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Colbeck hits Darlo where it hurts
7:22pm Sunday 30th March 2008
Darlington 1 City 3
Joe Colbeck was left grinning through the pain after showing Darlington the player they had helped turn him into.
City's lightning-quick winger has been bang on form in recent weeks - and was desperate to emphasise that in the north-east.
Having credited his loan spell with Darlo as the quick fix his career had needed, Colbeck aimed to make his mark.
He did that all right - and the rest. The stud marks around a rather sensitive part of his anatomy illustrated the home side's frustration at their failure to halt him.
Richie Foran was rightly red-carded for inflicting that wound but it was nowhere near as deep as the hurt that Colbeck had caused Darlington's promotion chances.
He had joked beforehand that Dave Penney's side would try to nobble him with a big tackle inside the first ten minutes. The comments were even pinned up in the home dressing room.
The retribution actually took 82 minutes in arriving - by which time City were cruising to another three away points.
Darlington's success this season still cannot bring in the crowds. Only 4,492 turned out, including over a thousand from Bradford, and that was still one of the Arena's bigger attendances.
No wonder there are plans afoot for a £12m hotel complex to bring in more bodies. I'm not sure about the idea of a ski-slope though; mud-wrestling would be more appropriate judging by the quagmire pitch.
But not even the boggy conditions could hold up Colbeck or his team-mates, who turned in as good a second-half performance as any this season.
Faced with such a surface, the easy option would have been to play direct and lump it long but City passed and passed; getting the ball down on the deck and looking to play their way round the home side.
The quality of their efforts drew grudging admiration from the home fans. When Colbeck gingerly left the action, it was not only the City supporters who stood to give him a rousing send-off.
City's first appearance in the top half of the table since September will have raised a cheer and a groan in the board room.
While Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes no doubt relished watching one of League Two's big boys getting turned over, it also means the joint-chairmen now have to cough up bonus payments based on positions.
"I think Mr Rhodes and Mr Lawn will be pulling their hair out!" laughed a delighted Stuart McCall.
"But we don't want the season to just peter out. Whatever position we are, there are always things to play for.
"We've got a lot out there playing for their futures and when you get a backing like our fans away from home then you want to reward them.
"I've been pumped up for the game all week and I think you could see that the players were. And it's nice when you get the merits from such a good performance."
Darlington's problems had begun even before kick-off.
Already missing injured strikers Pawel Abbott and Tommy Wright, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu had to drop out from facing his recent team-mates after straining an Achilles during the warm-up.
But they were given a huge helping hand with a penalty gift after 11 minutes.
Darlington's first corner whipped off a scrum of heads and skidded up against Barry Conlon defending the back post. The contact with his hand, if any, must have been minimal but referee Darren Drysdale had a little think and then pointed to the spot.
Drysdale, as nobody needs reminding, is the guy you don't upset in the car park. Just ask Dean Windass.
And he wasted little time upsetting the entire City side and their fans behind the goal by awarding the penalty which Clark Keltie confidently fired home.
City's play did not seem unduly fazed by the early setback, although Darlington had more of the first-half chances. Alan White, Keltie and on-loan Doncaster winger Craig Nelthorpe were all close as Scott Loach looked a bit out of sorts.
But the Bantams had a great chance to level right before the break as Conlon did well to retrieve Paul Heckingbottom's throw-in and cut it back from the byline. David Wetherall was the furthest forward and stretched out with his left boot but could not keep the shot down.
It was a warning sign to Darlington and McCall's mood at half-time was upbeat despite the scoreline.
He said: "The belief was still there at half-time. There was nothing between the sides and I knew we could come back.
"But I told the lads not just to be happy with getting a point. I wanted to see if we could go back out there and win the game."
His team's response arrived within four minutes of kicking off.
Heckingbottom's long pass out of defence was superbly cushioned by Conlon, who laid it off to Peter Thorne. The striker's low cross was stepped over by Kyle Nix as it ran through for Tom Penford to control and whip in the first senior goal of his career.
It had been six years in coming but well worth the wait. Once again the coltish playmaker was pushing his credentials for another new contract - and hopefully a long overdue change of luck.
McCall's jig of delight on the touchline showed what he thought. But the manager's enthusiasm was clear by the way he spent the entire 90 minutes stood out in the teeming rain in his technical area - no Steve McClaren-style brolly for him!
Nelthorpe's miscontrol in the box denied Darlington an immediate comeback before Thorne almost fired City in front, latching on to Nix's flick-on but firing straight at the advancing David Stockdale.
If anything, the weather and pitch were getting worse. But nothing was going to dampen City's spirits as they grabbed the lead just after an hour.
The goal was similar to the one they had conceded a week before at Rotherham. Heckingbottom's free-kick from the halfway line soared deep into the penalty area and Conlon popped up above the crowd to steer it across the keeper and inside the far post.
For Conlon, who had two previous spells with Darlington, it was a sweet moment. Made all the better because he was stood on almost the same spot on the pitch where he had conceded the penalty.
Darlo launched a brief reprisal and were nearly thrown a lifeline when Penford's attempted clearance sliced Rob Purdie's cross against his own bar.
But City wrapped it up with 11 minutes left, and fittingly it was Colbeck who applied the coup de grace.
Again it was a Heckingbottom clearance that got things rolling. Conlon was the target and as the ball dropped just outside the box, there was Colbeck bustling through to seize control and fire his second goal in a week confidently into the bottom corner.
Darlington had recovered two-goal deficits in both their previous home games but there was no way back this time, especially when hot-headed Foran left them a man short in the closing stages.
The good news is that Colbeck, after singing like a Beegee for a few minutes, is fine. And hopefully ready to deliver an encore at Rochdale on Tuesday night.
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Your Say YourBradford
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
11:54pm Mon 31 Mar 08
skippy wrote:Of course not Skippy. That would make you sound less pessimistic and we couldn't do with that could we?
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
No praise for the Management for the team and tactics at the weekend? No surprise there either!
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
11:54pm Mon 31 Mar 08
skippy wrote:Of course not Skippy. That would make you sound less pessimistic and we couldn't do with that could we?
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
No praise for the Management for the team and tactics at the weekend? No surprise there either!
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
11:54pm Mon 31 Mar 08
skippy wrote:Of course not Skippy. That would make you sound less pessimistic and we couldn't do with that could we?
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
No praise for the Management for the team and tactics at the weekend? No surprise there either!
skippy, says...
2:02pm Mon 31 Mar 08
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
skippy, says...
2:02pm Mon 31 Mar 08
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
skippy, says...
2:02pm Mon 31 Mar 08
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
skippy, says...
2:02pm Mon 31 Mar 08
peter wrote:i think someone said there was too many fans at vp and it un-nerves the poor little things,good result though and i am not going to get carried away just yet.
ward64 wrote: Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer. We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
peter, skipton says...
1:35pm Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64 wrote:A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer.
Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?
We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
peter, skipton says...
1:35pm Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64 wrote:A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer.
Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?
We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
peter, skipton says...
1:35pm Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64 wrote:A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer.
Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?
We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
peter, skipton says...
1:35pm Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64 wrote:A lot of teams in this division are struggling at home (more away wins than home to date.) Everybody at these clubs would like to know the answer.
Great result and performance, saw the goals on TV. Pitch looked atrocious. One question though why can't they play like that at VP?
We are waiting for you to provide the answer. Have you got it please?
ward64, Tyersal says...
11:58am Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64, Tyersal says...
11:58am Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64, Tyersal says...
11:58am Mon 31 Mar 08
ward64, Tyersal says...
11:58am Mon 31 Mar 08
SpleenVentor, Bradford says...
8:30am Mon 31 Mar 08
SpleenVentor, Bradford says...
8:30am Mon 31 Mar 08
SpleenVentor, Bradford says...
8:30am Mon 31 Mar 08
SpleenVentor, Bradford says...
8:30am Mon 31 Mar 08
Bantam Forever, Bingley says...
8:18am Mon 31 Mar 08
Bantam Forever, Bingley says...
8:18am Mon 31 Mar 08
Bantam Forever, Bingley says...
8:18am Mon 31 Mar 08
Bantam Forever, Bingley says...
8:18am Mon 31 Mar 08
JM, Skipton says...
11:23pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:spot on mate! great performance, what an amazing atmosphere as well.
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
where's all the resident moaners lining up to tell us how stuart and wayne are clueless? it's all gone quiet!
fair play to the players and management for a great performance, i can't wait for Tuesday. people can say we're daft to dream of play off hopes now, but it feels like a long time since we can say we're playing a promotion 'six pointer' and i'm just looking forward to it regardless, should be another cracking atmosphere and, who knows, maybe another great win.
stuart mccall's bratfud army!!
JM, Skipton says...
11:23pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:spot on mate! great performance, what an amazing atmosphere as well.
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
where's all the resident moaners lining up to tell us how stuart and wayne are clueless? it's all gone quiet!
fair play to the players and management for a great performance, i can't wait for Tuesday. people can say we're daft to dream of play off hopes now, but it feels like a long time since we can say we're playing a promotion 'six pointer' and i'm just looking forward to it regardless, should be another cracking atmosphere and, who knows, maybe another great win.
stuart mccall's bratfud army!!
JM, Skipton says...
11:23pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:spot on mate! great performance, what an amazing atmosphere as well.
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
where's all the resident moaners lining up to tell us how stuart and wayne are clueless? it's all gone quiet!
fair play to the players and management for a great performance, i can't wait for Tuesday. people can say we're daft to dream of play off hopes now, but it feels like a long time since we can say we're playing a promotion 'six pointer' and i'm just looking forward to it regardless, should be another cracking atmosphere and, who knows, maybe another great win.
stuart mccall's bratfud army!!
JM, Skipton says...
11:23pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:spot on mate! great performance, what an amazing atmosphere as well.
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
where's all the resident moaners lining up to tell us how stuart and wayne are clueless? it's all gone quiet!
fair play to the players and management for a great performance, i can't wait for Tuesday. people can say we're daft to dream of play off hopes now, but it feels like a long time since we can say we're playing a promotion 'six pointer' and i'm just looking forward to it regardless, should be another cracking atmosphere and, who knows, maybe another great win.
stuart mccall's bratfud army!!
Bredon Bantam, Wrose says...
10:55pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Joe Colbeck was superb,Bazza what a workhorse! & Tom Penford who I have not been sold on continues to improve.
Lets seee if the hat-trick of wins can be achieved on Tuesday at Rochdale.
Onwards & Continuing Upwards !!
Bredon Bantam, Wrose says...
10:55pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Joe Colbeck was superb,Bazza what a workhorse! & Tom Penford who I have not been sold on continues to improve.
Lets seee if the hat-trick of wins can be achieved on Tuesday at Rochdale.
Onwards & Continuing Upwards !!
Bredon Bantam, Wrose says...
10:55pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Joe Colbeck was superb,Bazza what a workhorse! & Tom Penford who I have not been sold on continues to improve.
Lets seee if the hat-trick of wins can be achieved on Tuesday at Rochdale.
Onwards & Continuing Upwards !!
Bredon Bantam, Wrose says...
10:55pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Joe Colbeck was superb,Bazza what a workhorse! & Tom Penford who I have not been sold on continues to improve.
Lets seee if the hat-trick of wins can be achieved on Tuesday at Rochdale.
Onwards & Continuing Upwards !!
Geordie Bantam, Bratfud says...
10:09pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Superb from the boys and especially the fans (apart from the disgraceful idiots chanting conlon for ebay) we never stopped chanting all match!
Baz and Colbeck were the star men. I bet the idiots chanting against Big Baz feel like titends of the highest order. Well done Big Baz!
Onwards and upwards looking forward to Rochdale on Tuesday.
Geordie Bantam, Bratfud says...
10:09pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Superb from the boys and especially the fans (apart from the disgraceful idiots chanting conlon for ebay) we never stopped chanting all match!
Baz and Colbeck were the star men. I bet the idiots chanting against Big Baz feel like titends of the highest order. Well done Big Baz!
Onwards and upwards looking forward to Rochdale on Tuesday.
Geordie Bantam, Bratfud says...
10:09pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Superb from the boys and especially the fans (apart from the disgraceful idiots chanting conlon for ebay) we never stopped chanting all match!
Baz and Colbeck were the star men. I bet the idiots chanting against Big Baz feel like titends of the highest order. Well done Big Baz!
Onwards and upwards looking forward to Rochdale on Tuesday.
Geordie Bantam, Bratfud says...
10:09pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Superb from the boys and especially the fans (apart from the disgraceful idiots chanting conlon for ebay) we never stopped chanting all match!
Baz and Colbeck were the star men. I bet the idiots chanting against Big Baz feel like titends of the highest order. Well done Big Baz!
Onwards and upwards looking forward to Rochdale on Tuesday.
emj, says...
8:58pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Stuart has come under some fire this season, people forget he is on a learning curve himself.
Hopefully Stuart is getting the hang of management and ready to mount a challenge next year.
emj, says...
8:58pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Stuart has come under some fire this season, people forget he is on a learning curve himself.
Hopefully Stuart is getting the hang of management and ready to mount a challenge next year.
emj, says...
8:58pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Stuart has come under some fire this season, people forget he is on a learning curve himself.
Hopefully Stuart is getting the hang of management and ready to mount a challenge next year.
emj, says...
8:58pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Stuart has come under some fire this season, people forget he is on a learning curve himself.
Hopefully Stuart is getting the hang of management and ready to mount a challenge next year.
Big Man, Wetherby says...
8:16pm Sun 30 Mar 08
If we win all of our remaining games we WILL be in the playoffs but we've not won 3 in a row all season have we so can't really see it happening.
Fingers crossed though.
Big Man, Wetherby says...
8:16pm Sun 30 Mar 08
If we win all of our remaining games we WILL be in the playoffs but we've not won 3 in a row all season have we so can't really see it happening.
Fingers crossed though.
Big Man, Wetherby says...
8:16pm Sun 30 Mar 08
If we win all of our remaining games we WILL be in the playoffs but we've not won 3 in a row all season have we so can't really see it happening.
Fingers crossed though.
Big Man, Wetherby says...
8:16pm Sun 30 Mar 08
If we win all of our remaining games we WILL be in the playoffs but we've not won 3 in a row all season have we so can't really see it happening.
Fingers crossed though.
andy, bradford says...
7:54pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76 wrote:hopefully with out a doubt?
had we played like this for much of the season we would have been fighting for promotion with out a shadow of a doubt in my mind but i hope we can continue playing like this till end of season and who knows we still have an outside chance of playoffs anyone remember our last surge when with about 7 or 8 games to go we were i think 9 pts behind chesterfield and went on a run which ended with the unforgetable trip to wembley where we dis posed of notts county wonder if we can do the same again.
andy, bradford says...
7:54pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76 wrote:hopefully with out a doubt?
had we played like this for much of the season we would have been fighting for promotion with out a shadow of a doubt in my mind but i hope we can continue playing like this till end of season and who knows we still have an outside chance of playoffs anyone remember our last surge when with about 7 or 8 games to go we were i think 9 pts behind chesterfield and went on a run which ended with the unforgetable trip to wembley where we dis posed of notts county wonder if we can do the same again.
andy, bradford says...
7:54pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76 wrote:hopefully with out a doubt?
had we played like this for much of the season we would have been fighting for promotion with out a shadow of a doubt in my mind but i hope we can continue playing like this till end of season and who knows we still have an outside chance of playoffs anyone remember our last surge when with about 7 or 8 games to go we were i think 9 pts behind chesterfield and went on a run which ended with the unforgetable trip to wembley where we dis posed of notts county wonder if we can do the same again.
andy, bradford says...
7:54pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76 wrote:hopefully with out a doubt?
had we played like this for much of the season we would have been fighting for promotion with out a shadow of a doubt in my mind but i hope we can continue playing like this till end of season and who knows we still have an outside chance of playoffs anyone remember our last surge when with about 7 or 8 games to go we were i think 9 pts behind chesterfield and went on a run which ended with the unforgetable trip to wembley where we dis posed of notts county wonder if we can do the same again.
ricky76, barrowford nr burnley says...
7:50pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76, barrowford nr burnley says...
7:50pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76, barrowford nr burnley says...
7:50pm Sun 30 Mar 08
ricky76, barrowford nr burnley says...
7:50pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy, bradford says...
7:43pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:PENFORD????
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
andy, bradford says...
7:43pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:PENFORD????
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
andy, bradford says...
7:43pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:PENFORD????
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
andy, bradford says...
7:43pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy wrote:PENFORD????
up with the city to all you doubters just look who the goal scorers are? PENFOED,CONLON,AND COLBECK.em all these players have been knocked by the negative fans if we play like this till the end off the season then we will be in the play offs without a doubt?
andy, bradford says...
7:42pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy, bradford says...
7:42pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy, bradford says...
7:42pm Sun 30 Mar 08
andy, bradford says...
7:42pm Sun 30 Mar 08
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Joe Colbeck milks the applause after making it 3-1
Colbeck finishes clinically past David Stockdale
Waynus, Bradford 6 says...
11:54pm Mon 31 Mar 08
No praise for the Management for the team and tactics at the weekend? No surprise there either!