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Goaless Draw Number Four for Disappointing Rovers
By Deadly Submarine April 1 2006
Rovers record a fourth successive goalless draw after a frustrating game at Valley Parade against Bradford City. A dire first half, especially from Rovers was followed by a slightly improved second half performance from the visitors but neither side could find the breakthrough.

TOTAL TRANMERE – Match Report

Attendance: 7,697

By Deadly Submarine 

 

When Rovers last visited Valley Parade just over two months ago, it was for a first round FA Cup tie in which they somewhat controversially went out of the competition.  It was ironic therefore that today’s meeting of the two sides in League One action at the same venue came on the same day as the FA Fourth Round but in the end this game was far from being close to an exciting FA Cup type tie.

 

After a relatively uneventful first half in which Rovers in particular played poorly, the second half livened up ever so slightly from the visitors point of view but as the game wore on it became clear that one goal from either side would be enough to take the points.  In the end however, the decisive breakthrough failed to emerge from either side and a draw was probably a fair result but will be more helpful to Bradford than to Rovers in terms of the League table.

 

Brian Little opted for a change of formation from the 4-3-3 that was used in the 0-0 home draw against league leaders Southend last week.  Instead he went with a 3-5-2 formation that meant two changes of personnel from the game against the Shrimpers.  Mark Rankine replaced Jason McAteer in midfield and Calvin Zola made way for the return of the suspended Ian Goodison.

 

Bradford paired veteran Steve Claridge upfront with former Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri whilst Claridge’s fellow veteran Dean Windass was pushed back into midfield.

 

The game started slowly and the only real action of note in the early stages was a booking for Bantams midfielder Tom Penford who was guilty of a late challenge on Rovers skipper Mike Jackson.

 

Rovers failed to get to grips with their hosts early on and the only real chance of the opening quarter of an hour was when Chris Greenacre broke clear of the defence to run onto a through ball but was judged to have been offside.

 

At the other end Bradford were looking dangerous at times, with Cadamarteri the constant thorn in the side of the Rovers defence as he combined well with Claridge who fired over and then had a couple of chances of his own, one of which brought a save out of Rovers keeper Dino Seremet.

 

Mark Rankine was working tirelessly in the centre for Rovers but the Superwhites were limited to long high balls forward that failed to fall for the strikers on a number of occasions.  Rovers’ only two chances in the rest of the first half fell for Facey and Greenacre who were both well off target whilst at the other end, Penford and Emanuel both shot wide for the hosts at a dismal first half came to end.

 

Things could surely only get better for Rovers in the second half and they began brightly and for the first time, but Bradford on the back foot for a period.  Just over a minute into the half, Mark Rankine ran towards the City penalty area but was unable to get a shot in as David Wetherall cleared the danger.

 

Delroy Facey met a cross from Simon Francis in the 52nd minute but his header had no direction and was easy for Donovan Ricketts to claim.  Rovers continued to put pressure on the home defence and the Rovers fans behind the goal claimed, somewhat hopefully, for a penalty when Steven O’Leary seemed to be fouled in the penalty area but the referee probably correctly waved play on.

 

Ian Sharps had Rovers best chance of the game when he flicked a header goalward from an  O’Leary corner but the ball went agonisingly wide of the post.  A rare second half chance for Bradford came from a miskick by the otherwise solid Simon Francis which allowed Cadamarteri a chance which he hit with power but fortunately for Rovers it was straight at Dino Seremet who claimed it easily.

 

Rovers continued to be the more dominant force in the second half and despite chants from the Rovers faithful for substitutes and in particular Sam Aiston to be used, Brian Little opted to keep the team the same and there were no late scares for Rovers who could have snatched a winner themselves but Ricketts saved well from O’Leary.

 

Some Rovers fans booed at the final whistle as Rovers recorded their fourth consecutive 0-0 draw and their sixth in nine games.  Rovers moved up a place to 14th place following this result but a number of the teams behind them now have two games in hand on them and if Rovers don’t start to pick up more points soon, they are in danger of being dragged back towards the relegation zone.

 

Next up is the Friday Night Home game against highly placed Huddersfield Town this Friday (February 3rd) – Kick-Off 7.45pm.

 

 

Mark Rankine:  Veteran midfielder Mark Rankine was excellent for Rovers in what was a frustrating game for the midfield.  Simon Francis had a good game at right back yet again but Rankine edges the award for his work rate across the middle of the park.

 

 

Bradford City:  Ricketts, Holloway, Wetherall, Bower, Stewart, Cadamarteri, Penford, Emanuel, Bridge-Wilkinson, Windass, Claridge (Brown 72).

Substitutes Not Used: Howarth, Kearney, Petta, Edghill.

Tranmere Rovers:  Seremet, Jackson, Sharps, Goodison, Roberts, Francis, Rankine, O'Leary, Harrison, Facey, Greenacre.

Substitutes Not Used: Wilson, Aiston, Jennings, Zola, Linwood.

Booked: Penford (Bradford) Seremet, O’Leary (Tranmere)

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Brian Little Speaking the Tranmere Rovers Official Website:

"I thought we were poor in the last ten or fifteen minutes of the first half and it was almost as if we were waiting for something to happen.  But we edged the second half so in that respect there was some pleasure in it.”

     

"Both sides didn't give a lot away and it wasn't a great game of football which is different to some of the previous games we have had against them.  It was a fair result in the end.”

     

"On Boxing Day we were third off bottom and it is a gradual process trying to get away from that. We're trying to play different types of games in different situations and pick up points.  You have to take one step at a time.  We have made progress and are looking a very difficult side to break down at the moment.  They had a couple of chances towards the end of the first half but outside of that we were in control at the back.  As a group we are very determined to do well and we feel we are getting better.”

     

"We could have come here and gone all out attack and either won or lost, but at the moment we're trying very hard to make sure we don't lose games. We can't let other things make us lose our focus.”

     

"We're not going anywhere not to win. We are genuinely trying to win. But we have to stop losing games. Earlier in the season we lost so many games on the road 1-0, thankfully for the last few weeks we have stopped that happening. If there is criticism of that then fine, but I feel the job I have done from Boxing Day until now has been solid and I have had great support from the players."

 

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