Leicester City v Bradford City 01/01/01
Tom Gilbert.

1st Half

5mins

Leicester are struggling to get the ball with Bradford passing around well. Leicester just don’t look switched on.

Jones receives the ball from Izzet and lines up for a shop but keeper holds well. Leicester are starting very poorly. Peter Taylor going frantic with Akinbiyi and Gunnlaugson for not making the effort up front when the back men have got the ball.

12 mins

Leicester keeping pressure on better now. Impey gets round the back and crosses the ball for Savage but the header just drifts wide.

Leicester again are struggling to get starting again – this has been happening in the past few home games. Bradford are looking far better than Leicester at the moment.

14 mins

Bradford still having several attempts and keeping possession in the Leicester half. Bradford breaking forward in numbers with Eoin Jess. Leicester get the ball back played out to the corner Akinbiyi chases and wins a corner. Corner taken by Eadie but is easily headed away. Gunnlaugson is struggling to get into the game. The Leicester side are lacking confidence.

Free Kick to Leicester Rowett goes for header, the ball is headed headed out and Izzet fires in a shot but goes wide for a Bradford Goal Kick.

18 mins

Leicester trying to push out but Bradford keep gaining possession. Savage made a run into the penalty area but the ball is well intercepted by O'Brien. Bradford break straight away and make a good break with Saunders firing just over the bar.

Leicester gain possession again with Rowett, he chips into the area to Akinbiyi who tries to head down to Izzet but intercepted again! Leicester are getting into the positions but the they are lacking the final ball and touch.

22 mins

Bradford are still defending well but have given a freekick away. Izzet chips in for Elliott but the whistle gone and a free kick for a foul on one of the Bradford players.

Gilchrist keeping Windass out well and the ball breaks free, Jones goes for the freeing ball and then injured. Savage is not happy with the Tackle that McKinlay put on Jones. Savage telling the ref that we should have had the advantage. Dean Windass head butts Robbie Savage – the referee didn't see and therefore no punishment given.

This has now given an edge to the game and the Leicester players are more fired up

25mins

Izzet breaks but is fouled and a free kick is given. Taken quickly to Savage, he tries to take on Wayne Jacobs but gets taken out. Jacobs is booked for the wild challenge. Free kick taken and hit high into the penalty area Rowett heads the ball but harmlessly wide of the post.

Jones tackles blake but is penalised. Bradford take the free kick quickly to Blake who shoots and Impey clears off the line and Eoin Jess takes the rebound and deflects into the net. Flowers had no chance and Bradford take a well deserved lead – a poor start from Leicester again at home. We should be winning these games.

28 mins

Leicester's midfield are being closed down quickly and are unable to keep possession.

City fans trying to lift the team. Impey plays to Izzet to Gunnlaugson but it is too tight and Eoin Jess intercepts – playing very well on his debut in his 3 month loan period.

30 mins

Gilchrist fouls and Bradford have the free kick. The ball is taken from Wayne Jacobs and the ball goes to Flowers but goes through his legs – an absolute howler from Flowers – it was a routine save. 2-0 to Bradford.

Are we missing Lennon?

32 mins

Gunnlaugson is very disappointing in the game – he has been waiting for the chance to break into the side and he is not taking the opportunity. Peter Taylor has got all the subs warming up. Looks like the Arsenal game is still in their system.

Jones to Impey and tries to turn and gets the cross in but it is too deep and goes through the Bradford keeper Walsh.

Gilchrist crosses in, Gunnlaugson cannot control neither can Akinbiyi and the ball is easily cleared. Leicester just cannot get possession. The front pair are looking poor and lacking confidence.

34 mins

Savage wins the throwing – Impey throws to Savage but unable to turn and passes to Rowett who plays the ball to Akinbiyi but he has strayed offside.

Gunnlaugson plays a lovely ball to Eadie, gets into the box and gets brought down by Dean Windass – Penalty!! Windass is also booked. Izzet lines up for the penalty and scores straight down the middle – City back in the game – need to get another before half time.

Akinbiyi breaks through and gets a shot but couldn't get it on target – things are looking better for City – starting to get back into the game.

Bradford break again with Windass but this time the ball goes over the bar.

42 mins

Robbie Savage wins the ball from Dean Saunders. Savage gets the ball makes a run down the right hand side gets the cross in and is deflected for a corner. Eadie takes the corner, ball goes to deep and Bradford survive.

44 mins gone.

Jones gets the ball but is tackled by Saunders. No shout from his team mates – but it comes to nothing, Jones tells his team mates to warn him.

Leicester's crossing is just not good enough – several times the ball has gone too deep. Possibly missing Guppy who is warming up.

HALF TIME – mixed reaction from the City fans who are still stunned by Flowers howler.

Second Half

Royce has come on for Flowers – Flowers has not really recovered since the game on Boxing day with Arsenal. He didn't look well when he tried to save the second goal.

Guppy has also come on.

Leicester have more opportunities with Guppy providing the quality with the crosses. Leicester are trying to get the ball deep into channels for Akinbiyi to chase.

Jones is getting more involved.

Akinbiyi gets the ball from a free kick from Rowett – claims for a hand ball by Molenaar – but not given. Leicester putting the pressure on now.

15mins

City are having a slightly better performance than in the first half but Gary Walsh has still not had much to save. Benjamin is fouled. Gunnlaugson takes the free kick but again Bradford are defending well.

25 mins

Benjamin is throwing his weight around. Throwing to Leicester – Guppy takes to Elliott but a terrible pass intended to Izzet. Mckinlay breaks but Leicester intercept and break with a break from Benjamin and crossed well but Walsh clears well despite large amount of pressure.

Leicester are starting to get more crosses in – Guppy has made the real change and is looking like making a chance into the side.

City have made all changes – Steve Guppy and Benjamin have both come and have made a good contribution.

Bradford got the ball with Robbie Blake who throws himself to the floor – Not a penalty this time. City break again with the ball but are again cancelled out by Bradford.

31 mins

Still no sign of Stan the Man making his presence – pheww. Please keep him on the bench. Leicester launch another long ball for Akinbiyi who is released but McCall manages to stretch his leg out and take the ball away from Ade.

Guppy goes round McCall and crosses but cleared to Elliott passes to Izzet who releases Benjamin and fires with his left shot but is deflected off Molenaar for a corner. Guppy takes but thew ball is scrambled clear – they are defending well. The ball is crossed again and Gary Walsh falls over his own players and seems to have landed badly on his back. The referee stops the game and the keeper looks very injured. Oh but by a miracle the keeper seems to have recovered far too quickly much to the city fans annoyance.

34 mins

Leicester are trying to play the long ball. Peter Taylor show his anger with the big ball approach that Gilchrist is playing. Again Gilchrist plays a big ball up, Pete is not happy.

Steve Guppy gets the ball out wide cuts inside and tries to float a right foot shot in and it sails wide – another Chelsea goal would go down well Gupps.

38 mins

City fans not happy with Gary Walsh after his faked injury. Leicester break with Gunnlaugson who passes to Guppy tries to cross and goes out for a corner. Izzet takes it – ball is punched out by the allegedly injured Walsh. Bradford are just hagging on now.

40 mins

Gunnlaugson breaks flicks to Ade, he is beaten to the ball but goes to Izzet who plays to Impey but the ball is intercepted and with Saunders but he is offside. Izzet tries a right foot shot but is screwed well wide.

Stan the man comes on for Robbie Blake after returning from suspension.

Collymore keeping possession play s to Myers who back passes to Gary Walsh. Clears and the ball goes up Elliott is beaten in the air by Stan but the shot is then put into the side netting.

44 mins

Guppy has the ball out wide but the cross is poor and goes straight to Walsh. Leicester have been too slow in the last 5 mintutes to get the ball to the flanks. Bradford have had an easy game in defence and they are winning every ball.

Impey has the ball out wide but is blocked off the ball and gets a free kick. Leicester have 3 men over. Guppy crosses in and Rowett heads across the goal but is easy for Walsh to collect.

46 mins

Elliott has now gone forward as has everyone else.

Gunnlaugson to Akinbiyi, Izzet shoots gets deflection – another corner. Gupps takes and Elliott attacks the ball but drifts wide. No problems for Walsh again.

Referee advises 5 mins to be added on.

Stan goes round Gilchrist who shoots but straight to Royce. Gunnlaugson received the ball passes to Benjamin who gets bundled over – Guppy takes free kick but the ball is to deep and goes out for a Goal kick.

47 mins

City have struggled all through the game and are unable to get on with.

Izzet breaks into the box but is blocked off fairly. Long ball to Elliott but Impey is beaten to the ball by Jacobs who has had a great game and cut everything from the right side out.

49 mins

Stan strays offside - Leicester chip forward but headed out chips in again but Walsh comes to collect but drops the ball. Ball is then cleared but out of the ground. New ball required with 1 minute to go.

50 mins

The final whistle is blown and the boos go out in the ground as the fans are not happy with losing to bottom of the table Bradford and quite rightly so.

Leicester just did not perform, Bradford started quicker and Leicester just weren't turned on. If you were a neutral you would probably say Bradford deserved the win.

Leicester have lost two games at home, against top of the table Manchester United and bottom of the table Bradford. Leicester head for the F.A Cup next against York, a a game required to get some shooting practice in.

Leicester slide to sixth position in the table.

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