On-song Williams delights boss Phil
BRADFORD City boss Phil Parkinson singled out Ben Williams as his saviour after the goalkeeper’s stunning late save secured a point at in-form Millwall.
A largely scrappy game sprung into life 16 minutes from time when Shaun Williams’ goalbound strike from the edge of the area was tipped sharply over the crossbar by the Bantams keeper.
The gloveman had been a virtual spectator up until that point, as had opposite number Jordan Archer in a clash that rarely succeeded in capturing the imagination.
But that stop proved to be a decisive moment and ensured the Yorkshire outfit left the Den and headed back north with a share of the spoils.
Parkinson said: “I’m pleased with a point but you always want three.
“We asked the players to show resilience and determination.
“We had to do that and we did it. We’ve restricted them to very little.
“Ben Williams has had to make a very good save in the second half but apart from that probably just our final ball let us down.
“We got into some great crossing positions and didn’t quite produce that bit of quality you need, but all in all we are going back up the motorway with a well-earned point.”
Williams’ attempt aside, Millwall struggled to create much in terms of opportunities as Bradford’s defence stood firm.
The visitors saw a penalty claim ignored midway through the first half after Devante Cole went to ground under a challenge from Tony Craig.
Lions defender Carlos Edwards almost broke the deadlock in the seven minutes later when he burst forward before firing over the bar.
But despite the blank, Millwall manager Neil Harris was largely satisfied with the final outcome as his play-off chasing side extended their unbeaten run to six games.
He said: “I was delighted with the clean sheet. The effort, the determination and the defending was fantastic at times.
“Maybe it just lacked a little bit of quality all over the park really, not just in the final third but just a little bit of composure.
“I just felt that as a team we weren’t proactive on to the next ball, we were a little bit reactive and maybe it was just a sign that it was a game too far for our bodies out there.
“But on the whole I’m delighted with the clean sheet and the point and it shows how far we’ve come since October 3 (and a 5-3 defeat) at Peterborough.
“It has been a big effort and they’ve given me everything they’ve got.”