DEAN PUTS THE WINDASS UP THEM

****(My match reports from our Premiership days – 2000-2001)_ ##### – Match 03 – InterToto Cup Third Round First Leg – July 16th 2000

– Bradford City 2 (Windass 50, 73 pen)

– RKC Waalwijk 0

A Dean Windass double earned Bradford a hard fought win at Valley Parade on Sunday afternoon to give them every chance of reaching the semi finals of the InterToto Cup.

Windass struck on 50 minutes before firing home from the penalty spot on 73 to thwart a Dutch side that provided a much stiffer test than the one given by FK Atlantas in the previous round.

Lee Sharpe proved the supplier for the first goal; the former Manchester United winger twisting inside two challenges before laying the ball off to Lee Mills. His first time shot struck Nigerian left-back Emmanuel Nwakire but the ricochet fell kindly for Windass, who looped a header over the outstretched hand of ‘keeper Rob van Dyke.

Within two minutes the lead might have been wiped out as Peter Atherton made an awful error but the resulting chance was saved superbly Aidan Davison. The Bantams were then able to double their lead when a Windass shot was handled by Virgilio Teixeira, allowing the striker to score from the penalty spot for his third goal of the tournament.

Manager Chris Hutchings included new signings Peter Atherton and Ian Nolan, who slotted in at centre and right back respectively, although record signing David Hopkin, a £2.5million capture from Leeds, was forced to settle for a place on the bench.

Bradford should have been in front within six minutes when captain and assistant manager Stuart McCall sprung the offside trap with ball over the top. Dean Windass did well to control the ball but, with only van Dijk to beat, he hit the stanchion from 12 yards out.

The Dutch side then began to take a grip on midfield as Bradford realised they were up against an entirely different proposition to previous oppeonents FK Atlantas. The visitors should have gone ahead after nine minutes following a David Wetherall mistake. His slip allowed Joey Gudjonnson a clear sight of goal but the Danish midfielder sliced his shot wide. Atherton then made a hasty clearance which fell to Yuri Cornelisse but Wetherall made amends for his earlier error and hacked the ball off the line.

Two wasted Windass chances then proved the cue for Bradford to exert some pressure of their own however, with Gareth Whalley’s volley just over the bar the closest they came in the closing minutes of the first half.

Bradford’s persistence eventually paid off eight minutes into the second period though and the Valley Parade crowd were treated to the debut appearance of Hopkin, who entered the fray after 67 minutes.

The final word, though, belonged to Davison who produced a vital save low to his left in injury time to thwart Garry de Graef’s 20-yard free kick and preserve an all important first leg clean sheet.

Bradford City: Clarke (Davison 46), Nolan, Atherton, Wetherall, Myers, Whalley (Hopkin 67), Windass, McCall, Sharpe (Grant 80), Mills, Saunders
Subs Not Used: O’Brien, Blake, Halle, Rankin.
Booked: Atherton, Sharpe

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RKC Waalwijk: van Dijk, Lamey, Nascimento, Teixeira, Nwakire, van de Berg, T. Cornelisse (Heesakkers 67), Leonhout (van Dinteren 61), Gudjonnson, de Graef, Hoogendorp (Redan 82)
Subs Not Used: Sinouh, van der Pennen, Lanckohr, Kalezic
Booked: T. Cornelisse, van de Berg, Gudjonnson

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