Port Vale: Pre-match stats versus Bradford City
League Two – August 15, 2009
BRADFORD CITY 0
PORT VALE 0
VALE'S dogged defence delivered their first clean sheet of the season in only their third match of the campaign.
It took 17 outings to achieve the same feat in 2008-09.
In truth, Bradford offered little up front to trouble centre-halves John McCombe, Gareth Owen and Lee Collins.
But the trio received praise for containing the threat of former Stoke City striker Peter Thorne, along with dangerous wingers Chris Brandon and James Hanson.
On the downside, Vale failed to create clear-cut chances of their own.
Vale were boosted by the marauding display of newly-appointed skipper Tommy Fraser on his full league debut.
Bradford City: Eastwood, Ramsden, Rehman, Williams, L O'Brien, Brandon (Colbeck, 86), Flynn, O'Neill (J O'Brien , 84), Hanson, Thorne, Boulding (Evans, 59).
Port Vale: Martin, Owen, McCombe, Collins, Stockley, K Taylor, Loft (Dodds, 84), Griffith (Jorgensen, 70), Fraser, Richards, R Taylor, (Horsfield, 69).
Attendance: 11,333.
FORM GUIDE
Port Vale: WWWDDD
Bradford: WLLWDL
WHO WE'D LIKE TO BUY
Michael Flynn: The 29-year-old midfielder is Bradford's driving force in the centre of the field, while his ferocious shot has earned him four goals this season.
WHO TO BOO
James Hanson: The 22-year-old striker, who arrived at Bradford from non-league Guiseley in the summer, posed Vale all sorts of problems during the goalless draw at Valley Parade in August.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Graham Salisbury: The experienced Lancashire official has been on the Football League list for the best part of a decade. This season he refereed Vale's 2-0 Carling Cup success over Sheffield Wednesday.
PROBABLE TEAMS
Bradford City: Eastwood, Bateson, Williams, Rehman, L O'Brien, Neilson, Flynn, J O'Brien, Osborne, Hanson, Boulding.
Port Vale: Martin, Yates, Owen, McCombe, Collins, K Taylor, Jarrett, Fraser, Dodds, R Taylor, Richards.
PREDICTION
Vale fight hard to secure a 2-1 victory as Marc Richards and Louis Dodds score.
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