In a game that could not have drawn more comparisons to that which saw Stuart McCall’s men draw with Oldham on Saturday; Bradford City Women lost 2-0 to Middlesbrough on Sunday.
The Bantams were dominant and created chances, but were simply lacking that clinical touch in a performance that pleased albeit without bringing the result desired.
The first half was the same as that at Valley Parade on Saturday. Boro broke the deadlock early on, but otherwise City played some lovely stuff and created a handful of opportunities.
Had things happened differently on the five minute mark, the game itself could have been so different. Rosie McDonnell arrived late in the box to meet Hannah Campbell’s cross, but with time and space against her, she had to hit it first time and couldn’t find the target.
Abi Lee had an almost identical chance after the goal, but she too was hurried into the first time attempt and it sailed over the bar.
City’s charge to comeback would be hindered throughout the game. In a feisty and well-fought encounter, a series of stoppages from start to finish meant the match itself could never flow properly, and so neither could any of the Bantams’ spells of pressure.
Boro had a flurry of chances around the half hour mark as they aimed to show their clinical touch, one which was on full display last week as the newly-promoted side beat champions West Brom 6-0, but City rode the wave and came out determined for an equaliser.
However, things just weren’t going to happen for them. A penalty shout turned down was followed by the first of three bookings for dissent before the break, as the frustration grew and grew.
When Lucy Sowerby had an effort tipped over brilliantly just after the restart, it served as a reminder of the many positives, but this was short-lived. Boro’s second - courtesy of Ellie Dobson - came four minutes later and the onus was on City to attack, attack, attack.
Middlesbrough were happy to see the game out from there. The shutting up of shop was not Oldham-esque, but more Italian style. They knew they had pace and power on the counter, and they played to this strength.
The Bantams did their best to deal with this, with good footwork from the likes of Lee, McDonnell and Shauna Legge either working space or resulting in set pieces in good areas.
However, the chances that came as a result were not taken.
Lee, synonymous with scoring from outside the box, couldn’t connect properly with a number of attempts from range, while Sowerby lacked her usual composure and quality finishing as she stabbed wide late on, one-on-one.
Even Boro failed to work the ‘keeper like they would have hoped, spurning a number of second half chances to keep the game alive for their hosts.
As things became frantic with the clock ticking down though, City didn’t keep the ball as well as they had in the opening half and they failed to take advantage of the good football they did play.
As they say though, the problem is when the chances aren’t coming, so the Bantams will head to West Brom in the cup next week hoping for more of the same, but with just an added pinch of composure in that final third.
Photos: George Wood
