Match Report 2001-2002

Saturday 08 September, 2001, Division One

Sheffield United Away

Questions asked at the Blades

Back in the 1998-1999 season I measured City's progress on 2-2 draws with Sheffield United. Both results confirmed my suspicious that something good was going on at Valley Parade. Today's result poised only questioned.

City met the Blades at a similar stage of the season, then with a handful of points, and got a 2-2 draw at Valley Parade that showed a growing character mixed with no little skill. Later in the season the same character and skill had become married with confidence. After the first result I thought City could make the play offs, after the second I was convinced that we would get automatic promotion.

That second match saw an outstanding performance by Robbie Blake. It was the same player that led the questions after the 2001 game.

City took the field without the influential pairing of Benito Carbone and Ashley Ward, not that one would noticed that they were missing with Eoin Jess putting the Bantams in the lead after a minute following an accurate Gareth Whalley free kick, but the replacements of Blake and loan signing Andy Tod never looked able to fill the boots that needed filling.

Blake toiled with little effect and Tod, in the side to try hold up the ball in the Ward way was serviceable at that at best, worrying elements with City's squad so thin on the ground that seriously question the Bantams ability to maintain a promotion push.

Likewise the back line without David Wetherall looks square and inflexible. Andy Myers and Robert Molenaar both make excellent partners for Wetherall who returned to sure up City's back four in the second half, but together they look leaderless. They were flat footed when Cark Asaba latched onto a long ball over the top, out paced and stuck past Gary Walsh.

Asaba's goal followed a fine volley by the aged Keith Curle that had equalled for United on 15 minuets. Curle ended the game sprinting down the tunnel to continue a punch up he had started with team mate Laurence D'Jaffo. Curle and Phelan lacked pace but had the experience to keep Blake at bay. Shaun Murphy's defensive abilities were a match for Andy Tod's makeshift striker for most of the game, however when Tod collected a smart through ball from Gary Locke he finished past Simon Tracey to put City level at half time.

Second half and United looked dangerous, having sussed City's weakness with full backs doubling over on the 433, and were unlucky not to take a lead when Gary Walsh scooped up a ball that had rattled posts and legs in a scramble. Jim Jefferies saw the problem and flattened to 442 bringing on Jamie Lawrence who looked like a man who had spent three weeks on a Caribbean beech not City's most capped international. Again questions arose over City's squad strength.

Gary Locke got on the end of a well worked move and should have hit the target with his shot that went over and Andy Tod missed a header that would have given him his third goal for the Bantams but after a time of head bumping both side settled for the draw, City because any 2-2 away from home is a reasonable result and United because after four draws this term a 5th seemed logical.

So back to the questions, as Roland put it Are City the real deal? Without a doubt the first eleven very much are, but the further away from that eleven Jim must stray then the less convincing City seem to be. Tod tied his heart out and is respected for it, but another day the Bantams would have ended the day with nothing and that is not the stuff of promotions.

Man of the Match

Gary Locke

Looking like a very useful player.

City Team:

Walsh
Halle Molenaar Myers Jacobs
Locke McCall Whalley
Jess Tod Blake

Subs: Wetherall for Molenaar, Lawrence for Blake