Bradford 1 Rochdale 2: City furious at referee Howard after controversial Roses loss

On Tuesday night, another Valley was distinctly unhappy after another one of those infuriating episodes at Bradford City's home during their penance in League Two, which invariably crop up at poor junctures.

There was discernible anger in the air as City - who had led courtesy of Abo Eisa's second goal in successive matches just before the half-hour - saw the game turn inside seven second-half minutes.

The main object of supporters' ire was referee Paul Howard, who penalised Brad Halliday for a challenge on Devante Rodney just inside the box which he deemed worthy of a spot-kick. It looked a very charitable award and an incensed Halliday was quick to protest his innocence.

Just minutes earlier, the London official, who awarded a fateful stoppage-time penalty against City in his last visit to BD8 in Mark Hughes's second game in charge, had stood unmoved after Eisa was sent sprawling following a clumsy sliding challenge from Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

For Halliday, it was an unwelcome rewind to the full-back's tough late moment in the home game with Swindon in the autumn when he was controversially penalised for handball in a 1-1 draw.

That left Hughes incandescent with rage - and a subsequent apology from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited did not do too much to pacify him.

Not that Hughes totally escaped censure from agitated City followers in this latest controversy, with the sight of top-scorer Andy Cook on the bench until the last ten minutes leaving many restless.

But the game-turning incident undeniably arrived on 63 minutes with Rodney seeing his penalty saved by Harry Lewis, only for Ian Henderson to net the rebound.

The veteran - who has dined out at City's expense before - added an encore after a cross from Danny Lloyd was helped on by Rodney, a real irritant for the hosts, with the 37-year-old tucking the ball away from close range.

On a night when a third successive win on home soil would have lifted them to fourth place, the jubilation came from Dale's band of away followers, who savoured a first league success in over two months and first on the road since October 8 - and a huge shot in the arm in their survival fight.

This fixture - originally called off just before Christmas due to a frozen pitch - was again subject to doubt right up to kick-off with ground staff diligently attending to the soggy surface with pitchforks up to kick-off.

An area close to the touchline between the Midland Road corner and Bradford End was of particular concern, but thankfully the rain did relent and the game was good to go.

Given the game's outcome, those of a claret and amber persuasion would have been forgiven for wishing it had been postponed for a second time.

Creditably, City - who handed a late debut to Thierry Nevers - endeavoured to play passing football on a sticky surface and they enjoyed some pockets of joy, with the likes of Eisa, Harry Chapman and Alex Gilliead producing some intricate work at times.

The half also saw the grafters such as Levi Sutton and Matty Platt come to the fore on a night for making the right judgement calls and not messing up.

All was set fair with the opener coming from the hosts. They didn't get a second and paid the price.

The opener was certainly a crowd pleaser. Matty Foulds was flicked on by Chapman and then Sutton and Eisa found an area to exploit on the right-hand-side of the box and drilled in a clinical drive past Richard O’Donnell.

The former Bantams keeper was also called into significant work to keep out a dipping shot from Gilliead which was otherwise destined for the net.

Fielding three centre-halves and essentially a five-man backline without the ball, Rochdale’s remit - understandably given their parlous position - was to dig in and try and maybe nick something.

The pace of Rodney - who drew Romoney Crichlow into an early booking - looked their most obvious reference point in the first half, although their most dangerous chance fell to a defender.

Ebanks-Landell was left unchecked from Danny Lloyd’s free-kick, but his header lacked power and was safely gathered by Lewis.

The presence of Henderson and Rodney was enough to keep Dale interested, that said.

Another warning saw Rodney's low free-kick catch out Lewis and strike the base of the post before being cleared.Gilliead fired over at the other end before Howard took to the stage and Henderson.

Bradford City: Lewis; Halliday, Platt, Crichlow, Foulds, Smallwood (Pereira 90), Sutton (Cook 83), Gilliead, Chapman (Walker 66), Eisa (Nevers 90), Oliver. Substitutes unused: Doyle, Songo’o, East.Rochdale: O'Donnell; Seriki (Diagouraga 88), Taylor, Ebanks-Landell, John, White (McNulty 90); L Kelly (Ball 82), Keohane, Lloyd (Odoh 82); Rodney, Henderson (Quigley 89). Substitutes unused: B Kelly, Sinclair.Referee: P Howard (London)