Bradford City 0 Gillingham 1
Stuart Nelson celebrates a shut-out against
Bradford Picture: Barry Goodwin
by Luke Cawdell
Gillingham maintained their fantastic away
form by collecting maximum points from their trip to Bradford on
Saturday.
Cody McDonald (pictured below) put the
Gills ahead midway through the second half and it proved enough for
the Gills against this season’s cup giant-killers.
Gillingham were in search of a club
record-equalling 10th Football League away win but it
was a big ask against a side warming up for a Capital One cup final
appearance, having seen off Arsenal and Aston Villa on the way.
The Gills soaked up the pressure in the
opening half and then had the better of the second as they reached
the double-figure mark for the season.
Boss
Martin Allen made three changes to the team which lost last time
out, at home to Wycombe, and they all came in midfield. Andy
Frampton was the only one to keep his place as Myles Weston,
Charlie Lee and Steven Gregory were all dropped to the bench.
In came Chris Whelpdale, Charlie Allen and
Anton Robinson, the latter making his first Gills start, after
signing from Huddersfield on loan.
Bradford had the best of the minimal first
half chances but were denied by keeper Stuart Nelson, who had a
double save to firstly block Gary Jones’ shot and then turn Nahki
Wells’ follow-up over the bar.
Apart from that chance and a header from
big striker James Hanson the Gills managed to keep the hosts at
bay.
Gillingham took a while to get into the
match, as Bradford started on the front-foot, but midway through
they were putting some passes together. But as for chances, they
were limited to a deflected Joe Martin effort and one from Chris
Whelpdale, neither of which troubled home keeper Matt Duke.
The game opened up more after the break and
the Gills took full advantage.
Deon Burton fired an early second half
free-kick wide for the visitors and Whelpdale came even closer,
with a shot from open-play, which Duke had to dive down to
save.
Gillingham took the lead with 64 minutes
gone as McDonald chased down Burton’s ball over the defence and
after rounding the keeper he slotted home for his third goal in
four appearances since returning to the club.
Hanson somehow headed an effort wide with
12 minutes to go, with a chance infront of goal where it looked
easier to score than miss. The Gills hung on in stoppage time to
deny the hosts from an equalising goal.
Gillingham: Nelson,
Fish, Martin, Legge, Barrett, Whelpdale, Robinson, Frampton, Allen
(Weston 55mins), Burton, McDonald (Lee 79mins). Subs not used:
Forecast, Davies, Birchall, Gregory, Muggleton.
Bradford: Duke, Good
(Thompson 73mins), Darby, Reid, Hanson, Jones, Hines (Dickson
73mins), Wells, Nelson, Doyle, Naylor (Connell 81mins). Subs not
used: McLaughlin, Davies, Gray, Atkinson.
Attendance:
10,887
07/02/13
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