VERDICT: Sorry Bradford City are used to losing to Harrogate

THE Harrogate choir gleefully rammed it down visiting throats once more on the way to an outcome we have seen so often.

“Town, tearing Bradford apart again” they chimed as City imploded again on their north Yorkshire bogey ground.

There is clearly something in the Harrogate water that disagrees with the Bantams.

This reluctant derby – certainly nobody of a West Yorkshire persuasion likes to claim it as a genuine one – remains a lop-sided tally.

That’s seven wins in 10 now for the “Betty’s boys”; City once again humbled by their supposedly junior white rose neighbours.

Graham Alexander had tried to play down any sense of pre-match superiority by stating the fact that it was one League Two team facing another.

But don’t try telling Harrogate that. There’s nothing Simon Weaver’s side love more than adopting the underdog mentality in an all-Yorkshire affair.

• Alexander blasts "unrecognisable" Bantams

Victory against Doncaster last time out at home followed up by another Bantams bashing means they have lost only twice in 14 inter-county affairs since joining the EFL in 2020.

Rivals may look down their noses but Harrogate are right up for these occasions.

Forget the form book – they came into this on the back of a miserable 3-0 loss at Crewe.

One thing you can guarantee is a proper turf war against opponents prepared to get in your face and battle for everything.

And once again City lacked the necessary stomach for the fight.

Seven of those involved for the away side had featured in the embarrassment on their previous visit to Wetherby Road six months earlier.

Recalling those horrible memories should have been incentive enough to steer well clear of any repeat.

But instead, for the first 23 minutes at least, we were forced to relive them with a sequel every bit as scary from a City perspective.

A shocking start ensured the Exercise Stadium would not see any earlier demons exorcised.

Talking of starts, the win at MK Dons on opening day has quickly lost its sheen.

Three away defeats on the bounce – the first time that has happened since the cross-over of Kevin McDonald’s interim lead and Alexander’s arrival – has plunged City into mid-table.

September’s slim pickings with just one point from the three games since beating Carlisle has provided a cold dose of reality. And Derek Adams awaits at Morecambe tomorrow night to test that faltering nerve.

Andy Cook's final solo goal got City back into the game (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Bizarrely, the bookies had City down as odds-on favourites before yesterday’s lunchtime kick-off. They had clearly never seen one of these games before.

Jamie Walker’s return to fitness provided a team-news tonic and the 1,000 travelling fans who had managed to acquire a ticket were confident of finally bucking the trend.

But the tempo – or complete absence of it – was set the moment Cheick Diabate completely undercooked an attempted back pass.

Sam Walker spared the Exeter loan man’s blushes with a save from Jack Muldoon, following it up with another to deny Liam Gibson from the resulting corner.

But the cracks had already appeared.

An unflappable performer up to now, Diabate’s nerve seemed totally shot as his discomfort grew by the minute.

Those in white around him were faring little better as Harrogate appeared to be playing at twice the speed.

A long ball targeted Ellis Taylor, nobody picked up Toby Sims racing to the edge of the box to receive his pass and Stephen Dooley converted the low cross that followed.

“Bradford City, it’s happened again” taunted the home end – and soon it did happen once more.

James Daly brushed past Brad Halliday as if he wasn’t there and fed Taylor, who had space to take a touch and sweep an angled shot across Walker.

Frightening flashbacks from before had become a reality. A furious Alexander could only watch the car crash emerging in front of him.

Harrogate snapped into everything, driven on by captain Josh Falkingham on his first league start of the campaign.

Simon Weaver celebrates Harrogate's seventh win over City (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Used more sparingly now as he takes his first steps into coaching, Weaver knew how much the little midfield terrier loves a derby duel.

Having the extra man in the heart of the action, Falkingham and Harrogate gave City absolutely no wriggle room.

Alexander bemoaned the lack of press from his team which allowed the home side so much time when they had the ball.

But Andy Cook, at least, showed how it should be done by forcing the error from Anthony O’Connor which suddenly gave City some hope their efforts to that point had scarcely deserved.

The former Bantams skipper changed his mind about launching a long pass from just inside his own half and the delay allowed Cook to pounce.

He still had plenty to do 40 yards from goal but strode on with conviction before firing past James Belshaw.

Not quite half an hour gone and City’s second shot on target would turn out to be their last.

Alexander showed his displeasure with a triple change for the second half.

Most significant was the early departure of Halliday for Jay Benn. The reigning player of the year had looked well off it as his struggle to match the very high standards of last season goes on.

Benn, to his credit, looked lively and positive on the ball. On a better day, his dangerous deliveries into the Harrogate box would have got their just reward.

Certainly, the Lincoln loanee produced enough to suggest he might get the starting nod against Morecambe.

Calum Kavanagh came on for the anonymous Olly Sanderson while Alex Pattison’s return to his old hunting ground was also ended prematurely as Alexander brought on Clarke Oduor.

City were better for the changes, although anything would have been an improvement on the earlier troubles.

Clarke Oduor was part of a triple substitution for the second half (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Kavanagh had three chances to break his duck but put two over the bar and was then thwarted by a slight deflection as he sought the bottom corner from another decent cross from Benn.

Vadaine Oliver joined the fray as City threw everything forward in the closing stages.

But for all the bluster, there was nothing to bother Belshaw.

At least, City did not leave the field to abuse ringing in their ears this time as the travelling support acknowledged a genuine attempt to drag themselves back from the brink - if an absence of sufficient quality to conjure something.

It was not the white flag like last time but the final verdict was the same.

Harrogate had done yet another number on the “big boys” – and left City’s credentials once more facing heavy scrutiny.