Double trouble

When Nico Vaesen was performing heroics during the first hour of this thrilling West Yorkshire derby, few could have predicted just what would follow.

The Belgian goalkeeper has had his critics among the Huddersfield Town faithful this season, but for much of the clash with City he was the one man who stood between Paul Jewell's side and what looked like being a thoroughly convincing victory.

For two-thirds of this game, it was as one-sided as a derby game can be and had it been a boxing bout, the referee would have stopped it long before half-time.

In those opening 45 minutes, City were simply superb with their passing and movement very similar to their previous best performance of the season - the first-half at Portsmouth.

However unlike that visit to Fratton Park last month where City were three goals ahead at half-time, Jewell's side could not make their domination count. And they were made to pay for this in the second half as they slipped to their second defeat in 13 league games.

Robbie Blake had given City the lead with a low drive in the 18th minute but, despite an abundance of chances, they could not deliver the knockout blow against a Town side who looked low in confidence.

Vaesen denied Blake, Isaiah Rankin and Lee Mills with some unbelievable saves in that first half. And then, as if to prove that it was not going to be Bradford's day, the Belgian pulled off two further top notch saves after the break.

First, he somehow got a fingertip save to prevent Peter Beagrie's dipping 20-yard shot flying into the net in the 54th minute. Then, with Town 2-1 ahead and the game moving deep into stoppage time, Darren Moore flicked Wayne Jacobs' header goalwards only for Vaesen to pull off an equally impressive one-handed save to ensure the three points went to Peter Jackson's men.

It was a frustrating afternoon for City because if Vaesen's all-round impressive display was not enough, they were also denied by the woodwork when Lee Mills' thunderous shot crashed back off the crossbar midway through the first half.

And the value of Vaesen's superb contribution was underlined when Town hit City with the ultimate sucker-punch - two goals in just over a minute.

Town looked dead and buried as the hour mark passed but deserve credit for the way they kept going to illustrate the great spirit which exists at the McAlpine Stadium.

And their revival was sparked by a masterstroke substitution by manager Peter Jackson.

He gambled on a three-man attack when he sent on Paul Barnes in the 63rd minute for ineffective winger David Beresford, and it paid dividends when the former Burnley striker scored the equaliser before helping to create the winner.

Barnes struck in the 70th minute following good work by the lively Delroy Facey on the left before his flick-header a minute later was superbly volleyed into the net by Grant Johnson.

Questions must, however, be asked of the otherwise sold City defence about the winning goal because both players were in a lot of space inside the penalty area.

It was desperately rough luck on City who, their finishing apart, had been superb. Stuart McCall and Gareth Whalley set the tone in midfield early on while both Beagrie and Blake were in lively form out wide.

Town also found it difficult to cope with either Lee Mills or Isaiah Rankin with only some wayward finishing and superb goalkeeping keeping Town in the game.

Two quickfire goals transformed the game and left the 3,900 City fans to make the short trip home in disconsolate mood.

However despite this, City fans can take heart from the way their side performed in this pulsating derby clash to suggests that their side will be battling it out for a promotion place along with Town come next May.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.