This fixture is seemingly perennial and although, looking back, my worry is that we have not been all that successful, the reality is that the 2 most recent results have been wins.
More recently, when we have won this season it hasn’t always seemed easily, nor has scoring goals, although we have been mean in defence. We have a scoring record based on one very good midfielder and header of the ball and some potentially good forwards. Moly, Middleton and Sharp and from time to time Gibson, are in this category, but without Bailey we would be struggling with a real goal-scoring crisis.
Depending on one man playing well is not a sustainable position and Moly being doubtful and Sterry still short of 100% readiness, makes one cautious about our ability to win matches against teams like Bradford.
On the plus side the defence is dependable but I’m inclined to feel that the best we can hope for is a draw. So I’ll be optimistic and go for a 1-1 draw with Gibson or Middleton the scorer of the goal.
I doubt whether Olusanya (whose contribution in midweek I did not see) will start, having been out of regular training for months and I am not particularly optimistic about his prospects because, not since Ironside, has McCann been good in choosing central strikers.
DPL v Bradford City
posted 23 hours, 54 minutes ago
Before going to bed, I'll agree with Donaldo that scoring is our problem. I think a draw is maybe the best we can hope for, but in my usually optimistic mood, I'll say 2-1 to the Rovers with goals coming from Mols and Sharp. If neither starts , Middleton, if he doesn't, Bailey - who else!!!
RTID
posted 17 hours, 5 minutes ago
I'm busy in Lincolnshire again today.
Rovers 1-1 Bradford
Sharp, Moly, Olusanya to score ⚽
posted 14 hours, 5 minutes ago
Likely to be a very tight game. It feels like a 1-1 but I'll be optimistic and predict 2-1 to Rovers. Bailey again.
posted 13 hours, 39 minutes ago
2-0 to Bradford
posted 6 hours, 40 minutes ago
By the time I got up and switched on my computer, it was 1-1! However I saw the goals at half-time. TLT must be embarrassed with that one, and how often does one see a bullet header from Mols?
You know I have not been a fan of Giibbo, but if he keeps playing like today, I'll be converted. By far the man-of-the-match with a great goal and assist.
We really should have been out-of-sight by half-time, but with the defence playing well, it did not matter. I thought Clifton played well again - OK, maybe he should have scored, but I agree with his appeal that it was deflected by the Bradford foot, or even struck by that foot before Clifton completed his attempt and it should have been a corner.
O'Riordan played well out of position, and I liked him in one game when he was in the middle with McGrath.
All the starting eleven played well, but Maxwell cetainly got "leggy" and was taken off.
I'm not sure about the guy from the MLS as he seems somewhat clumsy and fouls too easily. I still do not see the pace Grant talked about.
We have certainly got better results earlier than I would have expected, but think what it will be like if we start scoring goals like today.