Another goalless draw between Bradford City and Wimbledon

NO PRIZES for guessing the most predictable scoreline of the weekend.

It was a fairly safe bet that Valley Parade would not be witnessing a goal fest.

Emmanuel Osadebe’s winner at Wimbledon during Kevin McDonald’s caretaker reign last October remains the only time the deadlock has been broken in the last four meetings between the sides.

And three of the Wombles’ four most recent visits to West Yorkshire have now finished in scoreless stalemate.

So, this latest edition of forgettable encounters should have come as no surprise.

Both managers cut relatively upbeat figures as they dissected a contest where both teams cancelled each other out.

Graham Alexander talked of a result that you might look back on as a good point come the end of the season – long after you’ve forgotten what actually went on.

His opposite number Johnnie Jackson felt that taking anything from Valley Parade was worth the effort as an away side – even if they were cursed by the woodwork from clinching a fourth straight win.

That remarkable moment involving one-time City trialist Myles Hippolyte was the only one likely to stick in the mind for those watching.

Still, it was a fourth clean sheet on the bounce for the Londoners and their enthusiastic backing.

“We are the resurrection and we are the light” proclaimed a proud banner in the Wimbledon section of the Midland Road stand.

You have to admire the club that refused to die; from the way they rose from the ashes in the ninth tier of football to a social media page that would not acknowledge MK Dons by name during last week’s big win over their bitterest rival.

But their physical approach ensured it was never going to be an afternoon for the purists. City could not afford to get pushed around.

Hence Alexander expressing his post-match “pride” that they stood toe to toe despite an ever-expanding injury list.

It’s amazing to think it was only a few weeks ago that the Bantams boss was discussing a squad missing only long-term absentee Callum Johnson.

The topic of conversation then was about keeping everyone happy and involved, promising that their chance would come.

But he wouldn’t have expected that pledge to deliver quite as quickly amid a weekly role call of the wounded.

Joe Adams was only on for 18 minutes before his injury (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Antoni Sarcevic was the earliest faller before Aden Baldwin’s premature exit at Grimsby accelerated the problems.

Ciaran Kelly, Neill Byrne, Jamie Walker – and now the luckless Lewis Richards and Joe Adams.

For the second Saturday running, City lost two players to injury during the match.

Richards, having looked very bright at left back, was withdrawn at half-time. The best hope is a dead leg for the defender rather than the hamstring that he was holding as he walked off.

Adams came on for his first league action as part of the reshuffle that followed.

Having looked the part in the EFL Trophy win at Mansfield, he was just starting to get on the ball again when a clumsy collision in the penalty area knocked him down heavily on his knee.

Alexander will spend another Monday hoping for a medical pick-me-up as the swelling goes down and there is some clarity on the latest setbacks.

The previously plentiful options at his disposal are now being stretched into “bare bones” territory.

Injury limitations have already forced a change in formation to a back four as City lined up 4-4-2 once again.

But how well Cheick Diabate and Jack Shepherd performed in the heart of a defensive unit that kept Wimbledon at arm’s length for the most part.

• Yesterday's Valley Parade draw as it happened
• Graham Alexander reaction: We've been stripped bare

Stats, as we know, can be misleading.

Wimbledon’s failure to register a single official shot on target glosses over that “how did it stay out” post-line-other post effort from a player who once scored twice for City in a pre-season team entirely made up of trialists at Brighouse.

Hippolyte’s strike aside, Sam Walker’s goal was protected so well that the big keeper did not have a shot to save.

Alexander joked afterwards it used to wind him up as a former full back that the centre halves always got the most plaudits from a clean sheet.

But Diabate and Shepherd were the pillars on which the second shut-out of the season was built.

The Exeter man oozed pace and power, winning the aerial battle against lively front pair Omar Bugiel and Matty Stevens.

Shepherd, making the first league start since his move from Barnsley, again showed that knack of throwing his body in the right areas to block the best of what Wimbledon could offer.

With the trio who kicked off the season as the first-choice back three all on the sidelines, the relatively-inexperienced loan duo have a huge amount of responsibility on their shoulders.

Mansfield had been a promising start in less-pressured surroundings. This was a far sterner test in a demanding environment and the pair passed with flying colours.

Brad Halliday looked just as strong beside them; Tyreik Wright less so when he was shoved further back after the exit of Richards.

He had been happier back on the wing in the first half when City looked the most likely to break the deadlock.

Andy Cook had no clear opportunity to add to his goal tally (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Wright had the first shot on goal but it was Diabate who went the closest for the home side, twice forcing saves from Owen Goodman – the second, right on half-time, the pick of the bunch from the Wimbledon keeper’s latest clean sheet.

But City’s front men struggled to create anything from that point because they lacked service.

A strong penalty shout for the incident that did for Adams was waved away by referee Andy Davies, amid another questionable performance by an official.

Alexander promptly threw on Vadaine Oliver alongside Andy Cook to go more physical up top. But the target man was let down by the supply lines – and when the ball did come in, his shirt was virtually ripped off his back to no punishment for the offending defender.

Tempers were rising by that point and there was a late trigger point after Richie Smallwood went in hard on Hippolyte.

That provoked a melee as other players charged in. At least it gave the crowd something to shout about before the teams could be separated.

But once again you couldn’t split them in the afternoon’s outcome.