Accrington 1 Bradford 1: Connell to the rescue with timely reminder for City chief Parkinson

In spite of finishing as Swindon Town’s top scorer last season with 14 goals, Connell found his face did not fit with manager Paolo Di Canio, who had paid Grimsby £115,000 for his services in July last year, and he was released from his contract.

Connell, who had scored 25 goals in 46 Conference games for the Mariners, made 21 of his 44 appearances for Swindon from the bench.

Having signed a two-year deal with the Bantams, former Tottenham trainee Connell might have expected to be a regular starter for Phil Parkinson but he has again found himself kicking his heels.

His frustration must have grown on Saturday when injury ruled out James Hanson’s strike partner Nakhi Wells only for Parkinson to change the shape of the side following a 4-0 defeat at Rotherham and go with one man up front.

Connell, however, took his chance in style after Bradford had gone behind to Accrington’s first effort on target in the 73rd minute, Padraig Amond converting Will Hatfield’s low cross into the six-yard area.

Connell, 29, replaced sitting midfield man Nathan Doyle and when Hanson nodded down goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin’s long clearance, the substitute expertly lobbed home the 84th-minute equaliser over stranded former Halifax goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin from outside the area.

It came in front of the open end packed with City fans, who made up just over half the 3,010 attendance and Connell enthused: “It was lovely to score in front of our fans. We had great support at Rotherham the other week and we disappointed them there so to score a goal in front of so many of them was great and hopefully I can get many more for them this season.

“We changed shape after last week and went one up front so the gaffer obviously thought that James Hanson suited that role best.

“We have a good squad and everybody accepts his decisions so you have to respond in the right way and show how much you want to play. I am desperate to play and, hopefully, I showed that and I have to kick on now.

“It’s a nice reminder to him but I will always do my best whenever called upon. Of course I want to play more minutes so it is up to me to be playing well.

“The most important thing was that it was a goal that meant something to the team, it was a goal that got us a point.”

Although Parkinson was happy with the way City responded to going behind, he knew his side should really have had three points at a ground where they rarely play well.

The ‘unmade duvet’ of a pitch had, however, been given a £50,000 resurfacing and suited Bradford’s passing game especially during a first half which they dominated with Kyel Reid firing narrowly over, fellow winger Zavon Hines striking a post and Hanson seeing a header hooked off the line by Accrington captain and midfield man Luke Joyce, who did more than anyone to stem the tide and keep Stanley in contention.

City had a poor spell after the break as Accrington adopted a more direct approach, particularly pressing down the left, prompting Parkinson to stiffen up the right of defence by bringing on Rory McArdle for the man who had replaced him, Stephen Darby.

McLaughlin for Matt Duke and the non-stop Will Atkinson for hip victim Wells had been the other changes made by Parkinson and City looked a really solid unit in their 4-3-3 formation.

They ran out of ideas to a certain extent as Accrington, realising they could do little to counter Hanson’s aerial dominance, were generally first to his knockdowns after the interval until Connell’s arrival.

Parkinson said: “When a striker comes to the club it is important they get up and running with a goal and he took it really well. He has got class, there is no doubt about that.

“He scored in the reserves in midweek in a tough game with Sheffield Wednesday and he has followed up (at Accrington).

“We have a few who have been unlucky not to have been in first-team action so far but Alan has been terrific in the two reserve games we have had and he has been a bit unlucky not to play, but the way to do your talking is the way Alan did with a goal.

“We were terrific in the first half. We came with a game plan and the structure of the team was light years ahead of where we were at Rotherham but when you have that dominance you have to score.

“It became scrappy for 20 minutes after the break and we conceded a goal but after that I was delighted with the way the lads responded.”

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Accrington Stanley: Dunbavin, Winnard, Nsiala, Murphy, Liddle; Joyce, Miller; Hatfield (Lindfield 85), Boco, Molyneux (Barnett 74); Amond (Sheppard 85). Unused substitutes: Chippendale,Dixon, Eckersley, Dawber.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Darby (McArdle 67), Oliver, Davies, Meredith; Atkinson, Doyle (Connell 77), Jones; Hines (Thompson 67), Hanson, Reid. Unused substitutes: Hannah, McHugh, Brown, Duke.

Referee: T Kettle (Maidenhead).

Man of the match: Luke Joyce.