Bradford City's win over Sunderland lifts home spirits

WHAT a timely tonic with the new season just around the corner.

Never read too much into friendlies, good or bad, but there was enough on show at Valley Parade to pep spirits 11 days ahead of the big kick-off.

The new pitch dazzled in its long-awaited greenness and City delivered a display that for the most part did not disappoint in their only home friendly.

There has been an underwhelmed air among supporters through a summer that started with a flurry of signings and has seen little since all the talk of promised investment.

The fans needed something to peak their interest – and City did their best to deliver on their return to BD8.

Both strikers got on the scoresheet with Andy Cook looking lean and mean as he led the line.

The green, green grass of home made a welcome sight for City players and fans.

It had been 94 days since Valley Parade staged the final action of last season on a surface in desperate need of repair.

Subsequently ripped up within 48 hours of that Newport game, the extended 13 weeks of recuperation since made for a pitch far removed from the previous embarrassment.

Time will tell, of course, during the months of more challenging weather to come but there should be no excuses on that front after the work and money put in.

Whether the same can be said about the team remains the big question.

Alexander’s starting line-up maybe offered some clues into his thinking for Stadium MK a week on Saturday – although it’s also about managing minutes.

Midfield, where the battle looks hottest, saw Alex Pattison and Antoni Sarcevic paired in front of Richie Smallwood. Alex Gilliead, Jamie Walker and Bobby Pointon began on the bench.

Sarcevic and centre halves Neill Byrne and Aden Baldwin were making their first Valley Parade appearances in home colours – and Tyreik Wright his first as a permanent Bantam.

The presence of a sizeable 1,300 Sunderland following did give it the feel of a competitive game and City looked up from it from the start.

Calum Kavanagh created the first opening as a neat interchange with Smallwood set him up for a near-post drive saved by Simon Moore.

Sarcevic fired wide from City’s first corner but Brad Halliday didn’t spot his run into the box as he shot high into the empty Bradford End.

Sunderland forced a good block from Sam Walker midway through the half, Romaine Mundle collecting a long pass and cutting inside Baldwin for a fierce effort that the keeper turned away.

Calum Kavanagh tucks away City's second goal (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Former Spurs youngster Mundle was a lively presence for the visitors and embarked on a mazy run that was halted by Smallwood’s foul on the edge of the box. Adil Aouchiche’s free-kick did not match the build-up.

But just as Sunderland were trying to take a grip, City floored them with a sudden one-two ahead of the break.

The deadlock was broken on 40 minutes as Cook unleashed a belting finish that flew past Moore’s despairing dive.

And three minutes later it was 2-0. Pattison spearheaded a three-against-two raid and fed the ball into the path of Kavanagh to coolly slot past the keeper.

It capped an encouraging watch for the home faithful as the Bantams wrestled back control and made it count.

Defensively, City had been fairly solid up to that point and Ciaran Kelly underlined that with a sliding block to thwart Chris Rigg soon after the break.

When Sunderland did open up the home backline, Walker was equal to the threat with an alert tip-over from French youth international Aouchiche.

City made their first changes just before the hour as Pointon made a popular arrival alongside Lewis Richards.

The crowd were nearly celebrating again as Cook spotted Moore well off his line and tried a cheeky half-volley from 40 yards that bounced wide of the back-pedalling keeper.

Halliday and Baldwin made way in the second group of subs and Sunderland pulled one back before replacements Gilliead and Sam Stubbs could settle as Mundle claimed the goal his own performance had warranted.

Tyler Smith, one of the new men, was not far off with a decent attempt. But it was Cook who earned the standing ovation for his efforts as he made way for Vadaine Oliver.

Byrne missed a good chance from Smallwood’s free-kick and neither Oliver nor Smith could get a clean sight of the empty net after Moore was caught scrambling well out of his goal.

Jamie Walker’s backheel then teed up Pointon for a chip that earned plenty of “oohs” as it just cleared the bar.

But it had been pleasing stuff for the home faithful and just what was required with that trip to MK Dons starting to loom large.

CITY: S Walker, Byrne, Baldwin (Stubbs 65min), Kelly (Walker 72min), Halliday (Gilliead 65min), Smallwood, Wright (Richards 57min), Sarcevic, Pattison (Pointon 57min), Kavanagh (Smith 65min), Cook (Oliver 72min).

SUNDERLAND: Moore, Pembélé, Hjelde, Anderson, Johnson (Crompton 70min), Rigg (Jones 70min), Embleton, Ba (Watson 70min), Aouchiche, Mundle, Rusyn.