Wednesday 20 September 2006 Pontin's Holidays League Central Barnsley 1 Bradford City 1 Kick Off: 7.00pm at Oakwell Stadium Ben Muirhead made a welcome return from injury, playing his first game of the season as Bradford City Reserves drew 1-1 with Barnsley at Oakwell in the Pontin's Holidays League Central. But Matthew Clarke's injury woe continued when he pulled out of training and subsequently the reserves squad on Tuesday with another groin strain rendering himself unavailable for the Bantams trip to Cheltenham Town at the weekend. Colin Todd cast his eye over 23-year Cypriot Alexis Nicolas, the midfielder having been on trial with City for the last week, but failed to make any real impression in the time he was in action. Bradford took only minutes to get into the game when an excellent through pass from Muirhead set up Nick Smith who saw his early effort blocked and well cleared. Russell Howarth was in action shortly after when he intercepted a cross from Thomas Beevor with Daniel Nardiello set to pounce. City were awarded a free kick following a bad challenge on Joe Colbeck by Thomas Harban. Muirhead's kick was easily cleared as the ball went unchallenged. On 11 minutes City were in front when a superb through ball from Tom Penford set Muirhead free of the home defence and he coolly slotted the ball beyond Kyle Letheren. Barnsley were slow to respond and were posing City little threat in the early stages. The Tykes finally responded with a cross by Nardiello, himself making a return from injury - out all season with a fractured collarbone - but they were denied when Simon Ainge rose well in the box to head away the danger. A few soft shots were all that Barnsley were throwing at City, giving Howarth little to deal with. However he was subject of a crude challenge when he came out to fist the ball away, but met the raised studs of Nathan Joynes which went straight into the keeper's chest. Just prior to that, Joe Brown made an ambitious shot from 20-yards but his effort sailed wide of the mark. As the half went into time added on, Colbeck made a speculative shot from the narrowest of angles which had Letheren scampering to his left to ensure the ball went to safety. The second half saw Patrick McGuire on for Muirhead and within seconds of the restart Barnsley were level when Nardiello ran into the area and the Welsh international slotted the ball through Howarth's legs into the back of the net. Bradford had another chance, thanks to the work of Colbeck down the right flank. He took the ball into the area with some speed, and unselfishly passed across goal to McGuire, who struck the ball, his shot blocked well by Robert Atkinson. Barnsley responded quickly and Joynes chipped the ball over Howarth, only to see the ball rattle the cross-bar and bounce into the arms of Russell Howarth. A clumsy mistake by Ainge gave Barnsley an easy chance on goal when Scott McGrory took the ball past two Bradford defenders and struck across goal from 6 yards, but his shot lacked accuracy and went just wide of the post. With the minutes ticking away Barnsley almost scored the winner when Howarth took several attempts to gather the ball which was being ricocheted dangerously in the area. Barnsley: Letheren, Harban, Meynell, Laight, Atkinson, Heslop (Jennings), McGrory (Fedorenko), Loukes (Butterfield), Joynes, Nardiello, Beevor. Subs: Waggett, Potter. Bradford City: Howarth, Swift, O'Brien, Nicolas (Mitchell), Ainge, Hopkins, Muirhead (McGuire), Penford, Smith N (Harper), Brown, Colbeck. Subs: Saynor, Smith L. Nards talked about as a Welsh international is abit early but good for him scoring on his comeback.
