Bradford 1 Shrewsbury 1: City must become ruthless on Parade – Darby

TURNING Valley Parade into a citadel will be key to Bradford City’s chances of getting out of the division.
Bradford's Billy Clarke celebrates opening the scoring.

Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.Bradford's Billy Clarke celebrates opening the scoring.

Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Bradford's Billy Clarke celebrates opening the scoring. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

That is the view of captain Stephen Darby especially now that they will have around 18,000 followers for home games thanks to the cut-price season-ticket deal.

City lost nine of their 23 home gamesin the last campaign, scoring just 26 goals in the process as they finished four points shy of the play-offs.

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It is important, therefore, that the men at the back chip in with their share of goals, said right-back Darby, who, along with centre-back Alan Sheehan, went as close as anyone to getting a winner for City.

Sheehan, showing he intends to go nowhere this season after being sent out on loan last time, was the City player who most deserved a goal.

Manager Phil Parkinson had moved him inside from left-back to partner Rory McArdle, consigning new signing Nathan Clarke, the one-time Huddersfield central defender, to the bench.

Sheehan responded with a polished performance not only at the back – apart from the goal the Shrews rarely had a chance to test Ben Williams – but by threatening from set pieces.

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After Christopher Routis had seen a shot diverted narrowly wide, Sheehan’s close-range attempt struck a defender and bounced against a post after James Hanson had nodded down a free-kick from Routis in the first period.

Then, after the goals either side of the interval and after Darby’s attempt was followed by the captain heading out a chip from Liam Lawrence from under his own bar, Sheehan twice went close.

A set-piece from a corner resulted in McArdle heading to the far post where his partner headed into the side-netting and Sheehan then saw a stoppage-time header blocked inside the six-yard area before Paul Anderson had a penalty appeal rejected like Hanson had for being pulled down.

The actual goals had come when first Lawrence lost possession near halfway and Billy Clarke sprinted forward and laid the ball out to Steven Davies before firing the return into the roof of the net.

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Tyrone Barnett had the Shrews level inside the first minute of the second half, matching McArdle for pace as he chased a ball down the right channel and somehow bundling the ball home from a tight angle when the defender and Williams appeared to have the path to goal blocked.

Clarke looked a constant threat operating behind the two strikers before suffering medial ligament damage as he delayed a shot on the break and came off worse in a collision.

He looks certain to miss tomorrow night’s home test against Gillingham although City have a ready-made replacement in Billy Knott.

In fact, Darby believes City have cover in all departments for a tough campaign ahead.

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Despite them failing to win any of their three opening encounters after being in front at the interval in each game, Darby remains upbeat.

The stadium had been rocking for the first home encounter of the season but the Shrews would not be tamed and they put a dampener on the atmosphere by matching City with a mirror-image formation.

Ryan Woods was outstanding in front of the defence and being the man behind their best counter attacks as both sides employed a diamond midfield formation.

Still, it was two points dropped by City but Darby said: “We’ll take a point as it gives us something to build on going into Tuesday.

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“We limited them to very few chances and it was a scruffy goal to concede but we will take the positives from it. We looked solid, there were some spells of good play and we never looked troubled or stretched.”

He admitted, however: “We have got to try and make this a horrible place to come to for the opposition. With the crowd, the stadium and the history, teams enjoy coming to play here and will often raise their games but we have got to make sure that we are on our game and raise our performances. It is up to us now to show that ruthless streak at home and make it a fortress.”

Changes to the squad have only been for the good, believes Darby, adding: “It takes a couple of games to get up to speed and get the sharpness but you can see the ability and quality that’s in the squad. There’s no doubt about it and it’s all about gelling together.”

Of his own opportunity, he added: “I thought I had scored and I don’t know where he came from to clear off the line. It is important that it is not just the strikers chipping in the goals.”

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Of his defensive partner Sheehan, Darby said: “Alan is hungry and wants to do well and he was brilliant. We are going to need that throughout the course of the season not just from Alan but from everyone.

“There is competition for places all over the pitch and that drives us on day in, day out in training. We know it is healthy competition and we are all pulling in the right direction.

Bradford City: Williams, Darby, Sheehan, McArdle, Meredith; Liddle; Routis, Morris (Marshall 64); Clarke (Knott 67); Hanson, Davies (Anderson 64). Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Clarke, McMahon, James.

Shrewsbury Town: Leutwiler, Tootle, Grandison, Goldson, Sadler; R Woods; Lawrence (McAlinden 79), M Woods; Ogogo; Collins (Akpa Akpro 79), Barnett. Unused substitutes: Halstead, Whalley, Brown, Ellis, Clark.

Referee: G Sutton (Lincs).