football are only every applicable from the side of the players preventing Gordon Gibb, Julian Rhodes and Nicky Law taking the Victorian mill owner approach to management and keeping the money back.
Perhaps though not getting that money was the kick up the backside City's players needed. Perhaps the idea that they might not get the money they have earned might have made them realise they had not earned the money they were getting.
This was better from City. It was still not the level that is needed to get on in this division but the spirit, lacking so badly against Wimbledon and Sheffield United, was in evidence today.
Robert Molenaar returned for City in more ways than one. He was a rock at the back. Mark Bower stepped down to the bench but I firmly believe that he will be back. He looked like a player in need or time out of thf firing line ot rebuild his confidence. He has that now.
Peter Atherton, Jamie Lawrence came back from long term injuries and Andy Myers and Wayne Jacobs were back in the side giving City much less of a green look to them. Simon Francis continued to impress this time operating in the Stuart McCall position. Nicky Law has clearly noticed the unbalance that BfB has been battering on about in the last few weeks. The team with seven defenders in it did do the things that Paul Evans, Paul Reid, Harpal Singh et al did not and get goal side of the ball.
Of course this defensiveness gave City little punch up front, Delroy Facey and Andy Gray were trying to feast on scraps, but the team of attacking players who have taken the field for the Bantams in recent weeks did no better and at least City were never out of this game. Neil Harris scored with ten minutes left but the Bantams made a fist of the game for 90 minutes.
City may have not slipped to a sixth defeat on the spin had Wayne Jacobs not managed to get himself sent off on the hour for trolling through two home players. Jacobs obviously was upset with someone and with a Referee of Paul Danson it might not just have been himself. From the cheap seats it looked like Jacobs deserved two yellow cards. City lost Andy Gray from up front as a result of the card, Millwall brought on the decisive Harris and that was the game.
But this is better and the revival starts here. This had spirit and this unlike some trips this season did not leave one feeling cheated by a lack of effort.
And all it took was to keep the cash in the bank for an extra few days.
Man of the Match
Robert Molenaar
Ot to prove a few things one hopes.