Crawley played out a 0-0 draw with Bradford City at the Broadfield Stadium this afternoon. Both sides had chances to win the game, and with tempers flaring all over the pitch, Bradford were reduced to ten men in the dying stages of the game.
It was a terrific start from the Red Devils, who dominated the visiting side during the opening ten minutes. A flurry of corners saw Aramdie Oteh have a shot cleared off of the line as Bradford were struggling to get out of their own half.
Despite Crawley having a great deal of possession, Harry Lewis in the Bradford goal hadn’t had a lot to deal with. Scott Lindsey’s side had won six corners in the opening twenty minutes but had not yet recorded a single shot on target. Bradford had a half-chance when the ball fell to striker Andy Cook on the edge of the area, but the attacker's effort was straight down the throat of Corey Addai.
Bradford were growing into the game and forced Crawley goalkeeper Addai to make a world-class save to keep the score level in the 31st minute. The ball was squared to Cook, who shimmied the ball past his man before blasting an effort at goal from less than 10 yards out. Addai expertly stuck a hand out and beat the effort around the post.
Just as the game was approaching half-time, the game exploded. First of all, there appeared to be a brawl between the two sets of players. Rafiq Khaleel and Matty Platt were booked for the altercation. Richard Smallwood was then booked for an awful challenge on Khaleel before Tilley entered the book for a similar offence. This all came in the space of two minutes.
The Reds had a great chance to take the lead in the opening two minutes of the second half. Oteh burst away from his man on the left wing and squared the ball across the edge of the area. Nadesan left the ball with a clever dummy, which gave Tilley space to shoot. Unfortunately, the Crawley man scuffed his effort, and it dribbled wide.
Bradford were also impressive in the opening minutes, and Addai made another smart stop to deny Scott Banks on this occasion as the Bradford winger struck a powerful effort at goal from just inside the area.
Both sides were making chances as the game progressed into the latter stages. Cook probably should have put Bradfrod ahead after he found himself with the ball and no defender to beat. The usually prolific striker fired well-wide on this occasion. Oteh had a half chance for Crawley but touched a cross from Mazeed wide.
Harry Ransom nearly popped up with a goal on his return to the starting XI. The defender forced Harry Lewis to make a terrific save to tip the Crawley defenders back post volley over the bar.
Crawley were given one final chance to push in the 88th minute when Matty Platt was dismissed for Bradford. The centre-back made a clumsy challenge on Tom Fellows, forcing the referee to give the Bradford defender a second yellow card.
Sadly, this appeared to have come to late for Scott Lindsey’s side as they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
REDS XI: Addai, Gordon (Mason 82’), Ransom, Conroy, Mazeed, Tilley (Fellows 70’), Khaleel, Powell (82’), Oteh, Nadesan, Telford (Chukwuemeka 70’)
Attendance: 3644 (Away 809)
