Bradford City v Coventry City: Parkinson forced to call time on eager City’s prep

VALLEY PARADE and big cup nights have gone hand in hand during recent years.
Bantams keeper Ben Williams. (Picture: Tony Johnson)Bantams keeper Ben Williams. (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Bantams keeper Ben Williams. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

Be it the heroic efforts that proved too much for Premier League duo Arsenal and Aston Villa or last season’s triumphs over Leeds United and Millwall, Bradford City have delivered under the lights when it mattered most.

Tonight, League One leaders Coventry City head to the home of the Bantams for what manager Phil Parkinson believes will be a “mouth-watering” occasion firmly on a par with those famous cup nights.

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“All the lads signed at this club have come here to play in front of big crowds like on the cup nights we have had in the past,” said the City chief.

“This is one of those nights. We have got to thrive on the back of that, just like we have done in the cups.”

Even allowing for fourth-placed Wigan Athletic hosting the team directly below them in the table, Burton Albion, the Valley Parade clash is the clear highlight of tonight’s Football League programme as two true heavyweights do battle.

In the sky blue corner will be a team that has won its last four games and scored 14 goals in the process to move to the top of the table.

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Roared on by a partisan crowd will be the claret and amber clad hosts, who are unbeaten in nine and only sit outside the play-off places on goals scored.

Bradford have also kept six consecutive clean sheets, the club’s best run in more than a century.

Parkinson added: “We are going to need an extra edge about our performance in terms of our determination and desire.

“It is good to watch the top teams and I looked at Liverpool at the weekend. Jurgen Klopp’s post-match interview might have touched on a tactical master plan, but what he really spoke about was the desire of his team and how much more they wanted it than Manchester City on the day.

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“We have got to play in that manner. Win, lose or draw, I want our supporters to be driving away (from Valley Parade tonight) saying that their team has given absolutely everything.

“We did it at the weekend and showed some real quality on the ball. It’s taking the confidence from that and making sure we’re ready for the next challenge.

“What I will say is the lads are itching for it. When you are down on the training pitch and you are having to tell them to get off (as Parkinson did yesterday afternoon), you know you are in a good place.”

Michael Jacobs was the last opposition player to score against Bradford, the Wigan man netting in a 1-1 draw at Valley Parade exactly a month ago.

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Since then, Ben Williams and his defence have kept City’s goal intact for an impressive 578 minutes.

A seventh consecutive shut-out tonight would leave the 33-year-old potentially just one game short of matching a club record set by Mark Mellors during the 1910-11 season that ended with the FA Cup being lifted by the West Yorkshire club.

“We are getting on for nearly 10 hours of football and that is great,” said Williams ahead of a tough double-header against leaders Coventry and then third-placed Walsall at the weekend.

“It is hard enough doing that in the Premier League, where the record is 14 clean sheets – which is astronomical. But they are world-class players used to doing that.

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“At our level, there is a mix in abilities in teams you will play and the many different scenarios that can crop up. Goals can come in from all angles.

“Our run is a good testament to how hard we work at defending and keeping a clean sheet.”

Asked if this was the best run of his career, the much-travelled goalkeeper said: “I think so. I have had seasons when I have kept a good amount of clean sheets.

“I can remember it going quite well for a couple of years at Colchester and Crewe. But not consecutive clean sheets like this.”

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Joe Cole, Coventry’s on-loan midfielder from Aston Villa, is not expected to feature tonight due to injury but, otherwise, Tony Mowbray’s men will be in buoyant mood following the four-goal demolition meted out to previous leaders Gillingham at the weekend

Parkinson said: “This is a game where we have got to take the qualities we have shown in recent weeks but go up another level.

“Sometimes you go into these games against the top teams in your league and you have to treat it like you are playing someone from the Championship.

“With Walsall on Saturday, it is a massive week for us. We have got to be better than we have been at any time in this recent run to get the result. That is the challenge I’ll be putting to the lads.”

Last six games: Bradford City DWDWWW, Coventry City DWWLWW.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham).

Last time: Bradford City 3 Coventry City 2; August 9, 2014; League One.