Crawley Town vs. Bradford City

Date: Saturday 17th September
Time: 3pm
Venue: Broadfield Stadium
Home: Crawley Town
Away: Bradford City.

This weekend the Bantams will face free spending Crawley Town, at the Broadfield Stadium, with both sides looking to bounce back from midweek defeats the game has all the chance of been one for the neutral, Bradford City have added experianced former Premiership hitman Craig Fagan to their ranks tonight (15/9/11) in a signing that will have raised more than a few eyebrows, meanwhile Crawley have brought in a couple of their own new faces with Ipswich Town loanee Adam Drury joinging The Red Devils on a 93day loan and also the addition of a free agent Claude Davis a former Derby County and Crystal Palace star.
The Red Devils widely tipped as a hot bet for promotion this year have made a good start to life in League football, however, with a mixed bag of results in there last three results, Crawley will surely want to seal a win after two heavy defeats in the last few days, the Red Devils, have seen the following three results:

Saturday 3rd September

CRAWLEY 4-1 Bristol Rovers
Barnett(2)           Brown
Smith
Tubbs

An impressive win by all accounts against a decent looking recently relegated Rovers outfit, a brace from leading tallysman Barnett who looks a formidabble force at early doors for Crawley.

This impressive win was followed by two consecutive heavy defeats,

Saturday 10th September

Morecambe 6-0 Crawley
Carlton(3)
Fenton
Ellison
Wilson (Pen)

A thrashing from the early league leaders Morecambe will have done the Crawley defenders confidence no good whatsoever, with former City loanee Ellison getting himself on the scoresheet in the process.

Tuesday 13th September

CRAWLEY 0-3 Swindon
                           Connell
                           Kerrouche (2)

Another heavy defeat for the Red Devils saw them drop to 8th in the league on 13 points, Di Canio who is perhaps famously remembered by Bradford fans for his protests in the 9 goal thriller at Upton park in the clubs premier league years, heaped a reality check onto last season Blue Square Premier league and free spending Crawley with a thumping 3-0 victory including a magnificent brace from Kerrouche.


Bradford City whom though have not yet taken three points under new gaffer Parko have made improvemenets, but rearguard is a must for city who have shipped in 6 goals in just three games.

The Bantams last three are as follows

Saturday 3rd September

Morecambe 1-1 BRADFORD
Reid                   Hannah

An impressive draw for Parkinson men against table toppers Morecambe, with former Matlock Town goal machine pinching a point for the Bantams in the 93rd miniute with a neatly taken volley from inside the area, Morecambe went onto embarass Bradford's opponenets Crawley the following game 6-0

Saturday 10th September

BRADFORD 2-2 Bristol Rovers
Flynn (2 Pens)               Harrold
                             Richard

In a game that fans and plaudits alike stated Bradford deserved to take all three from this game the Bantams had to yet again rely on a last gasp equaliser this time from the spot from Michael Flynn who kept his nerve to slot into the top left hand corner in the dieing seconds of the match, Rovers are a team who Crawley put to the sword with a heavy 4-1 victory for the Red Devils.

Tuesday 13th September

Port Vale 3-2 BRADFORD
Taylor (2)       Devitt
Pope              Jones

In a cruel twist of fate for the Bantams fans after two consecutive last gasp saves they found themselves on the receiving end of a late late winner from former Rotherham man Tom Pope who put the Bantams to the sword live on sky with a brace last season stroke again to end the Bantams unbeaten streak under Parkinson.

CRAWLEY TOWN:

Top Scorers (League only)
Tubbs 4
Barnett 4
Akpan (joint) 1

BRADFORD CITY

Top Socrers (League only)
Hanson 3
Flynn 2
Hannah 2

With eight goals between the Red Devils two centre forwards Branston and his likely partner of Oliver at centre half will really have to put in a shift to keep the mean combination of Tubbs and Barnett at bay, Oliver who has looked a new player since the departure of former boss Peter Taylor will be putting a real shift to ensure fan faviourate Steve Williams does not snatch his place from his graps, as i'm sure will skipper Branston.
Crawley have also got the daunting task of facing the 6'4'' James Hanson who could potentially be partnered by new addition Craig Fagan who with an impressive CV will surely have the Devils defence panicing come Friday evening.


Onwards & Upwards City, lets have the three.