Parkinson’s motorway mission works a treat for Bradford City (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Much-changed Bradford City team gain deserved point using ‘horses for courses’ approach to nullify Gills

6:40am Monday 28th November 2011 in Bantams By Simon Parker

Gillingham 0, City 0

The route to Gillingham in deepest Kent is a long one, as any of the 154 loyal travelling City fans will testify.

But the 500-or-so-mile round trip does provide plenty of thinking time – and Phil Parkinson used that to his full advantage to ensure the Bantams gleaned an unlikely but richly-deserved point from a trip that has usually produced nothing.

Parkinson’s scouting mission to Priestfield the previous Tuesday also enabled him to get away from the hurly-burly of City life for a few hours. Given the Paul Benson soap opera that unfolded over the following 48 hours, it was just as well.

So City’s game-plan and, more significantly, the make-up of the side was formulated while tackling the delights of the M1 and M25.

And all Parkinson’s plans pretty much worked a treat. Less a case of road to perdition and more one to redemption after the second-half rollover against Rotherham a week earlier.

Parkinson’s team selections have stirred as many pub arguments as those of Peter Taylor. The charge for City’s lack of consistent performances is laid at the manager’s door for not fielding the same line-up twice.

But Parkinson can point to circumstances forcing his hand to a degree. Saturday, at last, he could just about choose who he wanted.

Andrew Davies was finally available again after his month in ‘clink’; Simon Ramsden was back to fitness once again. Experience and know-how were at Parkinson’s beck and call – and how it showed.

Five names had changed from the 11 who started against the Millers. Barring perhaps the recovering David Syers, it looked as powerful a line-up as City could field.

Steve Williams and Luke O’Brien, two of the previous week’s back four, were axed completely. Williams and Jack Compton, whose attitude at being left out did not go down well with his boss, were not even on the bus.

O’Brien at least made the game but had to sit it out with Ritchie Jones. His absence suggests the club’s longest-serving player is facing an uncertain future.

Already behind Robbie Threlfall in the pecking order, O’Brien was dropped by Parkinson to accommodate the right-footed Marcel Seip at left back.

Parkinson insisted it was a “horses for courses” move after identifying the height of Frank Nouble on the right wing as a major source of Gillingham danger.

Watching them beat Bournemouth, he had noticed how keeper Ross Flitney often targeted the West Ham loanee with his goal-kicks and felt Seip’s physical presence would be a more effective antidote.

But there was no escaping the feeling that O’Brien may have blown his chance to impress in Threlfall’s injured absence.

Parkinson said: “We didn’t defend well last week for 20 minutes and any manager has got the right to make changes.

“We also felt we needed to combat Gillingham’s physicality on the right-hand side. Marcel is not natural there but he did well.

“OB had got back in the team and, to be fair to him, had a few good games. But his form has dipped over the past couple of weeks. He was watching the game and I’m sure he’ll look at this and come back stronger.”

Compton voiced his frustration on Twitter at being axed after setting up the first goal the week before. Parkinson left him home because he thought the winger’s attitude was not conducive to the group on an overnight stay.

His loan from Falkirk runs out next month and it seems very doubtful that Parkinson, who did not bring him in, will be extending it. Compton is likely to be one of the casualties in a hectic transfer window.

Kyel Reid had attracted criticism after going slightly off the boil in recent weeks but he remains City’s chief attacking threat. His return to the ranks provided a fruitful outlet.

City had lost five of the last six visits to Gillingham, the one exception being the Omar Daley masterclass for Stuart McCall in January 2009 just before the wheels came off that season.

Reid, the winger recruited to fill the enigmatic Jamaican’s boots, went as close as anyone to repeating that trick.

Right back Matt Lawrence was always in trouble once he’d dived in and picked up an early yellow card. He could not hope to match Reid’s pace and now had to drop off even deeper, allowing the City man room to weave his magic.

Reid delivered the cross of the game after 27 minutes and it should have earned a City breakthrough. But James Hanson’s header was instinctively blocked by Flitney before the big striker bludgeoned the rebound over the bar.

It was a big miss and added further ammunition for the Hanson knockers. But his general all-round contribution was impressive, leading the line with an added edge which Parkinson put down to the “Benson factor”.

With his boss actively shopping around for a new targetman, Hanson’s display suggested “I’ll show you”. He has to keep following it up.

Ross Hannah battled gamely up front with the big man without getting a real sniff of goal himself. But City were asking plenty of questions of an uncomfortable home defence.

Their own back four, marshalled by Davies, stood strong throughout. Jo Kuffour clipped the post in the opening minute but the only other first-half scare came from a criminally-underhit backpass by Gills old boy Michael Flynn – again Davies was there in the nick of time.

Alongside Flynn, man of the match Ricky Ravenhill showed the benefits of having a week to train properly with his new team-mates. He would pounce on any loose ball, put in a string of tackles and was not far off a goal himself with a volley just wide from a corner.

Nahki Wells did have the ball in the Gillingham net from a Reid cross-shot but was judged offside. On first glance, it looked the correct call if marginal.

City’s effort deserved some reward and the slice of fortune they got in the stoppage-time scramble when Gillingham seemed certain to score.

Jack Payne and Curtis Weston both should have netted in a blur of chances but Seip hacked off the line and City’s goal stayed intact. To lose then would have been a travesty.

Gillingham’s frustration was articulated in a foul way by one fan after the final whistle. Parkinson had been getting stick all afternoon from the home stand but took exception and had to be pulled away by a steward.

He said: “You always get abuse everywhere you go as an opposition manager. But the language he used towards me was unacceptable and I told him that.

“He had young kids sat round him and probably his own sons and it was a bad example to set using language like that.”

The ‘glass half empty’ crew will no doubt argue that City have gone four away games without a league goal and the point was only their fifth on the road from a possible 30.

But, like the last stalemate at Swindon, this was a gritty result against a team strong at home and going well.

Now it’s about backing that up, something City have struggled to do all season. Prove that long road does not lead into another cul-de-sac.

Attendance: 7,074