Bradford City 2 Stevenage 0: Michael Duff's timely changes earn him early respect and trust
PLENTY of recent discourse has centred on the propensity of one high-profile manager in Michael Carrick to sit on his hands when it comes down to making substitutions.
Alongside the 15-minute window at half-time when tactics can be altered, it’s where those in the dug-out earn their money – or otherwise – on a matchday. It’s an area where they are all increasingly judged.
In terms of changes, Michael Duff’s timing was impeccable on Saturday – two games into his managerial tenure at Bradford City.
When your predecessor was highly successful, this sort of thing buys early respect and trust with supporters who haven’t yet got the old guy out of their systems.
Duff hadn’t seen his side score in over a game-and-a-half at the Bantams’ helm. A second successive goalless draw at Valley Parade looked a distinct possibility against obdurate opponents. Not a particularly good look.
In mitigation, his side weren’t playing particularly badly against Stevenage – they produced more threat than they did seven days earlier – but they weren’t earth-shattering either.
By the 57th minute, the City chief had seen enough and summoned Nick Powell and Corey O’Keeffe at a comparatively early juncture. Eight minutes later, Stephen Humphrys and Will Swan got the nod, before the mid-way point of the second half.
The afternoon would end in a relieving maiden victory for Duff, with the attacking trio of Powell, Humphrys and Swan all coming to the party.
A chant of ‘Michael Duff’s Bradford Army’ was aired when all was well. City’s top of the league status was also referenced, thanks to developments elsewhere.
Promoting Powell for his customary cameo of around half an hour was perhaps expected. Just as he was starting to show a few good signs, Duff gave Stevenage's backline more to think about in Humphrys and Swan.
The pair marked his card when he was sitting in the stands during the recent EFL Trophy tie at Rotherham United. They neatly combined to play in Powell in the 79th minute, which prompted a clear foul from Stevenage keeper Tommy Setford, who bundled him over in the box and Antoni Sarcevic did the rest.
Eight minutes later, Setford spilled the ball and Swan bagged the rebound, his fifth goal of the season and first at league level. It came following Humphrys' low centre.
Humphrys' first league action of 26-27 was the biggest individual plus for Duff. Afterwards, the City chief spoke of him being 'desperate' to help the team. He certainly did that and fist-pumped heartily in front of the Kop after the final whistle.
Duff said: "He knows the challenges and what's expected of him. Not from me, by the way. That's from the group.
"The conversation that's been had is that people use the word maverick and outlier (about Humphrys). You can't be an outlier in this group."
City scored with their first effort on target. In fairness, their attacking metrics were better than the previous weekend. Instead of two players being in the box, there were regularly four. A tweak also saw Sarcevic play slightly further forward as a 'third 10'.
Set-pieces remained a disappointment – Duff labelled them as 'poor'. But across the pitch, there was that admirable consistency in terms of mindset, resilience, organisation and application which served City so well under Graham Alexander and remains a reassuring constant.
Stevenage's sole effort on target arrived inside the first 30 seconds from Dan Kemp. Other than that, Jon McCracken had little to do.
He now has seven league clean sheets for the season – in nine matches – and currently leads the division's golden glove race.
Elsewhere, City did not veer off script and got their rewards belatedly.
Sarcevic 90+6 will forever be etched into City folklore following 'that' goal against Fleetwood.
In front of the Kop once again, the Bantams’ captain’s 70+9 strike, from the spot, got the Duff era up and running. Swan ensured there was no nervy finale by making it 2-0 with City's second attempt on target. Talk about efficiency.
Bradford City: McCracken; Pennington, Baldwin, Pratt; Jackson (O’Keeffe 57), Sarcevic (Gillesphey 97), Connolly, Touray; A Phillips (Pointon 65), Pointon (Humphrys 65); Beesley (Powell 57). Unused substitutes: Dawson, Morgan.
Stevenage: Setford; James-Wildin, Vancooten, Piergianni, Earley; Sanderson (Mellon 66), D Phillips (Patterson 82), Smith (Thompson 65), Marcal (Broggio 53); Kemp; Magennis (Taylor 82). Unused substitutes: Barden, Casey.
Referee: S Mather (Lancs).