Rotherham United 1-2 Bradford City

by **BantamValley** Sun 7 Mar - 7:20:50

http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10266~1985717,00.html

Saturday 6 March 2010
Coca-Cola League 2
Rotherham United 1 (Le Fondre 90+2)
Bradford City 2 (Flynn 60, Hanson 90+3)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Don Valley Stadium

Attendance: 4185 (1023 visitors)

A truly unbelievable finish to proceedings at the Don Valley Stadium saw the Bantams snatch all three points in dramatic fashion.

Leading by one goal to nil going into second half injury time, the Bantams appeared to let victory slip from their grasp when Referee Haines spotted a handball by Steve Williams and awarded the Millers a late penalty.

Adam Le Fondre blasted the spotkick past Matt Glennon to seemingly rescue a point for the promotion chasing home side.

The Bantams didn't give up though and amazingly barely seconds later James Hanson clinched the match in memorable style as he headed home from a Simon Ramsden corner.

Michael Flynn had handed the Bantams the lead in the first place when he swept home from inside the area on the hour mark to cap a bright opening to the second period for City.

In truth, City had to ride their luck at times, especially during two goalmouth scrambles, but their performance was a lot more promising than at Aldershot four days ago.

0min: Rotherham get the match under way - here we go!

2min: Matthew Clarke and Tom Pope contest a hanging Kevin Ellison cross. The pair tangle and the ball pops free only yards from goal, but fortunately Adam Bolder is on hand to hook clear.

The home side have started slightly the brighter, with the early play mainly in the Bantams half.

7min: Nicky Law's fierce angled drive is smothered away by Matt Glennon at his near post.

9min: Michael Flynn fires over a superbly inviting cross towards Luke O'Brien at the near post. Any serious touch towards goal could have seen the Bantams number three open the scoring, but O'Brien unfortunately fails to make any real connection with the ball.

10min: Steve Williams is first to receive a James Hanson knock down inside the Rotherham area, instantly flicking the ball over the on rushing Pablo Mills in the process. Williams heads the bouncing ball goalwards, it loops over Andy Warrington and appears to be dropping in for a moment but finds the top of the net instead.

13min: Matthew Clarke knocks Simon Ramsden's corner down into the path of Hanson in the penalty area. Hanson swings a left boot at it from about ten yards, but can only fire over.

The Bantams are now a lot more involved in the match and have created some decent openings in the past few minutes.

19min: Williams heads straight at Warrington from a Lee Bullock cushioned pass.

21min: A combination of Ramsden and Glennon deny Kevin Ellison at the far post

22min: City survive a massive scramble inside their own penalty area. Flynn firstly denies Tom Pope on the line, before Nick Fenton then crashes another header against the crossbar. Pope tries for a third time for the Millers, but this time Bullock is on hand to head clear.

As the home side, Rotherham are enjoying more of the possession, but the Bantams are still holding their own as the match remains evenly poised.

After early chances for both sides, the match seems to have suffered a dip in play.

38min: Le Fondre and Williams chase after long Rotherham clearance as the ball bounces towards the Bantams area. Matt Glennon comes haring out of his goal to deal with the ball, but only succeeds in taking out the pair as the ball rolls out for a goal kick.

41min: Fenton is booked for a lunge on Flynn by the half way line.

45min: 1 minute of injury time to be added.

HT: Rotherham United 0 Bradford City 0
The match is still waiting for its first goal as referee Haines brings an end to the first period.

Rotherham have enjoyed most of the territorial possession and have looked threatening on brief occasions. The Bantams have defended well on the whole though and have had one or two chances of their own to score in this even contest.

46min: No substitutions by either side as the Bantams kick off the second period.

52min: Hanson's shot from the edge of the area is deflected wide.

55min: Flynn fires just wide of Warrington's far post from distance.

58min: Neat interplay from Hanson and O'Brien allows the latter a shooting chance on the Millers goal. O'Brien strikes with his weaker right foot and can only find Warrington's mid-drift.

60min: GOAL! Rotherham 0 Bradford 1 - On the hour mark, the Bantams get the goal their bright start to the second period has deserved.

Gareth Evans is on hand to play the ball across the area to Flynn, who from around 12 yards out is able to stroke the ball past Warrington and into the far corner.

61min: Pope receives a yellow card.

65min: Rotherham make their first substitution as Law is replaced by Marcus Marshall.

71min: The Millers make their second change as Jamie Green comes on for Gavin Gunning. Both Rotherham subs have been like-for-like swaps.

72min: Flynn tries his luck again, but his long range effort is deflected wide.

73min: Glennon is forced to scramble across his goal to ensure Ellison's teasing effort just trickles wide of his far post.

76min: Le Fondre's fierce shot is deflected away for a corner.

77min: From the resulting corner, City survive another mass scramble in their area. Sub Marshall has two headers cleared off the line in seconds by Robbie Threlfall and Flynn respectively. Mark Lynch then helps the ball back into the area only for an unmarked Marshall to head wide at the far post.

77min: Luke O'Brien's fizzing effort is deflected just wide of Warrington's near post.

80min: Rotherham make their third change as Pope leaves the field for Ryan Taylor.

80min: Luke O'Brien fires towards goal once more. His effort is palmed away by Warrington, but any waiting Bantam would surely have been able to tap home. Unfortunately for the visitors, no one is on hand and the Millers clear the ball.

87min: Marshall teases and turn Threlfall before firing in a low cross. Danny Harrison runs onto it but somehow fires over from only six yards out with the goal gapping.

Flynn has now retreated to a more central midfield role, leaving Hanson up front as the Bantams look to play out the match.

90min: 3 minutes to be played.

90 +1 min: Disaster for the Bantams as referee Haines spots a late handball from Williams.

90+2 min: GOAL Rotherham 1 Bradford 1 - Le Fondre fires the penalty past Glennon for a late equaliser.

90+3min GOAL! Rotherham 1 Bradford 2 ! - Unbelievably the Bantams respond! Hanson connects with a late, late Ramsden corner to send a looping header into the far corner and win the match for the Bantams!

FT: Rotherham United 1 Bradford City 2