City 1, Accrington 1

The elusive search for a Valley Parade victory over Accrington goes on.

It is more than half a century since Stanley were beaten on West Yorkshire soil. But while the bogey run continues for another year, at least City clawed their way back from a wretched first half to share the spoils.

Peter Taylor’s pre-match proclamation that his belief in the team had not wavered looked on shaky ground when they were trailing at the break.

But Jason Price then chose an opportune moment to score his first City goal as they emerged a far more positive side.

Tommy Doherty was back from his reduced ban as City looked for their first win over Accrington on home soil in nine attempts – a remarkable drought stretching back to October 1955.

Doherty’s return in place of Lee Bullock was among three changes. David Syers was an enforced absentee with a tweaked groin, while Omar Daley was dropped to the bench.

Having just extended his loan stay into the new year, Price was rewarded with a start alongside James Hanson in a two-pronged attack.

Accrington boss John Coleman sent out his side in a continental 4-2-3-1 approach, with three men floating behind lone striker Terry Gornell. Rory Boulding was among their substitutes and Michael was in the crowd to watch him.

The atmosphere was certainly helped by the traditional din from the Stanley Ultras at the top of the away seats but the game itself made a very quiet opening.

The first chance fell City’s way after 14 minutes as Luke O’Brien sent an ambitious 25-yarder straight at goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin. Ray Putterill then found space on the edge of the home box but his shot lacked the power to worry Lenny Pidgeley.

Stanley were forced into an early substitution, with Sean McConville replaced by well-travelled winger Andy Parkinson. But City suffered a much bigger blow in the 21st minute, falling behind after a blunder from Tom Adeyemi.

The young midfielder challenged Putterill for a Gornell flick, missed his header and then struck the bouncing ball with an arm. Referee Tony Bates pointed straight to the spot and Phil Edwards rammed the penalty straight down the middle in front of the Kop.

Putterill was proving a menace in his role just behind Gornell and let fly with another effort as the frustration began to surface among home fans.

At least Price was hustling for everything and got the crowd going when he blocked three attempted clearances from centre half Sean Hessey. But the big Welshman spoiled a promising three-man break with a poor pass behind Leon Osborne.

Accrington were knocking the ball about but it was a poor spectacle as City struggled to get into gear – and it could have got a lot worse when Pidgeley fluffed a throw-in from Richard Eckersley.

The ball spun towards the unguarded net but the keeper just managed to hack away in time as Gornell closed in for a tap-in.

There was no craft or composure to City’s play, nor any threat, and the supporters broke into a chant for Daley as half-time approached. At least Eckersley tried to change things with a burst into the box but the on-loan right back could not control Price’s exchange pass.

Gornell again carved his way into the City box before Eckersley slid in to concede Accrington’s first corner. The home side saw that off comfortably but could not avoid the boos that greeted the half-time whistle.

It was a 45 minutes that had harked back to the bad days of early season and there had been nothing at all to cheer the frozen supporters.

But the mood for the restart was far more upbeat as Daley appeared for Osborne. The winger had not been in it in the first half – although that charge could be levelled at quite a few.

The teams traded early corners but City still had a tendency to sit too deep, allowing Accrington the space to get men forward. The volume briefly increased as Doherty ran on to Lee Hendrie’s clever backheel but again Dunbavin’s goal remained untroubled.

City screamed for a penalty as Price claimed he was hindered from Hanson’s knockdown. The striker bundled into Dunbavin, leaving the one-time Halifax stopper requiring treatment.

The Bantams had another spot-kick shout ignored from their next attack – but were not complaining this time as Price broke his scoring duck for the club.

Price initially got his head to O’Brien’s cross on the edge of the box. It broke into the danger zone where Dunbavin shoved Hanson out the way. The crowd were still bawling for a foul as Price kept a cool head to slot the loose ball into the net.

There was a certain irony as Accrington angrily crowded round the referee, claiming that play should have been stopped – remember the Wycombe winner ten days earlier?

City were rejuvenated and Pidgeley’s first-time punt looked to get Hanson clear, only to be knocked over by Kevin Long. The defender was slightly fortunate to get only a yellow card before Daley wasted the free-kick.

If that was the bad side of the Jamaican, he quickly demonstrated the good with a tricky run which dumped one defender on his backside and bamboozled another before hitting the side-netting.

And then there was the ugly with a late clip on Edwards which earned Daley City’s first booking.

Hendrie and Jimmy Ryan squared up, while Accrington’s intentions became clear with a time-wasting episode as Long received treatment in the goalmouth.

Now it was Stanley who looked the more ragged outfit and Rob Kiernan nearly had an unexpected second goal when a panicky clearance from an O’Brien corner struck him and rebounded menacingly close.

Pidgeley came racing out to thwart a rare Accrington counter and was well out of his goal when his kick was picked up by Edwards on halfway. The defender’s attempt to repeat Gary Roberts’ wonder strike for Rotherham from the same spot almost a year ago only produced a sideways slice.

As City pressed, Hanson rose to meet Hendrie’s corner but Putterill made a vital block in front of the post. It was Hendrie’s last involvement as he followed Price off in a late double switch for Robbie Threlfall and Gareth Evans.

Five minutes of stoppage time offered the opportunity for a late winner and Eckersley almost provided it with a side-foot which Dunbavin smothered at his near post. Attendance: 10,392