MCCALL’S MEN BLUNT HOTSHOTS
STUART McCall was ecstatic to see his Bradford side come up with the answers to repel freescoring Rotherham.
Romain Vincelot’s first-half header gave the Bantams a narrow win in a feisty Yorkshire derby and saw them extend an impressive start to the season that has seen them lose just one league game.
They had to defend stoutly to earn the three points though as they shut out a side that had scored eight goals in their previous two games.
McCall said: “There are lots of different ways to win football games.
“This time, we have had to be resolute.
“We knew we would have had to defend well, you look at their team, they have good players, they’re in good form, free-scoring, so to get a clean sheet was pleasing.
“We have had to compete for the first ball, then the second one and get blocks on the third one.
“We started the game really well and that is where we won it with a great bit of quality.
“Last season when we were on top in games we didn’t score, but here we managed to get the goal. It was a determined display and a whole team effort.
“It was a fantastic three points against a really strong team.
“They asked us a lot of ques “Bradford tions and luckily we had the answers.”
Vincelot settled the game with his header from Tony McMahon’s cross midway through the first half, coming when he was left criminally unmarked eight yards out.
Rotherham were not at the level which saw them hammer Walsall 5-1 in midweek but they had enough chances to get back into the game.
Jon Taylor wasted two opportunities when he was through on goal, the second was heroically cleared off the line by Matt Kilgallon, while Lee Frecklington and Kieffer Moore were also denied.
And boss Paul Warne reckons his side were worthy of a draw as they saw a threegame winning run ended.
“Any defeat is frustrating but I thought we did enough for a point – I didn’t think there was much between the two teams,” he said.
“We just needed the ball to drop to us. Overall I am disappointed not to take a point.
defended really well, we had wave upon wave of balls into the box and they got their head on everything. It just wasn’t our day.
“If we had come here and lost and been outplayed it would have been a bigger blow but I am proud of how we played.
“I give kudos to Bradford, I thought they defended really well and I thought their keeper was really good. “We just didn’t defend one cross and we have
suffered from it.”