Parkinson frustrated as City again pay for late concentration lapse

Bradford City are proving difficult to beat with only one defeat in eight League matches since the end of November.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Jan 2012, 09:47 BST

However, they are finding it more difficult to win and twice in successive weeks they have been forced to share the points at a blustery Valley Parade after conceding a late equaliser.

Morecambe had hit a stoppage time goal to earn a 2-2 draw and, on Saturday, Burton scored an 85th-minute equaliser to salvage a point, much to manager Phil Parkinson’s frustration.

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“It’s a difficult one to take, but football is a cruel game sometimes,” he said. “The goal Burton scored should have been a consolation. We got into fantastic scoring positions and we should have made better use of them. At 1-0, we had some great chances and when you don’t take them you are always susceptible to a sucker-punch.”

Defender Andrew Davies put City in front with a super 25-yard free-kick into the top corner two minutes before half-time after striker James Hanson had been fouled and he came closest to scoring in the second half when Ross Atkins turned his header on to the post.

Burton made the Bantams pay when substitute Chris Palmer delivered an inswinging cross and fellow substitute Adi Yussuff claimed the final touch.

Parkinson was full of praise for City’s back four. They missed central defender Luke Oliver with a hamstring injury and Lee Bullock was drafted into the side to partner Davies.

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“Burton’s front two are two of the best in the division and I thought Andrew Davies handled them really well, while Lee Bullock played with great intelligence. We could have been vulnerable, but I think we coped fine and then one cross comes into the box and we didn’t deal with it,” said Parkinson.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Kozluk, Davies, Bullock, Seip, Fagan, Jones, Ravenhill, Haworth, Hanson, Wells (Smalley 72). Unused substitutes: Duke, Hannah, Taylor, Mitchell.

Burton Albion: Atkins, Driver, Stanton, Austin, McGrath (Gurrieri 78), Taylor (Palmer 73), Bolder, Parkes, Maghoma, Richards (Yusseff 60), Zola. Unused substitutes: Poole, Corbett.

Referee: L Collins (Surrey).

Man of the match: Andrew Davies.