Bradford City 2 Rochdale 0

Last updated : 23 August 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Bradford City maintained their 100 per cent start to the new league season with their 2-0 victory over Rochdale moving them to the top of the table.

Stuart McCall's much-fancied side have now won all three of their league games and are living up to their billing as pre-season promotion candidates.

The Bantams were unchanged from the starting line-up that won 2-0 at Macclesfield Town last weekend and made a strong start with Omar Daley drawing a save from Sam Russell with a shot from 15 yards after nine minutes.

But the 13,100 home fans inside Valley Parade didn't have to wait too much longer for the first goal of the game, as Michael Boulding opened his account for his new club on 20 minutes.

The striker scored 25 times for struggling Mansfield Town last season and bagged his first goal in a claret and amber shirt after heading home Peter Thorne's cross from close range.

Bradford continued to hold the upper hand and, after a couple of half-chances for Rory McArdle and Adam Rundle, found themselves two goals up on 35 minutes.

Veteran striker Thorne claimed his fifth goal from four games this season when he converted Paul McLaren's cross from the left wing.

McArdle had an immediate opportunity to reduce the arrears but headed wide from 12 yards, before Jon Shaw pulled a volley from inside the penalty area just wide of the upright.

Dale boss Keith Hill made a double substitution ten minutes into the second half when he sent on Adam Le Fondre and Scott Wiseman.

The move looked to have paid dividends as the visitors offered more of a threat and Clark Keltie rattled the upright on the hour-mark with a low drive.

Rundle fired over the bar with 20 minutes remaining, but that was to be as good as it would get for the visitors as Bradford successfully played out time with the minimum of fuss to secure all three points in straightforward fashion.