Ball rescues day of mixed emotions
THE first game in our Easter schedule got off to the worst possible starts for the vast majority of the travelling faithful, motorway closures meant a delayed kick off at the Horsfall Stadium. There were supporters arriving well after half time and I know of some who just turned round and went home.
Those that arrived late missed a brilliant first half performance from the boys in blue.
Jason Oswell struck in the seventh minute after some great play from Rhys Turner, while those that didn’t make it were spared the grief of us giving away a two-goal cushion only for the rapture of Jimmy Ball scoring so late in the game that there was no chance for a Bradford comeback.
The first half was blistering for County so much so that there was only one team in it, the home side had Steven Drench to thank as the keeper kept County’s lead down to 1-0 with a couple of point blank saves from our forward line. However, it was the same self Keeper that gifted Oswell with the easiest of chances at the start of the second half when he spilled the ball right on the goal line. If he hadn’t dropped it I think he would have carried it over the line himself.
We shot ourselves in the foot, twice, with some awful mistakes that let the home side right back into the game, their first due to our defence playing at statues as Vidal (one of six ex-county players in the BPA side) with all the time in the world to trap the ball, turn and shoot. The equaliser came after we lost the ball on the edge of their penalty box and a succession of missed tackles allowed a shot from distance.
It looked like we’d well and truly shot ourselves in the foot but deep, deep into stoppage time after a spell of County pressure, Jimmy Ball struck the sweetest volley as you’ll see all season and all three points came back over the Pennines.
There was a pitch invasion and we can’t condone such things but it was all very peaceful and good natured and no one got hurt and we finished the day in sixth place so I can’t really blame anyone for celebrating.
Hopefully if the Tamworth game goes ahead we’ll be even further up the table.