A controversial second-half penalty helped Nicky Law to a winning start in his
fledgling managerial reign at Bradford against nine-man Portsmouth.
Having originally turned down the spot-kick appeal after Shaun Derry had
hauled down Lee Sharpe, referee Paul Taylor spotted a raised flag from the
linesman and reversed his decision, allowing Sharpe to gratefully stroke home
the winner.
That moment of fortune gave Law, who left Chesterfield to take over the
Bantams hotseat this week after the departure of Jim Jefferies, the perfect
welcome present with Gareth Grant and Gunnar Halle also scoring, and brought
City's run of five straight defeats to an end.
For Pompey, however, who had taken a second-minute lead, they endured further
gloom after their embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Leyton Orient last
Saturday.
With their sixth defeat in seven games Graham Rix's men are careering towards
the relegation mire and their performance at the Bradford and Bingley Stadium
was further tainted by the late dismissal of both substitute Jason Crowe and
Carl Tiler, the latter for a disgraceful head-butt on Andy Tod.
It had all looked so different earlier on, however, as the hosts, forced due
to injuries and suspension into seven changes from the side that exited the cup
at the hands of Walsall last week, had fallen behind almost before the fans had
taken the seats.
With just 105 seconds on the clock, Robert Prosinecki's cross instigated a
goalmouth scramble and Linvoy Primus finally turned the ball home for his first
league goal for the south coast club.
The goal rocked the home side and for a time they looked shambolic. Gradually,
however, Bradford came back into the match and could easily have levelled had
Tod's header crept in instead of striking the angle after a good cross from Eoin
Jess.
Pompey, with Dave Beasant between the posts, were increasingly relying on
breakaways and beanpole frontman Peter Crouch.
And it was a deserved equaliser that came Bradford's way in the 19th minute
when a tremendous solo run along the right byline ended with the ball dragged
back for Jess, whose cross-cum-shot was turned in by 21-year-old Grant for his
first career strike.
Bradford were seldom threatened again in the half after that but two minutes
before the interval a fine strike from Nigel Quashie crashed against the upright
with Carl Muggleton well beaten.
The home side began the second half brightly, with Sharpe delivering an
inch-perfect cross from the left that allowed Tod space to leave his marker.
A goal looked certain but Beasant, incredibly just two months short of his
43rd birthday, stood tall and blocked Tod's point-blank volley to safety.
The game's contentious issue arrived just short of the hour. Sharpe, the
former Manchester United winger, was felled by a clumsy tackle from Derry, who
was making his return to the squad after injury.
A penalty seemed the appropriate punishment, but the referee for a moment
waved play on. But the linesman had raised his flag and with confusion reigning
the referee reversed his decision to allow Sharpe to pick himself up and
gleefully sidefoot home from the spot. It was the kind of helping hand Law could
only have dreamed of.
Fifteen minutes later things got even worse for Pompey as Crowe was dismissed
for a second bookable offence.
And matters further deteriorated for the visitors when Tiler also received a
second yellow two minutes from time for a clear head-butt on Tod, and the
Football Association may well be called to investigate the distasteful
incident.
Bradford finished with a flourish, with Halle spectacularly heading Grant's
cross past Beasant.
The new boss had stressed the importance of result over performance here, and for the time being in Bradford, Law rules.
Teams
Bradford: Muggleton, Halle, Myers, Caldwell, Emanuel,
Jorgensen, Locke, Jess, Sharpe, Tod, Grant.
Subs Not Used: Jacobs, Bower, Juanjo, Lawrence, Worsnop.
Booked: Locke, Jess.
Goals: Grant 19, Sharpe 59 pen, Halle 89.
Portsmouth: Beasant, Tiler, Primus, Derry, Pitt (Crowe 32),
Barrett (Buxton 79), Prosinecki, O'Neil, Quashie, Harper,
Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Tardif, Curtis, Allen.
Sent Off: Crowe (74), Tiler (89).
Booked: Pitt, Crouch, Barrett, Crowe, Tiler, Primus, Derry.
Goals: Primus 2.
Att: 14,306
Ref: P Taylor (Cheshunt).
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