Stuart McCall believes Bradford City can have no complaints with opening-day draw

Stuart McCall saw his Bradford City team dominate the ball on their return to Valley Parade, but admitted it would be a push to say they deserved to beat Colchester United.

The first League Two game of the season finished scoreless, with Lee Novak having a goal disallowed for a marginal offside decision after 74 minutes, but home manager McCall had few complaints about a decent performance.

“We had 60 per cent possession but I've seen them a couple of times against Portsmouth and Reading and they're a dangerous team so it's a bonus getting a clean sheet,” he reflected.

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“We started the game well but it would be harsh on Colchester to say deserved to win.”

SATISFIED: Stuart McCall saw things to work on, but was generally happy with Bradford City's performance against Colchester UnitedSATISFIED: Stuart McCall saw things to work on, but was generally happy with Bradford City's performance against Colchester United
SATISFIED: Stuart McCall saw things to work on, but was generally happy with Bradford City's performance against Colchester United

Novak but the ball in the net after recently-introduced substitute Clayton Donaldson laid the ball back to him. It was a marginal call and perhaps one that should have gone the Bantams' way, but McCall had no complaints.

“I've seen the (disallowed) goal back and it was really tight. Clayton was possibly just onside but I can understand why the linesman flagged, it was so tight,” he said. “It was a good move to Clayton and back to Novak and on another day the linesman keeps his flag down and we win 1-0.

“They weren't a team that were just going to come and sit in, they were going to break us. Up against the three we always had to be vigilant.

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“We started well, they got into it, which we knew they would do.

“I was disappointed with the first ten minutes of the second half, I thought they were getting into the ascendancy but we got back into it and put a lot of balls in without having that killer touch but I always thought it was going to be a tight game.”

Novak was denied by Dean Gerken and a clearance from Tom Eastham inside the first ten minutes, but although Bradford did not create enough chances for the pleasant, positive football they played, nor was goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell excessively busy on his 32nd birthday.

Colchester finished three places above Bradford last season, and McCall was anxious to put the result in context.

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“I promise you, that wasn't a shocking start, they finished in the play-offs last season and they've got a couple of good players,” he said.

“You're always naturally slightly disappointed not to win your home games but we haven't got a divine right and I thought it was two decent sides who at times cancelled each other out. There are things to work on but some of the little bits of football we had that opened them up were good at times.

“I just thought a couple of our players weren't quite on their game and if they had been we might have nicked a win but I never start the season without a draw so it was odds on, wasn't it?!

“I'm not going away from the game thinking it's going to be a long season, I'm thinking it was a good point.

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“There was a good ability and desire about us, it was a tight game we maybe could have edged.

“I'm slightly disappointed with the start we had that we didn't capitalise when we were on top but likewise they can say they same because they had a couple of periods in the game.”

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