Port Vale 0 v 0 Bradford City (NPower League 2)
Despite the lack of goals, Bradford City played their part in a highly entertaining goalless draw with high-flying Port Vale.
The result means that second placed Port Vale missed the chance to go top of the league, mainly due to excellent defensive work by Bradford in the first half. Vale had the better of the fist half with chances falling to Tom Pope and Louis Dodds who went close.
Jon McLaughlin (Bradford Goalkeeper)
Port Vale could have lead at the interval, but for a truly stunning one-handed save by Jon McLaughlin from a Tom Pope header. With his body weight taking him in the opposite direction, McLaughlin somehow managed to thrust out his left hand and turn a thumping goal-bound Pope header around the post.
Bradford came out a much stronger team in the second half and tried to press home their advantage. James Hanson saw his bullet header tipped onto the Vale crossbar by keeper Chris Neal after a fine cross from Carl McHugh.
Gary Thompson Goes Close
Midway through the half, Zavon Hines went down the wing before cutting into the Port Vale area and setting up Gary Thompson who’s header went just wide of the far post.
James Hanson and Rory McArdle then had chances cleared off the line by Richard Duffy following a Gary Jones corner. The drama continue into injury time, when Port Vale’s captain Doug Loft was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Ricky Ravenhill.
Vale Captain Doug Loft (Red Card)
As we get to the business end of the season, Bradford City who have at least 2 games in hand on many of the teams above them, climb to 10th in the table only 9 points adrift of the league two play-offs.
Match Details
Port Vale – Neal, Griffith, Purse, Loft, Dodds, Myrie-Williams, Vincent, Pope, Duffy, Chilvers, Jones (Subs) McCombe, Shuker, Andrew, Morsy, Williamson, Birchall, Hughes
Bradford City – McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Nelson, McHugh, Hines, Jones, Ravenhill, Thompson, Hanson, Atkinson (Subs) Duke, Davies, Reid, Gray, Connell, Wells, Doyle
Goals –
Attendance – 4,281
