City 0, Chesterfield 0

The goalless draw at Wigan last Tuesday was greeted like the greatest of victories. Last night’s stalemate at Valley Parade felt more like a case of two points slipping away.

City never looked threatened against a Chesterfield side who had clearly come with the intention of taking a draw back with them. But equally, they were hardly banging on the door themselves in a dour contest.

Fittingly, it was watched by the lowest home league gate of the season.

Sunderland centre half John Egan was thrown straight in as Phil Parkinson rotated once again with four changes from Saturday. James Hanson’s absence from the squad was forced because of a virus.

Matt Duke, unofficially known as City’s cup keeper, retained his place ahead of Jon McLaughlin after fine displays against Wigan and Northampton.

After the ‘wingless wonder’ performance at the weekend, Parkinson reverted back to 4-4-2. But Will Atkinson was expected to tuck in on the right to offer more support against Chesterfield’s five-man midfield.

The recalled Zavon Hines was immediately chopped by a crude foul from Nathan Smith, which earned the left back a quick booking. Then it was Drew Talbot’s turn to upend the winger, presenting City with a free-kick five yards outside the D.

Gary Jones curled it over the wall but Richard O’Donnell plunged to his left to flick the ball behind.

City screamed for a backpass when Talbot turned a dangerous cross by Nahki Wells into O’Donnell’s arms as Atkinson loomed behind him. But referee Stuart Attwell ignored the home appeals.

Wells dragged a shot wide but it was a bright opening against a backdrop of solid noise from the Kop behind the Chesterfield goal.

Atkinson had promised before the game that Saturday’s first goal of the season was hopefully the first of several. He certainly showed a taste for it when Stephen Darby found him outside the Chesterfield box, looking for another measured finish which just beat the bottom corner.

James Meredith tested Attwell’s patience with an unnecessary shove on Tendayi Darikwa as he hurried to get the ball but the referee settled for a ticking off.

He also took no action when Smith clearly held up Garry Thompson – which could have seen the defender’s evening come to a very premature finish.

O’Donnell had a case of butterfingers as he made a total hash of a Wells cross to gift City a corner. Jones put it right in the mix but Rory McArdle was unable to get a proper contact with the header.

Jones was typically at the heart of most good things for City and sprung Hines with a superbly-weighted pass. Chesterfield again looked unconvincing dealing with the corner but broke away quickly for Danny Whitaker to scuff their first shot of the night across goal.

O’Donnell was under pressure again after failing to punch clear Meredith’s cross. Hines lobbed the loose ball back in and Thompson glanced wide.

Then Darby overlapped on City’s right and delivered a deep ball that proved beyond the leaping striker. Hanson’s absence was being felt in that area.

Chesterfield’s ambition was starting to grow as half-time approached but they had offered nothing to threaten Duke. It was not a great spectacle for the crowd and most of the noise was provided by the nearby firework display bursting above the Midland Road stand.

The Jones free-kick aside, there had been little incident to excite the fans, although City were looking the better of the two teams with their midfield generally holding the upper hand.

Chesterfield demonstrated more attacking intent in the opening minute of the second half than they had in the entire first. Sam Togwell’s through ball momentarily caught Egan on his heels but Duke was alert to the potential danger and slid on to it ahead of Scott Boden.

But the new defender almost had a debut goal as he headed over a Jones corner. As City pressed again, Jones then saw a close-range snapshot deflected into the stand.

Attwell, being watched by Mike Riley in the press box, frustrated everyone in home colours by waving away claims for shoves on Hines and Wells deep in Chesterfield territory. City’s top scorer, in particular, was getting aggrieved at the lack of decisions going his way.

Incidents were still few and far between but the temperature rose in front of the dugouts when Paul Cook held on to the ball as Hines tried to take a quick throw-in. Parkinson stomped across to make his feelings known but Attwell took it no further.

The City boss made his first change at the three-quarter point of the game and it was no surprise to see Thompson make way for Alan Connell. The substitute paired up with Wells in attack, a rare partnership since Connell’s arrival in the summer.

Connell wasted no time in wriggling into space for a shot but his effort was poor. Still, his arrival put an extra spring in City’s step and the crowd picked up on it with a rousing chorus of “Parkinson’s Bradford army”.

The chant boomed on for ten minutes but there was no sign of the home breakthrough they craved. Chesterfield brought on Craig Westcarr, a rumoured City target in the summer, but he occupied a lone attacking role as the visitors remained content to protect what they had got.

Space was at a premium but Hines pulled back to Connell, whose angled effort over his shoulder was not far away. That was Hines’ final involvement as Craig Forsyth came on with seven minutes left.

At last Duke was called into action to make a routine save from Chris Atkinson’s header.

At the other end, his namesake Will fired over from the edge of the box before Wells was foiled by Smith’s perfectly-timed tackle just as he prepared to fire the trigger. It was that sort of night.

Nathan Doyle thrashed an ambitious long-ranger wide in stoppage time but the stalemate remained.

Attendance: 8,841