It was bloody cold in Bradford but confidence was high because of the return of Justin Cochrane and David Vaughan, oh and of course Craig Hignett. Higgy got a big welcome from 800 or so Alex fans. I think that included Crewe’s very own ‘Gresty Road Casuals’ they’re a ‘hooligan firm’ who dress up in disgusting burberry clothing and walk about spitting on the floor… the oldest was about 10. They boast of supporting Crewe more because they’re willing to fight for them and the scene’s they made in Stoke earlier this season, where they actually pushed a steward - woah. Bless ‘em.
Anyway, away from them attention seeking things. Dario picked a team that most probably wouldn’t have gone for. Ben Rix was dropped for Hignett and Cochrane replaced Billy Jones whilst Neil Sorvel kept him place - nooooo.
Ince
Wright - Foster - Moses - Tonkin
Hignett - Sorvel - Cochrane - Lunt
Ashton - S.Jones
Before kick-off some Bradford ex Director told fans that “The Bradford & Bingley Stadium” will always be the home of Bradford… which was good for any Alex fans thinking they had gone to the wrong ground. The game was appalling, for Crewe atleast.
The bright side to the start was Hignett’s first chance on the ball. Surrounded by three Bradford players on the half way line he chested it down before rounding another City player allowing Crewe to break. Unfortunately that was the only upside. Bradford threatened with Danny Cadamarteri who’s pace the right side of Lunt and Wright just couldn’t handle.
We were poor and being closed down, we didn’t have the time on the ball the players naively thought they would have and the likes of Cochrane, Lunt and Sorvel were being caught out too many times. Steve Jones though was given time on the ball as he was having the time of his life running past several players at a time. His pace was hardly an advantage though as he got to the area and messed up big time.
Our defence in the first half hour was a joke. Windass, the moaning ‘osser, and Andy Gray were allowed to run with the ball straight though Moses and Foster. Thankfully the Bradford strikers were not good enough to hit it early enough to challenge Ince as Moses got back in time.
Dean Windass then had a free header that he sent a yard wide. Now, if you think Ashton is lazy then take a look at Windass. I don’t think you get lazier.
Cochrane seemed very un-match fit on his return from injury. Couldn’t keep up with the game and his tackling was poor. Ant Tonkin’s deliveries were dreadful and his defensive job wasn’t up to much either.
On the half hour mark Ronnie Wallwork(Ugly bugger) fired a shot straight at Ince whilst we still looked useless. There were some intelligent balls from Craig Hignett but Dean Ashton and Steve Jones just weren’t getting onto them. Dean Ashton felt hard done to when the referee failed to do anything about him being push and pulled yet Ashton was penalised when he was going for a header from behind the defender.
The chances in the first half for us were few and far between. In fact I don’t think we had a chance. One half chance was when Hignett broke free down the centre, his pace caught up with him so he he sent Steve Jones free but once again Jones just ran straight into a defender.
It was a dreadful first half. Rather like Walsall… and that’s the only thing that kept fans half confident, maybe we could mount a 2nd half like we did at Walsall…
Second Half
Ha. Fat chance. Cochrane was taken off rightfully so for Ben Rix who took his position down the left, Hignett moved into the centre of midfield.
We huffed and puffed for a few minutes after kick off but we still weren’t there and we got what was always coming, unfortunately our excuse for a keeper helped them. Cadamarteri went down the left wiggled round a hapless Wright and sent a cross in. Ince tried to catch the ball but only got two hands to it; obviously not enough to catch it, the ball was coincidently pushed onto Windass-ass-ass-ass’ head where it rebounded into the back of the net.
Marv-ell-ous.
Maybe it was the wake up call we needed. Or then again, maybe it wasn’t. Cadamarteri continued to take the Mickey Mouse out of our defence and Tonkin was replaced by David Vaughan who got a big welcome back from injury. Thank god for Vaughany. He came on and blocked all routes for Bradford down their right, he also showed no signs of having just come back from a knee operation as he va va voomed in out and out of the Bradford defenders and put some excellent balls into the box.
Of course we were still on our Christmas holidays. The defence sat deep enough to take a seat in the stands behind the goals and Ince’s kicking was about as much use as a bullet through the head. Although the bullet might have been the less stressful way of things.
Ben Rix fired over into the back of the two tiered away end before Craigy Hignett had his first shot on goal, good control allowed him to have a shot but he fluffed it and it bobbled straight into the hands of the keeper. Higgy was excellent. Not for his performance, which was a tad poo for his debut, but his experience and rallying calls. He got behind the youngsters and urged them on. He also acted as a rebel, he highlighted how ‘good’ our kids are, he took the ball halfway down the pitch whenever Bradford got a free kick. It delayed the free kick and it was something we wouldn’t dare do, he would win free kicks by fouling Bradford players - I know, it’s great. I think Bradford would have won it by a long way if he wasn’t on the pitch.
Oh, so we managed to equalised. Corner from Vaughan, clearance from Wetherall but only as far as Ben Rix on the right edge of the area. He brought it down but the ball bounced high, surely he wouldn’t try another shot? But he did only this one fired up and down into the far left corner. Now this could spur the team onto a come back.
Yeah right. We were still as useless as usual and were still about as creative as Radio Stokes Nigel Johnson when he attempts poetry, or Tony Pulis’ excuses, or Stoke fans ringing up Radio Stoke (Errr… this bloodee car par’k)… and so on.
Nothing happened in terms of chances, Jason Gavin got booked for twice throwing Jonah to the ground by the scruff of his neck whilst Ben Rix got booked for taking down Cadamarteri as he once again made us look fools.
Ten minutes left to find a winner and we did!… I mean they did! Wright tried to be clever on the by line and back heel it into Cadamarteri to get a goal kick only it back fired and he scuffed it out for a corner. The corner was taken and cleared and won back against and Cadamarteri ran abit more and shot and it deflected throw a couple of players whilst Ince stood and watched the ball into the back of the net.
So with 10 minutes… then 5 minutes… then 2 minutes…. We took our time. No rush. Just pass it around, don’t panic. “There will be 3 minutes of added time” HOOF! HOOF! HOOF!…. Well at least we got the ball into the box, albeit useless. And the final whistle went, we lost to a team who had lost 11 in 13 matches. It was beyond all embarrassment we had felt before. It was worse than when we lost 6-1 to Coventry.
We were awful. We can’t even use injuries as an excuse. Ashton was probably our best player running his heart off whilst the other 10 players stood and stared at him. He’s now injured for atleast a week - or in Crewe terms, 3 months with a possible 45 minutes halfway through that will make the injury twice as bad.
Ince has to be dropped, I can’t stand him anymore. His kicking is the worst you will see till you get to Sunday league football. He isn’t commanding his box anymore and when he tries to he ends up gifting teams goals. Defence was poor, well at least Tonkin and Wright who failed to get out of bed to mark the Bradford wingers.
In midfield, Cochrane and Lunt might have well have stayed at home with Neil Sorvel. Hignett gave 110% but it wasn’t quite going for him but showed a few classy touches. Upfront Steve Jones had a good first half but went quiet in the second half.
I seriously fear we’re heading back to Division Two at this moment. We’re not here at the moment, we’ve got a team which should be able to be a top 12 team in this division but we’re playing piss poor football. Confidence maybe the excuse but with the games coming up - where the hell can we pick up some confidence from?
Our next seven games are against teams gunning for promotion or teams top of the form table, at this moment it looks as if we’re heading for eight straight defeats.
Not exactly looking forward to Tuesday vs. Sheff Utd, the only consolation is that they’ve lost 4 league games in a row.