Bradford City - 2 (Westwood 75. Beagrie 87.)
Crystal Palace - 1 (Tuttle 56.)

Considering recent events at Palace, taking into account the high flying position of Bradford, and that this match was being played for the second time (having been abandoned the last time around), it was always fairly doubtful that we were ever going to get anything from the match. Considering that all the reports tell us that we were the more dominant side for most of the match, and that we were robbed right at the end, it still did not convert into any points for our long trip home.

On a pitch that nearly didn't make the grade for the second time - it was waterlogged 24 hours before the match, and only frantic efforts by the grounds staff saw any play possible - it was Palace that got away to the better start of the two. It was showing only three minutes gone on the clock when Lee Bradbury found himself clear, but Gary Walsh came bravely out to the edge of his area to avert the danger. The next move of the match came when Lee once again got clear, this time his shot going just over the bar. To really round out the opening passage of play Simon Rodger saw his shot go agonisingly wide of the mark by only a few inches. The only chance that Bradford created in the first half saw Kevin Miller save easily from a 20 yard effort by Robbie Blake. Unfortunately, on a waterlogged pitch, this was about the sum total of the action, and the teams came off for the break with Palace having done most of the work, but with precious little to show for it.

After the usual half time pep talks it was Bradford that came out for the second period of play looking the better side. As always happens it was the side that appeared to be under the most pressure that managed to finally break the deadlock. A corner taken by Rodger was well driven home by David Tuttle for only his second goal of the season. It was just as well that the referee was right on the spot, as the ball crossed the line and stopped dead on the heavy pitch only an inch or so over the line! Almost immediately Paul Jewell (the Bradford manager) substituted Stephen Wright for Isiah Rankin, a defender going off for a striker. We managed to hold on to our slender lead with astute defending until only 15 minutes were left to go, when out of the blue Ashley Westwood got past the defence to head his first goal for the Club. Even so a point would have been no less than we deserved, but a challenge by Miller with only a few minutes on the clock was adjudged to be a foul and Peter Beagrie duly converted the penalty. 2-1 down, and the visitors had every right to claim that they had been robbed. To really add insult to injury Sun Jihai was booked for a second offence in the match and was sent off. What a way to finish a match!

Colin Pryce

Bradford City: Walsh, Wright (Rankin 64), Jacobs, McCall, Moore, Westwood, Lawrence, Blake, Mills, Whalley, Beagrie.
Not Used: O'Brien. Ramage.

Crystal Palace: Miller, Burton, Sun, Fullarton, Moore, Tuttle, Foster, Fan (McKenzie 88), Bradbury, Morrison, Rodger.
Not Used: Rizzo. Austin.

Attendance: 14,368
Referee: Mr W.C. Burns (Scarborough).