| Honours even at Valley Parade 15:54 - Dec 9 with 460 views | durham_exile |
Colchester United kept their 40-year unbeaten record going at Valley Parade last night in an entertaining, though goalless draw.
Both sides claimed they should have had the three points, but we definitely had the better chances to win the game. I also owe Bradford City an apology, their pitch was the best that I have ever seen it. Plenty of grass and the surface was pristine. I suspect that Rugby is no longer played at Valley Parade.
I would also like to pay tribute to the Bradford Stewards. I had arranged with Colchester ticket office to pick up my tickets at the Players Entrance at VP. When we arrived, the steward was very helpful, escorted us to the entrance and then walked back to the Supporters entrance with us. Inside the ground all the stewards were unobtrusive and created a very harmonious atmosphere not at all like some grounds where the heavy-handed approach fuels discontent and causes friction. Well done Bradford.
There were 113 of the faithful amongst a 14,658 crowd and a decent atmosphere from the outset.
The journey to the stadium was excellent, the A1 and A659 and A658 were surprisingly light and we arrived in good time. Now parking is notorious at Valley Parade, but I found a great spot about 10 minutes’ walk from the ground and on the right side for the Bradford Lifts Stand where the faithful were gathered.
The tea and coffee were good, but the flimsy lids were not to be trusted and the Pies were Pukka Pies (meat and potato and steak were both very good with a good filling and decent pastry). The cheeseburger was very tasty and all were warm and well packaged. I should hasten to add that I did not eat all of the above. My son helped me out with the food and drink!
HM buoyed by some recent good performances had selected the following team:
Turner
Tchamadeu Chambers Smith Daniels
Skuse Chilvers
Dobra Jasper
Judge
Sears
Subs
Gerken Tovide McCoulsky Terry Wiredu Hannant Coxe
Bradford wore their home kit which has a predominantly white shirt, whilst we wore our Green kit (which I happen to like very much).
Bradford started on the front foot and had their best spell of the game in the first 20 minutes. Theo Robinson (who acknowledged the U’s faithful) saw a lot of the ball in the opening minutes and Turner was sharp to stop a rasping shot from the former U’s player. Gillieard and Angol also had chances but none really troubled Jake Turner. As Bradford faded Colchester emerged from their bunker and started to play some football of their own. Tchamadeu and Daniels were well in the game and Chilvers was busy in the centre of the park. Freddie Sears is a man in form but at times was lonely up front and will need a strike partner in the January sales with our war chest money.
Dobra and Jasper were quiet and both were knocked over on occasions. However, it was in the 41st minute that HM made a sub bringing on the excellent Wiredu for Jasper who did not appear to be injured and took exception to be substituted. He trudged off and past the faithful without acknowledging them. He then went straight to the changing room (which is more akin to a porta cabin in the far corner of the ground.
He emerged after half time and went to sit with his father in the stand just in front of the faithful and a few rows in front of where my son and I were sitting. He cut a forlorn figure. Now I do not want to be critical of the youngster, but he showed petulance and a degree of indifference. Is he going back to Fulham in January or are we keeping him until the end of the season? Either way he must decide where his allegiance lies because he will not endear himself to the Fulham hierarchy with fits of poor attitude like last night. It is a shame because he has talent and IMHO should have been played more as a striker than a right or left sided midfielder tracking back to supplement the full back position.
Half time arrived and we were good value for the point.
Now at the start of the second half the influential Wiredu played a delicious ball wide to Alan Judge who was bearing down on the goal from the left side of the penalty area. He was one on one with the keeper Sam Hornby and Hornby won the duel. Bradford could have had no complaints if Judge had scored because it was sublime pass from Wiredu.
For all their huffing and puffing Bradford faded away as an attacking force. The lively Robinson was taken off after 63 minutes and replaced by Cooke and that weakened their attacking formation.
Freddie Sears forced his way through on two occasions and skewed his shots. But we were creating chances and not converting them. It is now 5 consecutive away league games without a goal.
On 79 minutes HM replaced Dobra and Judge with Hannant and Coxe respectively. Then after about 88 minutes both teams decided that it was a game worth winning and went for it. Freddie Sears was put through and Hornby came out of his area and saved the ball with his hands. The referee who up until then had had a decent game totally failed to see the handball which would have seen Hornby sent off and a presentable free kick for the U’s.
Skuse struck from just outside the box and it went just wide of the upright.
Then Bradford sent Angol away down the right wing he cut inside and got his angles hopelessly wrong and skyed the ball over the bar. It would have been an injustice had he scored. I feel absolutely sure that a striker to support Sears will convert these chances that are going to waste and it reinforces the need for a second attacker to support the willing Sears who has found his goal scoring touch but definitely needs a strike partner.
The fact that Hornby was awarded the MOTM by the home side spoke volumes about his contribution. We had 53% possession, 9 shots and 2 on target and 2 corners to Bradford’s one.
I believe that our defence is much stronger at present and the midfield when Wiredu and Chilvers are operating there is better. It is the striker positions that need reinforcement and the Centre Forward position must be strengthened in January if we are to challenge for a play off position.
League Two selected positions:
Top Seven
FGR 19 43
Northampton 20 37
PV 20 35
Exeter 20 33
Swindon 19 33
Sutton 20 32
Orient 20 31
13 Bradford 20 25
14 Walsall 20 25
18 COL U 19 22
24 Scunny 20 15
Walsall Away, Hartlepool Home, Orient H and Sutton A are the next four league fixtures.
It would be good to see 5,000 at the JSCS for the Orient game.
Still 27 games to play and plenty of points to be gained. Another 50 points should secure a top seven place.
Up the U’s
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| Honours even at Valley Parade on 16:27 - Dec 9 with 447 views | gerry_us |
Thanks for your informative report Peter. Wish we could muster a crowd that large; what an advantage that could prove, not that it seemed to do Bradford any good.
Good that you enjoyed the food.
Seasons greetings to you and your boys. |  | | |
| Honours even at Valley Parade on 16:54 - Dec 9 with 437 views | wessex_exile |
| Honours even at Valley Parade on 16:27 - Dec 9 by gerry_us |
Thanks for your informative report Peter. Wish we could muster a crowd that large; what an advantage that could prove, not that it seemed to do Bradford any good.
Good that you enjoyed the food.
Seasons greetings to you and your boys. |
Bradford have always enjoyed exceptional levels of support, even in the lower leagues. To their credit, their business model for many years has been outrageously cheap season tickets (e.g. £100), which undoubtedly helps. Whether it is sustainable financially is another question, but they seem to get by well enough. |  |
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| Honours even at Valley Parade on 20:50 - Dec 9 with 402 views | noah4x4 |
Bradford is a hugely populous City with in excess of 600,000 people.
Colchester has merely 197,000.
The gate on Wednesday was 14,658, or 2.4% of Bradford's population. To be on par, we should enjoy gates of 4,728, and there (arguably) lies the primary explanation why we have never exceeded an average of 5,000 in modern times. A figure of > 3% of population is to be expected in the EFL, with a few odd exceptions. However, we are trending at a mere 1%, which is very worrying.
I didn't go Wednesday, but on previous visits to Valley parade, we have always paid our respects at the fire memorial, got chatting with the stewards and always blagged our way into the fantastic fans clubhouse, where the welcome has been wonderful. I know I sound like a broken record, but the welcome at the Jobserve is now embarrassing. Walsall will similarly welcome us. We have to be realistic about optimum gates (see previous paragraph), but it is patently obvious that Col U management need to better consider fans needs and wants. |  | | |
| Honours even at Valley Parade on 23:05 - Dec 9 with 375 views | wessex_exile |
| Honours even at Valley Parade on 20:50 - Dec 9 by noah4x4 |
Bradford is a hugely populous City with in excess of 600,000 people.
Colchester has merely 197,000.
The gate on Wednesday was 14,658, or 2.4% of Bradford's population. To be on par, we should enjoy gates of 4,728, and there (arguably) lies the primary explanation why we have never exceeded an average of 5,000 in modern times. A figure of > 3% of population is to be expected in the EFL, with a few odd exceptions. However, we are trending at a mere 1%, which is very worrying.
I didn't go Wednesday, but on previous visits to Valley parade, we have always paid our respects at the fire memorial, got chatting with the stewards and always blagged our way into the fantastic fans clubhouse, where the welcome has been wonderful. I know I sound like a broken record, but the welcome at the Jobserve is now embarrassing. Walsall will similarly welcome us. We have to be realistic about optimum gates (see previous paragraph), but it is patently obvious that Col U management need to better consider fans needs and wants. |
From a personal experience I'll take the point further Noah - not only is Bradford a very large city, but their immediate support also extends to those who now work and live in Leeds, Pewsey, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Ilkley, Dewsbury and a myriad of small towns in the general vicinity - and all within easy reach of Valley Parade because of an integrated transport system.
Their effective catchment is well over a million. | |
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| Honours even at Valley Parade on 23:52 - Dec 9 with 369 views | durham_exile |
| Honours even at Valley Parade on 16:27 - Dec 9 by gerry_us |
Thanks for your informative report Peter. Wish we could muster a crowd that large; what an advantage that could prove, not that it seemed to do Bradford any good.
Good that you enjoyed the food.
Seasons greetings to you and your boys. |
Hi Gerry. Thank you for your kind wishes.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
It was interesting that during the game, when Bradford lost the ball in midfield or we dispossessed them there was an audible collective sigh and I think it plays on the team's minds.
Their capacity is 25,000 but I agree I would love to see 8-9,000 crowds on a regular basis at the JSCS. | |
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