Early goal from Devante Cole earns Bradford derby day victory.
Rovers - 0Bradford - 1 (Cole 1’)
Saturday 17th October, 2015
Keepmoat Stadium
SkyBet League One
New manager Darren Ferguson watched from the stands as Rob Jones took charge of his final game as interim first team manager.
There was barely a minute played at the Keepmoat with people still taking their seats when Bradford took the lead, not the start Rovers would have liked.
A long throw was flicked on to Devante Cole who was able to knock the ball home from just three yards.
Bradford continued to pressure in the early minutes and were on top at the Keepmoat Stadium. They almost got a second when a header was flicked on towards Reece Burke at the back post, fortunately for the Rovers fans he missed his kick from six yards.
Rovers had their first chance of the game when Richie Wellens played a disguised ball through the middle for James Coppinger. With Williams in acres of space to his right the Rovers captain couldn’t pick out the right pass and the chance went begging.
Gary MacKenzie made two vital interceptions in the box to keep it at 1-0 to the visitors. The first denied Steven Davies in the six yard box and the second denied goalscorer Cole from eight yards.
Rob Jones was forced into an early substitution when Andy Butler took a knock to the head, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair replaced him.
There was controversy on 25 minutes as the home side appeared to have scored from a corner before the referee stopped play. The initial header hit the crossbar before bouncing down on the goal line before Keshi Anderson knocked home the rebound. Thinking he’d scored the referee disallowed the goal and booked Anderson for handball.
Just before half time Stuckmann was called into action as Kyel Reid fired a stinging shot at goal from distance but the Rovers keeper made a great save at full stretch.
HALF TIME: Rovers 0-1 Bradford
Despite Rovers starting the second half the better side, Cole continued to cause problems for the home side. On the break he was on the verge of releasing a shot on goal before a perfectly timed sliding tackle from Wellens dispossessed him.
Tony McMahon was inches away from doubling the visitors lead as his free kick from 25 yards curled past the post.
Richard Chaplow went close for the home side when he got on the end of a first time ball in from Taylor-Sinclair, quickly sorting his feet he got his shot away but it was well blocked by the Bradford defender.
Andy Williams forced Ben Williams into a good reaction save as he hit one from inside the area. Substitute Nathan Tyson got on the rebound with an overhead kick but bradford eventually cleared.
Rovers continued to pressure, Tyson went agonisingly close as his shot was dragged an inch wide of the post on the angle. MacKenzie also headed just over the bar from a corner in the 90th minute before Oscar Gobern struck a shot from 25 yards that was just wide.
After three minutes added time the referee blew for full time and it was Bradford who took the points home.
Team Lineups-
Rovers: Stuckmann, Butler (Taylor-Sinclair 17’), Evina, MacKenzie, McCullough, Wellens, Chaplow (Tyson 65’), Coppinger (c) (Middleton 80’), Gobern, Anderson, Williams
Unused Subs: Marosi, Forrester, N’Guessan, Stewart
Cautions: Anderson 24’ Wellens 85'
Bradford: Williams, Darby (c), Meredith, Evans, Liddle, Burke, McArdle, McMahon, Cole, Davies (Hanson 63’) Reid (Marshall 75’)
Unused Subs: Clarke, Knott, Leigh, Jones, Mottley-Henry
Attendance: 8,410 (2,584)