CITY 1 SOUTHEND 1

THIS was the first proper test of character for the Bantams as they aimed to bounce straight back from Saturday’s setback.

And the grumbles at the final whistle – as much as they were directed at infuriating referee Trevor Kettle – told the story of a night when City rarely came to the boil.

Stuart McCall’s side remain second but now Bolton and the division’s hottest side Sheffield United are breathing right down their necks.

It wasn’t the performance of a team flying so high and Southend made the long trip home feeling they probably should have taken all three points with them.

McCall’s reshuffled line-up should have underlined the strength in depth in his squad. But instead they served up an patchy display against a team who have struggled away from Essex.

McCall had called pretty much everyone’s bluff pre-match by talking up James Hanson’s chances of returning for a first start in seven games.

But the striker, who had scored against Southend in each of their three previous visits to Valley Parade, was on the bench when the team sheet appeared.

Both frontmen did make way from the weekend but instead it was Marc McNulty leading the line and Haris Vuckic in the “number ten” role behind him. McCall was possibly holding back Hanson for Sheffield United at the weekend – when it is unlikely McNulty will be available to face his parent club.

There was less surprise to see James Meredith missing because of his lower leg injury so Matt Kilgallon got his first league start at left back.

The other change in the back four saw Rory McArdle making a welcome comeback – a move that also freed Romain Vincelot to slip into central midfield.

That was something every fan had been waiting to see since his summer arrival. But it didn’t work out.

McArdle’s name was chorused within seconds of kick-off by the Kop and the defender almost had them roaring from City’s first corner. He climbed to flash a header across the Southend goal and just beyond the stretching Kilgallon at the far post.

Stephen Darby headed precariously close to his own goal from an Anthony Wordsworth free-kick and City had to be alert to a couple of quickly-taken Southend corners.

The visitors had not begun like a side that had let in 11 goals without reply in their three previous away games.

Southend’s travel troubles could be traced further than that – they had won only once away since beating Championship-bound Barnsley at Oakwell in March. But that was also in Yorkshire when they shocked Sheffield United 3-0.

So they clearly had a liking for the Broad Acres and were not put off by City’s daunting home record – far from it, in fact.

The Kop were doing their best to lift the home side but it was the small knot of travelling fans who enjoyed the early stages far more. Southend looked a yard quicker and nearly had a breakthrough when another hastily-taken free-kick found Simon Cox for a cross-shot that did not miss by much.

Colin Doyle smothered Jason Demetriou’s 25-yarder but it was Southend doing the same to City’s midfield.

McNulty had been starved of service for nearly half an hour until he was wrestled by Anton Ferdinand a yard outside the penalty area.

Vuckic’s bending free-kick from inside the D just eluded the post. But at least it acted as a spark as City finally woke up.

At last there was a bit more about them. Nicky Law drove into the box and cut back for Mark Marshall to slot home – only for an offside flag to halt his celebrations.

Law then combined with McNulty before sliding a drive wide and the pair were at it again to tee up Cullen, who was inches away from 20 yards.

The building momentum got its reward after 36 minutes with a first goal in City colours for McNulty.

Vuckic played a through ball which Adam Thompson looked favourite to cut out but the centre half slipped, allowing the Scot to break clear.

He still had plenty to do but showed great composure to run on and fire beneath Mark Oxley for the opener.

The cork was out the bottle and one could have become two straight away. Vuckic this time charged into the box where his shot pinged off Demetriou and McNulty got involved in the pinball with a deflected effort that just cleared the bar.

It was a world away from the early exchanges as the pattern of the game swung completely in City’s favour.

Little had been seen of the physical Nile Ranger but the controversial striker, whose number 50 seemed to match the number of last chances he had been given in his career, offered a timely warning soon after the restart.

He used his strength to hold off McArdle and get into the box for a shot which Doyle palmed away to his right.

But the warning was not heeded and Southend were level nine minutes in.

Ben Coker, making his 150th appearance for the club, crossed from the left and former Bantam Will Atkinson flicked on for Wordsworth to score with a stooping header from close range.

You could see what it meant to Southend as visiting boss Phil Brown encroached on the edge of the pitch in a celebration jig.

The pendulum swung with the goal and that early edginess was back in the crowd. The home mood was not aided by some baffling decisions from Kettle.

Southend now had a possible victory in their sights and Doyle was twice forced into action to save from Demetriou and Wordsworth’s 30-yard free-kick.

McCall threw on Hanson with Jordy Hiwula but City were on the back foot against blue shirts who were growing in confidence.

Darby nicked the ball off Ranger’s head at the far post and it broke for Cox to drill wide on the turn.

It was not a vintage night for Mark Marshall and that was summed up when Nathaniel Knight-Percival broke out of defence to release him with a superb angled pass.

The winger bore down on goal but then let himself down with a heavy touch inside the penalty area.

City’s pressure was getting more frenzied but the last chance of the night fell to Southend, Ranger sneaking in behind the defence to head down and wide from Wordsworth’s set-piece.