BRADFORD CITY 3-2 COVENTRY CITY
City: Allsop, Willis, Pugh, Webster, Johnson, Clarke (Miller 78) Thomas (Fleck 66) McQuoid, Swanson, O'Brien, Tudgay. Subs: Burge, Daniels, Phillips, Haynes, Maddiison.
Bradford City: Pickford, Darby, Davies, Sheehan, Liddle, Hanson, B.Clarke .(McLean 86), Knott (Dolan 71), Yeates, Kennedy, McArdle. Subs Unwin, Meredith, Sheriff, Morais, Heaton.
HT BCAFC 1-1 CCFC FT BCAFC 3-2 CCFC ATT 14, 621
Goals James Hanson 26 & 90, Reda Johnson 41 & 88, Alan Sheehan pen 48,
Referee Mike Dean
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Coventry City started the 2014\2015 League One season with a 3-2 defeat at Bradford City.
It was a beautiful day when the Sky Blue Army set off up the M1 to the Yorkshire enclave of Bradford for the start of a new season and the Sky Blue Army was out in force with 1,406 supporters from as far away as Kent, Hampshire and London as well as a number of our northern based supporters, turning out and it was a pleasure to see too many of you.
City arrived unlike any members of the Board or Associate Directors at Valley Parade, at a ground that Coventry have not won at since 1959 and fielded a team that not many would have predicted after a mixed pre-season. . It was a team that saw only Jordan Willis, Jordan Clarke, Conor Thomas and Andy Webster who were in the squad which lost at Sheffield United, starting alongside new boys Ryan Allsop, Danny Pugh, Reda Johnson, Josh McQuoid, Danny Swanson, Jim O’Brien and Marcus Tudgay
City, played in their new all white kit, should have been ahead in less than a minute when Jordan Clarke playing in the right side of a five man midfield position, when he volleyed wide.
When City got their passing together, they fashioned a good 14th minute effort which fell for Jim O'Brien who drove across the face of the goal.
Against a side who played a lot through the middle, Andy Webster stopped Davies from causing problems following a free kick and in the 22nd minute, Willis cleared as Billy Knott shot.
A City corner was cleared swiftly upwards for Jason Kennedy to attempt a back heel which Allsop was able to collect.
Phil Parkinson's side were enjoying too much of the ball and in the 26th minute, the City support, some of whom were singing the name of deposed captain and now seemingly unwanted Carl Baker, had their head in their hands when James Hanson was left unmarked to rise and head firmly past Allsop.
On the half hour mark, Allsop pushed away a Yeates shot that that the loanee from Bournemouth should have held before the City support including Steven Pressley's son let their opinion of the Football League and their desire to see the club back at the Ricoh Arena, be known as well as many publically held views of Tim Fisher and Joy Seppala.
O'Brien went wide and McQuoid ran into a blind alley before the Sky Blues were given a 41st minute free kick. That led to a corner from Danny Pugh and there was Reda Johnson to head in from close range.
There was a delayed reaction from the City support as the goal was scored at the Kop end but when they realised Johnson had scored, there was plenty of celebrations.
City won two corners and then Jordan Clarke cleared a free kick before a good half ended.
The team's came out as Gangsters by The Specials AKA was blasting out of the tannoy for a second half which started with a completely pointless corner leading to a penalty conceded by Johnson which Alan Sheehan stepped up to send Allsop the wrong way, three minutes in.
Steven Pressley was pacing furiously in his dug out as a City free kick was easily caught by Jordan Pickford in the Bantams goal and another needless corner was given away.
Danny Swanson and Jim O’Brien worked well trying to feed Tudgay, who was quickly closed down as soon as he got the ball on a sunny afternoon at Valley Parade.
Conor Thomas was getting a lot of abuse from the City fans and John Fleck came on for the last 23 minutes. The next abuse was directed at the referee who was not well placed as the City support who were a lot closer to see Josh McQuoid brought down inside the area.
Nothing was given by a referee who refused to book Davies but was very quick to card Tudgay for a foul which looked nowhere near as bad as the one committed by Davies.
Webster got to a 74th minute corner but the ball was scrambled off the line and up to a Bradford City player who tried to lob Allsop but sent the ball very wide.
Dolan fired wide before Pressley swapped Jordan Clarke for striker Shaun Miller. McQuoid dropped in just behind Tudgay and Miller and with two minutes left, City were level when the ball came over and Reda Johnson headed home again from close range.
But our raucous celebrations were short-lived as the Bantams went straight up the other end and James Hanson fired past Allsop.
In stoppage time, the City fans fumed as John Fleck was booked for simulation by a referee who left a lot to be desired, when from our aerial angle, it looked like contact had been made to send the Scot to the ground.
With no penalty awarded, Coventry City had run out of time and ideas and went down to a 3-2 defeat.