Swindon Town v Bradford City

[FormerlyPlymRed]

Only 6800, awful

[ronnie21]

That guy was Stephen Darby, Swindon legend

Yes, just realised that!  The ref was still a cunt of the highest order though!

[chalkies_shorts]

Very good first half with Luongo not only scoring two well made and taken goals but also running the show. Their no 3 somehow avoided red but was as bad a player as I've seen down here in years.
The second half though the Bradford players realised the ref was a totally useless cunt and took advantage by breaking up play any way they could and Williams and Smith were arse raped by their centre halves anytime they went near the ball. They got a goal from one of the most stupid defensive bits of play of this or any other year.......even by our high standards. Folks you've got to see it on TV to believe it. There's a reason why Row Z exists and sometimes you need to hit it and Nate Dog should have done it.
Bradford for all their fouling were a decent side and this has to go down as a good win but in the second half defensively again we were all over the place. We really are a shambles at the back.
Also I didn't think we'd ever see a worse ref that the Donny one but this one must have been stoned. How both Thompsons got booked fuck knows when their players were getting away with all sorts.
Anyway, three very big points and hopefully onwards and upwards.

[ronnie21]

Only 6800, awful

3 home games in ten days is too much for some people financially, a crap performance on Saturday and it all adds up to a poor gate.

[Ironside]

But was a right twat tonight....

And he's a long way from being a Swindon 'legend'.

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

For 40 minutes we looked absolute class, lost a bit of concentration just before half-time - they changed their formation to match us after half-time and we never really got to grips with it, put us under a lot of pressure and deservedly got a goal which fortunately turned out only to be a consolation.  Main talking point must be the worst referee see at the CG for many years, absolute class when he sent their guy off then realised he had only given him one yellow.  The bloke was a twat of the highest order!!

I don't think the Ref was that bad, but with the number of bookings he dished out first half it was enivitable that he either had to slow the pace of dishing them out in the second half or we would have seen a red card. He didn't help himself. Although they did foul persistently, I don't think it was a dirty game.

[chalkies_shorts]

I don't think the Ref was that bad,

Are you sober and clean

[Batch]

Jekyll and Hyde performance from Town tonight. When I saw the team, I feared the worst. But from the first minute our passing was much more pacey and while not 100% accurate was with purpose. Swindon were back. Not going to prattle on too much tonight, but Willo missed two sitters, once a header my gran could have scored, and she's dead, another one on one after a defensive cock up that he somehow blasted onto the bar. But he was probably my man of the match, more on that in a bit.

Star of the half was Luongo, whose skill and running always looked like it would cause a lackluster Bradford problems. And indeed it did with a two goal haul. The first a run into the box and a nice finish, the second an opportunistic  finish after Williams misscontrolled. So we should have been 4 up at the break, but 2-0 was still a good lead. There were a couple of minutes at the end where Bradford looked like they had something but nothing came of it.

After half time it was a complete role reversal. Bradford upped their game massively, and we looked nervous and vulnerable. If we could have weathered the storm I was confident of a win. But a good ball into the box should have been cleared by Thompson right in front of goal. But he seemed intent on trying to play it out - got robbed and the ball was in the back of the net. Good player, yes, right back playing in a back three costing him form - probably.

We never really recovered from that. Bradford continued their momentum, and our midfield couldn't cope, exposing our back three. Gladwin was fucking useless. Luongo was still good but far far less effective. He and Thompson (L) didn't really sort out providing enough cover. Byrne was lively but never offers defensive duties. I actually nearly forgot Stephens was playing in midfield, he was that anonymous. You get the point.

That said, while it looked like Bradford could unlock the defence, a Wes slip aside (thought he was very average tonight) they didn't really get a serious effort on goal - offside shot aside.

Thought Coops should have changed it mid way through the second half. Smith was not much cop, Gladwin poor and Stephens anonymous. Williams should have scored two, but his work rate and desire to win made him my MOM over a fading Luongo.

Special mention to the special ref, who cumulated a craptastic display by showing Darby a second yellow and hence a red, then realising he hadn't booked him earlier in the match.

Excellent win though. Winning is more important than performance right now.

[Bogus Dave]

As shaky and nervy as the second half may have been, did Bradford create a chance after they scored?

No. The answer is no.

[bullethead]

Great 1st half and thoroughly deserved the 2-0 lead. Second half they were always going to put us under pressure they are a decent side after all. We gifted them a goal and at that point I half expected them to go on and win but we coped pretty well and not nearly as desperate as some of the posts I've read have suggested. All in all a good performance and a well earnt 3 points against a good in form team.

[ronnie21]

I don't think the Ref was that bad, but with the number of bookings he dished out first half it was enivitable that he either had to slow the pace of dishing them out in the second half or we would have seen a red card. He didn't help himself. Although they did foul persistently, I don't think it was a dirty game.

[4D]

3 home games in ten days is too much for some people financially, a crap performance on Saturday and it all adds up to a poor gate.

Before city slate our attendance on otib, they took 208 to donny tonight 

[JoeMezz]

Atmosphere was piss poor tonight. Second half was only 4/5 of us in DRS singing. 3 points nevertheless.

[Not that Nice If I'm Honest]

3 home games in ten days is too much for some people financially, a crap performance on Saturday and it all adds up to a poor gate.

And Barcelona at Man City free on the telly would have wiped a few hundred off

[Abrahammer]

2nd half wasnt that bad. It probably seemed so when comparing it to the 1st half plus Bradford had to come out and go for it a little which they tried to do.

Nathan will never reach his full potential until he learns to cut out these dreadfull mistakes which he makes on a regular basis. Tonights was absolutely shocking, hopefully he will cut these out as he matures more as a player.

Branco was a beast tonight and put in a pretty much faultless performance, MOM for me. He will probably have a right stinker on Saturday now.

Wes seems a bit touchy tonight. Yes it was a shit atmosphere but not noticeably shitter than normal.