Gary Bowyer pleased with Bradford’s FA Cup showing at Shrewsbury

Posted Sunday, November 10, 2019 by PA

Bradford City manager Gary Bowyer felt his team gave a good account of themselves as they held higher division Shrewsbury Town to a 1-1 draw in the first round of the FA Cup.

Aramide Oteh gave Bradford, flying high in second place in League Two, a first-half lead at Montgomery Waters Meadow before Josh Laurent pulled Shrewsbury, who are 11th in League One, level nine minutes later.

Bradford came close to a late winner when Ben Richards-Everton headed against a post, but the clubs must meet again in West Yorkshire.

Bowyer said: “I thought we gave a very good account of ourselves, a League Two team coming to a League One team, where in the last couple of games at home here, Shrewsbury have beaten Sunderland and beaten Peterborough.

“We started ever so well, could have scored within the first minute, and then we did score which was a credit to Remi (Oteh) for chasing a lost cause down and forcing the error.

“Then obviously Shrewsbury are a good team and they got into the game. Half-time came and we were disappointed with their equaliser, but then we were delighted with, having lost James Vaughan, the change that we made.

“We went to a different system and how the lads put an impressive performance in and could have won the game.

“I think Jermaine Anderson had a couple of great chances, Ben Richards-Everton hit the post, and lots of positives for us to take away from here today.”

Ollie Norburn and Fejiri Okenabirhie went closest for Shrewsbury as they pushed for a second-half winner in an open second half.

“I think today we huffed and we puffed and we just couldn’t quite get that winning goal,” said Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts.

“We gave them a goal, 1-0 down, got back in the game, and I thought for large parts of the first half the game was there for the taking.

“Second half it became a little bit of a Cup tie where it started becoming a little bit end to end. I think both sides wanted to win it and were going for the win and we left ourselves open defensively a little bit.

“But as the game went on I think we had the better chances. I think Dave Edwards missed one by about a stud’s length on the goal line, a few other half chances, but ultimately huffed and puffed and couldn’t quite do it.”

Ricketts added: “I think you have to give Bradford some credit. They’re a side that are on a good run. They’ve won four out of the last five and with a team with that kind of momentum towards the top of their league you have to respect, even though I thought to be honest at times the game was there for us.”