Bradford City 0 - 0 Coventry City

Tony Mowbray's men endured a goalless draw against a Bantams side who have now kept seven consecutive clean sheets



Coventry City FC couldn’t breach a defence that has now kept seven consecutive clean sheets.

Adam Armstrong almost wrecked that proud record with a first-half shot against the post, but the Sky Blues still left the field to a chorus of ‘top of the league’ from their supporters after claiming a draw that owed as much to raw courage as talent and tactics.

With John Fleck sidelined by a hamstring strain Gael Bigirimana slotted in alongside Romain Vincelot in the crucial holding partnership while Tony Mowbray freshened up his attack by including Ruben Lameiras and Marc-Antoine Fortune at the expense of Jim O’Brien and Ryan Kent.

James Hanson was passed fit for Bradford, enabling Phil Parkinson to employ the tactics memorably derided by one former Sky Blues boss as ‘Dark Ages football.’

And as the Bantams, roared on by one of the League’s most combative crowds, launched their aerial assault, the 600-odd Sky Blues fans crammed into the second floor of the TL Dallas Stand, took great delight in pointing out the culture clash.

“Same old Bradford, always hoofing,” they chanted adding, by way of contrast: “We’re Coventry City – we play on the floor.”

Twenty minutes in, the Sky Blues carved out exactly the chance they would have planned in training – a scintillating counter-attack giving Adam Armstrong a free channel on the left edge of the box, but the Newcastle teenager’s angled drive smacked against the foot of the far post and McArdle dived in to block Lameiras’s follow-up.

Murphy was well wide from 25 yards while a Lameiras shot from similar range was straight at the keeper. But Bradford had their attacking moments, too, Turner sticking out a perfectly-timed boot to deny Hanson on the six-yard box while McArdle hurled himself at Knott’s left-wing cross but jabbed the ball just wide of the near post.

Turner headed wide from Stokes’s cross after a short corner just before the close of a competitive first half. And the second opened with the Sky Blues facing their own fans while Bradford were kicking towards their towering Kop.

With the noise levels hitting new raw-meat heights Coventry needed Reice Charles-Cook to be strong when he claimed an early corner.

But opposite number Williams had to get down well to save Murphy’s shot after a slick counter-attack before Mowbray sent on Jim O’Brien for Fortune just before the hour mark.

McArdle and Armstrong traded long-range pots that couldn’t stretch the respective keepers but Coventry were indebted to Charles-Cook for a brilliant reflex save in the 67th minute when Hanson met Leigh’s deep cross with a ferocious volley from no more than five yards.

Williams also had to react sharply when City substitute Kent cut in from the left to shoot right-footed, referee Miller having allowed the move to continue when McArdle fouled Armstrong.

Minutes later Kent produced another searing run to carve open the home defence but Williams blocked at Murphy’s feet and although Coventry recycled the ball Vincelot headed over from Kent’s cross.

Those travelling fans’ nerves were stretched to maximum in three minutes of overtime but Charles-Cook and his defenders stood firm to take a precious point back down the M1.

Attendance? 17,757 (631 City).