Saturday 9 December 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 4 (Kilgallon 8, Wyke 40, Poleon 42, Robinson 78)
Rochdale 3 (Henderson 41, 45+2, Davies 75)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance: 19,621 (501 visitors)
The Bantams battled their way to a memorable and entertaining victory over Rochdale following a seven-goal thriller at a wintry Northern Commercials Stadium.
Icey conditions and the odd snow shower couldn't prevent plenty of attacking football on show from both sides during a topsy-turvy pre-Christmas cracker that ebbed and flowed throughout.
Following a bright start to the contest by Stuart McCall's men, Matthew Kilgallon netted from close range to give City an eighth-minute lead.
Against the run of play, Dale nearly had a way back into the game but Rouven Sattelmaier superbly saved Ian Henderson's penalty just six minutes later.
Rochdale seemed to grow in confidence as the first half wore on, but City were denied just past the half hour mark when Dominic Poleon saw a shot blocked by Josh Lillis after a one-on-one situation with the Dale 'keeper.
The game then burst into life towards the end of the first half with four goals in the final seven minutes before the interval.
After twice going close earlier in the half, Charlie Wyke doubled City's lead with a looping header over Lillis from a Tony McMahon free-kick.
Rochdale quickly responded, however, when a deflected drive from Callum Camps fell nicely into the path of Henderson inside the box less than a minute later and the Dale skipper finished neatly past Sattelmaier.
Amazingly, City came back once gain. The recalled Poleon fired past Lillis with a close range volley following Gilliead's near post cross less than sixty seconds later.
Despite all the action that had gone before, there was still time in the half for Henderson and Rochdale to net their second of the afternoon in injury time ahead of the break.
Calvin Andrew's headed flick-on landed into the path of Henderson and Dale's number 40 fizzed a fierce half-volley into the corner from inside the box.
Dale started the second period strongly but Lillis was required to make another important one-on-one save after Gilliead was played into space in behind the visitors' defence.
With the game evenly-poised as the half progressed, both sides kept looking for goals and it was the Lancashire side who crawled themselves level through a familar old face.
Having entered the field just a minute or so earlier, former Bantams striker Steven Davies fired past Sattelmaier by his near post with a low strike from inside the box.
At that stage the momentum looked like it was with Rochdale, but City incredibly turned the tide back in their favour barely three minutes later.
Wyke played Tyrell Robinson in behind Dale's defences and the youngster, who had just moved up into a left-wing position after starting the game at full back, rounded the on-rushing Lillis before slipping the ball into an unguarded goal.
Dale pushed for another goal and a late leveller as the minutes ticked on in an action-packed match, while City looked to play out time towards the end of game.
Kgosi Ntlhe squandered one decent chance, sending a downward header straight at Sattelmaier after being picked out in space by Camps' cross.
With Adam Thompson, Luke Hendrie and Jacob Hanson all on the pitch following second half substitutions, City successfully saw out the game, though, to make it three league wins from four for the Bantams.
FT: Bradford City 4 Rochdale 3
90+5min: Henderson's looping header from Daniels' ball into the box is easily held by Sattelmaier.
90+4min: Davies' driven ball into the box eventually drops into the path of Rathbone just inside the box but the midfielder volleys over.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: YELLOW CARD - Rathbone is booked for catching Hendrie late in the air a few yards inside the Dale half.
87min: SUB - Hanson does indeed come on but it is actually for Robinson.
85min: It looks for a second like Jacob Hanson will replace Taylor. The board goes up with Taylor's number on it but it seems City have changed their minds and the sub ends up not taking place after all.
84min: Camps' hanging cross towards the far post finds an unmarked Ntlhe but the left back's downward header is straight at Sattlemaier.
81min: YELLOW CARD - Vincelot is booked for bringing down Rathbone just insider City's half as Rochdale looked to burst forward.
78min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 4 Rochdale 3 - Robinson gives City the lead once again! Wyke's well-timed pass plays Robinson through on goal and the speedster nips the ball past the on-rushing Lillis before firing into an unguarded goal!
77min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Adam Thompson for Law.
75min: GOAL - Bradford City 3 Rochdale 3 - Davies fires Dale level with one of his first touches of the ball after coming on. The former Bantams striker works his way into a shooting opportunity inside the box and his low drive flashes past Sattlemaier at his near post.
74min: SUB - Rochdale bring on Steven Davies for Done.
70min: Henderson's fizzing ball into the six yard box is narrowly out of the reach of the sliding Done in the middle.
67min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Luke Hendrie for Poleon.
59min: SUB - Rochdale bring on Andy Cannon for Rafferty.
56min: Taylor twists and turns into shooting space but his drive from just outside the box is straight at Lillis.
54min: Important save from Lillis! Wyke sends Gilliead free into space inside Dale's half as City break forward on the counter-attack. As Gilliead bursts into the box, he shoots for goal but his drive from an angle to pushed away by Lillis.
48min: Camps' driven corner into the box is headed up into the air by Taylor, Ntlhe is first onto the ball but his looping header drops onto the roof of the net.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT SUB - Rochdale bring on Jordan Williams for McNulty just before the start of the second period.
HT: Bradford City 3 Rochdale 2
45+2min: GOAL - Bradford City 3 Rochdale 2 - Henderson nets again for Rochdale when he fires a thumping drive on the half-volley past Sattelmaier from inside the box following Andrew's headed flick-on.
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first period.
42min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 3 Rochdale 1 - Poleon restores City's two-goal lead! Gilliead's cross into the box finds Poleon by the near post and the striker crashes a close range volley past Lillis!
41min: GOAL - Bradford City 2 Rochdale 1 - Dale pull a goal back almost straight after Wyke's header. Camps' shot from outside the box deflects nicely into the path of Henderson and the visiting skipper finishes neatly past Sattlemaier from inside the area.
40min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Rochdale 0 - Wyke doubles City's lead! From McMahon's free-kick into box, Wyke rises highest and striker sends a looping header over Lillis that drops into the goal via the underside of the bar!
37min: Rafferty is first to a loose ball but his first time drive from outside City's area curls comfortably wide.
36min: A well-timed run from Matt Done looks to have played the attacker in with a clear charge into City's penalty area but Robinson shows tremendous pace to get back and make the recovery tackle.
34min: Callum Camps' fierce drive from outside the box is held by Sattelmaier.
34min: Taylor turns away from Joe Rafferty before curling in a strike from just outside the box that is gathered up by Lillis.
31min: Poleon denied! Wyke's through-ball plays his strike-partner in with a sight of goal. Poleon has only Lillis to beat but the 'keeper comes out quickly to the edge of his box to make the box. The ball then bounces off the recovering Donervon Daniels and out for a City corner.
24min: Taylor's pass out to Alex Gilliead gives the winger the chance to run at Jim McNulty inside the Rochdale penalty area. After moving into shooting space, Gilliead fires a low angled drive towards the far corner but the effort is repelled via a fine save from Lillis.
15min: Poleon's low drive from just inside the box is gathered up by Lillis.
14min: PENALTY SAVED! Henderson fires low to his left but Sattelmaier guesses right and thrusts out a hand to repel the spot-kick!
13min: PENALTY TO ROCHDALE - The visitors have a penalty. Henderson's ball across the box is parried by Rouven Sattelmaier. The German shot-stopper tries to gather up the loose ball but Oliver Rathbone is there a second earlier and the City 'keeper brings him down.
12min: McMahon's free-kick into the box from a wide free-kick on the right is headed comfortably wide by Wyke.
10min: A quick corner from Paul Taylor gives McMahon a sight of goal around the edge of the box. McMahon curls for goal but the effort is held at the second time by Lillis.
8min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Rochdale 0 - Kilgallon gives City the lead! McMahon's ball into the box from a free-kick is headed on by Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Kilgallon is there to slide home from close range.
7min: A spot of pinball in the Bantams box as they try to clear a Kgosi Ntlhe cross into the box.Andrew and Ian Henderson both try to get a shot in but Tyrell Robinson is eventually able to kick clear.
5min: Another decent chance for Wyke. McMahon's clipped ball into the box from a free-kick finds Matthew Kilgallon space. Kilgallon's header down into the mix finds Wyke in a pocket of space but the striker's first time effort on his left foot flashes just wide.
3min: Tony McMahon's cross into the middle is a testing one from the right. Rochdale 'keeper Josh Lillis comes to try and claim but he is caught out by the flight of the ball and Charlie Wyke heads over from a decent position deep inside the box. The appeal goes up the Wyke was nudged in the back by Calvin Andrew as he went to head the ball but nothing is given.
0min: Rochdale kick off the match. The Bantams will attack towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Sattelmaier, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Robinson, Gilliead, Law, Vincelot, Taylor, Poleon, Wyke
Subs: Raeder, Thompson, McCartan, Hanson, Hendrie, Gibson, Patrick
Bradford City substitutions:
Hendrie for Poleon (67), Thompson for Law (77), Hanson for Robinson (87)
Bradford City cautions:
Vincelot (81)
ROCHDALE LINE UP:
Lillis, Rafferty, McNulty, McGahey, Daniels, Ntlhe, Rathbone, Camps, Henderson, Done, Andrew
Subs: Moore, Slew, Williams, Inman, Davies, Cannon, Gillam
Rochdale substitutions:
Williams for McNulty (46), Cannon for Rafferty (59), Davies for Done (74)
Rochdale cautions:
Rathbone (88)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Darren Bond
Assistant Referee: Steven Meredith
Assistant Referee: Shaun Hudson
Fourth Official: Ricky Wootton