Bradford City need lift as Barrow dominated but not defeated

City were on the back foot in Graham Alexander’s first game in charge from the moment Dom Telford slid Barrow in front inside the opening minute.

All that pre-match hope punctured with the first attack of the game.

And yet, to City’s credit, they were the dominant side for much of the game thereafter.

They grabbed a deserved equaliser before the break through Tyler Smith, and for a 15-minute spell from the hour mark, they looked like the only team capable of winning the game.

Then centre-back George Ray, on his 59th appearance for the club, slammed in his first-ever Barrow goal.

City were unable to hit back, with Emmanuel Osadebe’s woeful volley over the bar in injury-time summing up their afternoon.

Like the big, bad wolf, they huffed and puffed with 66 per cent possession, but were unable to blow the Barrow house down.

Alexander saw plenty of positive signs: attacking intent from his full-backs, Bobby Pointon bringing his emerging box of tricks, and Jamie Walker causing all manner of problems for the Barrow defence.

But ultimately, it was another home defeat, leaving the Bantams floundering in 18th.

And with audible frustration floating around the ground, some aimed at owner Stefan Rupp and CEO Ryan Sparks, some at the decision-making of the City players, Alexander has a job on his hands to lift the glum mood at Valley Parade.

He could not have made a worse starting in trying to do so.

With the first attack of the game, Barrow got in down the right-hand side of the box behind Liam Ridehalgh.

Kian Spence’s cutback found the unmarked Telford, who stretched to slide an effort beyond Harry Lewis and into the net.

Dom Telford celebrates scoring before half of the crowd had even taken their seats. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

Yet City should have been level just moments later.

Walker somehow stretched to keep in a ball over the top from Ridehalgh that looked to be flying out for a goal kick, and he steered a perfect low ball across to Smith on the slide.

The striker was two yards out in the middle of the goal, but somehow managed to hit the ball at Paul Farman. The Barrow keeper showed great reactions to keep the ball out, but it was a shocking miss.

City’s woes were nearly compounded by their former captain. A Barrow cross fell to Elliot Newby at the back post and he stood up a great ball for Niall Canavan of all people.

The centre-half, bombed out of Valley Parade by Derek Adams just under two years ago, thumped a header towards goal that left Lewis motionless, but it flashed just wide.

Ridehalgh was not enjoying the greatest of afternoons and, having attempted to play on after a blow to a head, he was eventually substituted with concussion after 25 minutes, Daniel Oyegoke coming on to replace him at left-back.

City served notice of their attacking intent when Walker floated a cross into the middle for Sam Stubbs, whose weak header was easily gathered by Farman.

But that was just a starter for the main course that followed on 33 minutes.

Pointon slipped a lovely ball down the right for Walker, who beat the offside trap and got to the byline.

He flashed the ball across the face of goal, it beat the outstretched Farman, and Smith bundled home from two yards out.

Alex Gilliead and Tyler Smith celebrate the latter's equaliser. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

But that positivity generated by the equaliser was punctured quickly when Oyegoke was chopped down stupidly by Spence, who was booked for the foul.

The young-full back landed awkwardly as a result of the tackle on him and had to be helped off the field with a nasty-looking shoulder injury, which may keep him out for a significant period of time.

Despite 10 minutes of added time at the end of the first half, the only incident of note was a poor tackle by Tom White, who had been ticking all half after a couple of hefty challenges on him.

The Barrow man caught City skipper Richie Smallwood on the ankle with a poor tackle and earned himself a deserved booking.

Brad Halliday grew into the game nicely as an attacking outlet for City, but that intent helped earn him a yellow card just after the break, as he was caught up the field and was forced into a cynical tug on White as the Barrow midfielder broke away down the left.

It had been a tame start to the second half, from the Bantams in particular, with a half chance for Barrow’s former Leeds man Robbie Gotts, deflected straight into Lewis’ arms, the only attacking moment of note.

But a passive City suddenly cranked up the pressure around the hour mark.

Emmanuel Osadebe, who had come on for poor Oyegoke, with Alex Gilliead moving across to left-back, had the first opportunity.

He was so close to taking a long ball down and knocking it past Farman, before Halliday's deep cross went inches over Andy Cook's head at the back post.

This was a half-chance for Emmanuel Osadebe, but he had a far more clearcut one later on. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

Smallwood then thundered in to win a 50-50 against White, which led to Smith and Pointon storming down the middle, only for the City goal scorer to be denied by a fine last-ditch tackle.

Gilliead was next to try his luck, as he cut inside and struck a daisycutter towards goal, which was fumbled out by Farman for a corner.

City soon came again, as a long ball for Cook dropped for Pointon, who looked to have put Smith through.

But the Bantams striker was deemed to be just offside and play was pulled back.

A pointless foul on Ray by Cook just inside his own half earned the City man a yellow card, while the Barrow defender was involved in the action in much more prominent fashion a few minutes later.

Ash Taylor could only flick Gotts' cross on to an unmarked Newby at the back post and he cut it back smartly for Jamie Proctor, once of this parish, whose shot was blocked.

Unfortunately, that meant the ball fell perfectly for Ray, still up from a corner, who slammed his shot beyond Lewis from close range and into the net.

Graham Alexander probably could not believe his City side fell behind for a second time, having dominated the game leading up to George Ray's goal. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

Adam Wilson and Matt Derbyshire came on for Smallwood and Halliday after 84 minutes, as Alexander went for broke in search of an equaliser.

City were not too far away when Smith played the ball back to Gilliead, who thumped a rising drive from the edge of the box just over the bar.

But City’s biggest chance came in stoppage-time.

Taylor did brilliantly to retrieve a long ball from a free-kick and hooked it into the middle from the byline to Cook.

His knockdown hit Wilson and fell back to Osadebe, but the midfielder smashed his volley way over the bar from the penalty spot, and City were forced to accept defeat.

It will not get any easier for Alexander next weekend either, as his side have to try and get the better of high-flying Notts County at Meadow Lane, who have won six of their eight home league games so far.