York need to be touch more ‘professional’ believes Kerr

SCOTT KERR believes naivety cost York City victory on their first visit to Valley Parade in 16 years.

The Minstermen claimed a creditable point against Yorkshire rivals Bradford City after Ashley Chambers’s 44th-minute opener was cancelled out by a second-half strike from substitute Zavon Hines.

Former York defender James Meredith played a major role in the equaliser with a super dart down the left that saw the full-back evade three would-be tacklers around halfway before finding Hines.

He, in turn, then showed great ability to evade not only Kerr but also Clarke Carlisle inside the penalty area before firing past Michael Ingham to ensure the spoils were shared.

It was an incisive move but also one that Kerr believes York should have put a stop to by fair or foul means.

“I think we were naïve,” said the 30-year-old midfielder. “We should have taken the foul earlier on the halfway line.

“James Meredith did really well but we should have pulled him down. I know that is not nice but it would have stopped Bradford scoring. If it was me personally, I would have brought him down.

“It is called a ‘good foul’ in football. Sometimes, you have to do it. I took a booking near the end for the team. I had to take their lad as if I had missed him then Bradford were on the break and could have got a 92nd minute winner.

“I took the yellow (card) and we saw out the game to get a point. Next week, if the opposition are on the halfway in that sort of situation then, hopefully, we will take the yellow.

“Defensively, I thought we did well apart from the goal. But we really should have taken the foul. Sometimes, you have to.

“By the time he (Hines) got in the penalty area, it was too late. As I got across, if I’d brought him down then I would have got a red and it would have been a penalty. So, I had to leave him.”

Hines’s first goal in Bradford colours apart, York had much to be pleased about from their performance in front of a season’s high crowd for League Two of 11,883.

The 1,440 visiting fans who made the short trip to West Yorkshire rightly hailed their side’s efforts at the final whistle and Kerr believes such a reception was fully justified.

He said: “I think before the game we would have taken a point coming to a place like Bradford. There won’t be many teams who come here and leave with even a point.

“It isn’t often that you go to a stadium where the home team has 11,000 fans or however many were here. The fans can be volatile and get on to you. That can lead to some going into their shells.

“But our lads didn’t and we did well. I can’t speak highly enough about the character.

“After the equaliser (on 59 minutes), we could have crumbled as the crowd really found their voice. But we settled it down and had a couple of chances ourselves. Overall, a point was a fair result.

“It was just a shame Bradford got the goal when they did. If they hadn’t scored in the first 15 minutes of the second half then I think we would have won comfortably.

“The crowd, who expect a lot at Bradford, would have got on the backs of their team. And because they have a few young lads, the pressure would have built.”

Saturday’s draw means York have made a steady start back in the Football League with their 12 outings having yielded 15 points.

Kerr added: “After losing 4-0 the other night (to Coventry City in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round), we knew it was going to be tough to come to Valley Parade for what was always going to be a tough derby.

“In the first half, I thought we controlled the game. I didn’t think they could cope with us. Bradford then made a few changes and brought a bit of pace on with the kid who took the goal well.

“But I thought we did well and the lads enjoyed playing at such a great stadium. Sometimes, you go to places where there are just a couple of thousand fans there. But then you come to Valley Parade, which is a stadium where you want to be.

“The higher you go, the more places you play like it. I felt we handled the occasion well, especially the younger lads.”

Kerr’s return to the club where his career began as a teenager also marked his first full 90 minutes since recovering from the cruciate ligament damage that brought an early curtailment to his own season in March.

He added: “I felt alright. After about 70 minutes, I was a bit tired but then I got more energy with a second wind. It is seven months since I played but I have now played three games in a week. The more 90 minutes I get then the better I will feel.”