The notion that the first ten minutes of any game are the most important was absolutely proven by Saturday’s game against Harrogate 3s. Despite the long 90 minute drive coupled with the cold late-afternoon conditions, Bradford arrived with high spirits and genuine enthusiasm, eager to face off against one of the strongest teams on the table.

The first half saw an intense showdown between the two teams. Bradford launched with a tight and high-octane press, shutting down any potential passes through the middle. The front 3’s pressure on their backline and the midfield’s control of the channels was commanded expertly by centre half Bhavan, who proved his ability to coordinate the team effectively.
Bradford utilised the fresh legs on our team by anticipating passes from Harrogate’s midfield and backline, and quickly stepping onto the ball carriers. Harrogate’s offensive game proved relentless as the half progressed, with their use of the wings and the pace of their attacking midfielders allowing them to break into Bradford’s D more than once, our backline was able to deal with any attempts at a goal (along with a couple of great saves from Danny).
Eventually, Bradford’s unyielding efforts were met with success, as the inside forwards were able to create space and give great passes to the front three in Harrogate’s D, resulting in shots on goal and short corners. At the end of the first half, Bradford had secured a well-earned 2-0 score.

However, the team knew that the fight was far from over, and in order to bring a victory home we would have to all put in our A games. After an inspirational half time talk from captain Nick and coach Isaac, Bradford went into the second half eager to see the result through. Our efforts were continuously rewarded as the second half progressed, with our tight positioning and awareness of each other proving the victor over Harrogate’s brute-force approach of sprinting through the middle. Bradford’s chemistry was undeniable, with players filling in for each other’s positions and supporting each other in counter-attacks (our specialty). Despite Harrogate scoring a surprising goal with only 10 men on the pitch, Bradford seemed to have broken their spirits somewhat, as we secured short corner after short corner, and since our front 3’s runs weren’t put to waste, the goals flooded in. In the end, Bradford walked away with a 7-1 victory, having made a strong opposition look like an average team.

Particular shoutouts to Ben Barber, whose constant attacks and shots on goal did wonders to wear their defence down, and Joe Barber, who ensured that Harrogate’s right wing was shut down during the second half.
Overall, the best game of the season so far

Author: Zora S.