Accrington Stanley 0 - 2 Bradford City

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Tuesday Jan 01 2008 03:00

Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman must wonder what he has to do to get his side performing on home soil at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

Despite some sparkling away form that has been highlighted by two wins at Grimsby and Mansfield, they have only won four contests in East Lancashire.

This time it was 27-year-old Bradford City defender Matt Clarke who stole the show for the Bantams to get their 2008 off to a perfect start as they look to climb the League Two table.

The centre-back struck the decisive blow just a minute into the second half when he pounced on Paul Evans' left-wing corner, that had been only half-cleared by the home defence, before being pumped back into the six-yard box.

The 21-year-old midfielder Joe Colbeck then sealed the points by finishing off an Omar Daley breakaway in stoppage time.

As this was only City's third away win of the season, coupling it with Stanley's aforementioned wretched home form, it had looked for all of the first half like this was a game that had 0-0 written all over it.

Home striker Roscoe D'Sane had a couple of chances that were thwarted by goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, while lively Jamaican winger Daley had the visitors' best chance when he curled a shot just wide three minutes before the break.

But the most interesting piece of first-half action was when referee Barry Knight had to be replaced by the fourth official after just 12 minutes.

The Premiership official from Orpington has been out of action since October 2005 with a bad knee ligament injury.

Doubts must now be raised about his career prospects after he failed to get through his comeback game.

Accrington struggled to reply, but saw Mark Roberts rattle the bar before Colbeck scored the second.

  • 90
    That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.
  • 90
    Goal!! Joe Colbeck scores for Bradford.
  • 84
    The referee has booked Phil Edwards.
  • 74
    Accrington Stanley are replacing Andy Todd with Billy Dennehy.
  • 74
    John Miles is replaced by Leighton McGivern.
  • 73
    Leam Richardson is being taken off, David Brown has come on in his place.
  • 47
    Goal!! Matt Clarke scores for Bradford.
  • 46
    The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.
  • 45
    Half time whistle is blown by B Knight
  • 0
    It's 3pm on Tuesday, January 1st, the match has kicked off.

Statistics

Accrington Stanley
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 4
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 11
Offsides 5
Corners 2

Bradford City
Shots on target 7
Shots off target 7
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 13
Offsides 6
Corners 5

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