Mark Hughes frustrated by Crewe Alexandra’s inhibition in Bradford City’s latest stalemate

Bradford have yet to concede a goal in their first three home league matches, but two of them – against Doncaster Rovers and Crewe – have ended in draws with both visiting sides seemingly content to settle for a point.

Hughes was also frustrated because he thought the Bantams ought to have had two penalties in stoppage time – one for a foul on substitute Vadaine Oliver and the other for a handball by former Bradford player Kelvin Mellor in the same attack.

“They were two clear penalties,” he said. “The referee could have got himself off the hook by giving the second one because he got the first one wrong.

“We are frustrated because in general play we haven’t created consistent pressure to make them go under, but we need things to run for us.”

The nearest Bradford came to scoring was in the 28th minute when winger Scott Banks, on loan from Crystal Palace, cut in from the right before seeing his left-foot shot hit the bar. He had also forced keeper Arthur Okonkwo to turn his round the post eight minutes earlier.

Crewe posed few problems for the home defence and Hughes said: “Another team have come with the intention of frustrating us and slowing down the game. We were just a little bit slow. Maybe the edge of our play was a little but blunted by the events in midweek (Bradford lost to Blackburn in the league cup) and we were not quite as sharp as we wanted to be to move the ball quicker. As a consequence they were able to get numbers back.

“We just needed to have a bit more craft and guile at the top end of the pitch - in the final third - to create those chances.

“We were disappointed not to get maximum points. We clearly deserved them by our dominance of the game. We can take it as a compliment that teams don’t want to open up against us because they don’t want to allow us the space and opportunity to attack them.

“Our home form is certainly better than it was last year and will continue to improve once we can find a way to unpick the lock at the top end of the pitch.”

Bradford City: Lewis, Halliday Platt, Crichlow, Ridehalgh, Banks, East (Sutton 76), Smallwood, Chapman (Harratt 45), Cook (76), Angol (Young 45). Unused subs: Doyle (gk), Songo’o, Odusina.

Crewe: Okonkwo, Mellor, Williams, McDonald, Offord, Thomas, Baker- Richardson, Ainley (Sass- Davies 85), Agyei, King, Uwakwe. Unused substitutes: Richards (gk), Griffiths, O Finney, Leshabela, C Finney, Tabiner.

Referee: Sunney Gill (Bracknell).