7:10am Saturday 28th August 2010
By Simon Parker
Bradford City 0 Southend 2
Nothing is won or lost in the first month of the season. But a third defeat in the opening four league games last night has left City with ground to make up already.
On this evidence, the fresh hope that greets the start of every new campaign is evaporating fast among the hard-bitten Valley Parade faithful.
Southend did not look like a side without an away victory since December. Equally, City were not a patch on the team that had run Championship opposition so close three days earlier.
And certainly not a side tipped as promotion contenders by so many.
Peter Taylor called for patience before the campaign began because the players will take time to gel. We’re only three weeks in but the fans have a right to be concerned.
Paul Sturrock has had to totally rip it up and start again with Southend, hurrying in 17 new faces to replace the 13 who left following relegation.
But still there was a familiarity about their play which was noticeably absent with the lacklustre hosts. City played like a bunch of strangers.
After making five changes in midweek, Taylor had restricted it to three against his home-town club. One of the returning players, Lee Bullock, took over the captain’s armband – the fourth to do so already.
City kicked off as a 4-4-2, with Louis Moult on left-wing duty and Omar Daley on the right. But the Jamaican was soon switching sides, with Moult floating between midfield and creating a three-man attack.
Luke Oliver and Steve Williams kept out Shane Duff in the centre of defence and Oliver was called upon straight away to make a timely penalty-box interception from winger Josh Simpson.
Anthony Grant tried an ambitious long-ranger before City’s first moment of quality, Tommy Doherty feeding the ball into the path of James Hanson, who screwed his cross-shot wide.
Gareth Evans was booked for a foul on Craig Easton and City were relieved to see centre half Bilel Mohsni slip as he looked to get on the end of the free-kick.
“Bucket and Spade FC” read one of the travelling Southend flags but City had dug themselves into a hole after 16 minutes.
Luke O’Brien nodded away Ryan Hall’s cross but nobody in an amber shirt reacted to the loose ball as it dropped just outside the box. Grant was allowed to hook it back into the danger area where Barry Corr had space to clip over Jon McLaughlin almost in slow motion.
It was another poor goal to concede and punctured the goodwill built up by the Carling Cup display.
Evans offered a quick response before City were fortunate to escape further punishment.
The defence opened up again as Easton found an unmarked Simpson in the corner of the box. It should have been two but the ball whistled the wrong side of the far post.
City’s frustration was growing and Bullock’s name went into referee Paul Tierney’s book.
Mohsni missed an open goal from the resulting free-kick – and wasn’t to know that the flag was up for offside.
Bullock tried to lift things with a determined run through two tackles along the touchline but the visitors continued to look the more measured and confident side.
Moshni seemed to be at the heart of everything and was back in his own six-yard box with an important diving clearance as O’Brien drilled the cross in.
Hanson’s attempt to play in Moult hit the back of Chris Barker’s heel and rolled straight to keeper Glenn Morris. Then Moult ran the ball straight into Mohsni; it was becoming that sort of night for the Bantams.
Taylor had wanted more of the same from the stirring efforts against Preston. Instead, it was the stodginess of Stevenage – only this time City had a goal to retrieve.
City were defending too deep and not pushing up quickly enough. There was little shape or momentum about their play.
Southend, on the other hand, were afforded time and space in possession to dictate at will.
Twice Grant had enough time on the ball in midfield to virtually stop it and walk forward. In contrast, Doherty’s misplaced pass was knocked straight into touch by a stretching Evans.
The mistakes continued to add up and City failed to cope when Sean Clohessy swung a cross deep into the box. McLaughlin punched it off Corr’s head but the ball landed for Hall to thrash into the side-netting.
Southend were finding it a cruise and the fans made their feelings clear as Tierney’s whistle brought a miserable first half to an end. The chant of “Taylor, Taylor, sort it out” from the TL Dallas Stand said it all.
The City chief attempted to do exactly that by making all three changes at the break as he had done successfully against Nottingham Forest.
David Syers replaced Bullock, Robbie Threlfall came on for Moult and Jake Speight for Hanson.
Threlfall’s arrival meant O’Brien pushed forward into left of midfield, Syers went into the middle and Speight partnered Evans up front.
The switch almost brought an immediate reward as Threlfall lofted a free-kick to the far post, where Oliver rose to nod over keeper Glenn Morris – and the Southend bar.
At least the crowd were back onside and Speight raised the volume with a surge from defence which was cut down illegally by Easton on halfway.
But hopes of a revival proved hopelessly premature as Southend grabbed a second on 54 minutes.
Clohessy hung a deep ball across the box, it was knocked back to Grant and he fired into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
City were stunned and could have been three down seconds later when Corr glanced a header narrowly wide. It was getting away from them. Speight looked the only source of a comeback and tried to barrel his way through. Then Evans stuck out a foot to force Morris into a routine first save of the night.
But there was no real hint that a recovery was on the cards and the fans could sense it.
Speight again caused a flutter in the Southend ranks before laying off to O’Brien but the shot was charged down.
Southend were reduced to ten men with 14 minutes left when right back Clohessy, already on a yellow card, hauled down O’Brien. But it had little effect on the outcome.
Evans thrashed wide from close range from a City corner but Morris had not been tested all game.
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