CHESTER CITY turned in another gritty and determined performance on Saturday, but again the lack of a cutting edge in front of goal turned out to be their undoing.
City thoroughly deserved a share of the spoils against the Yorkshiremen, but they are gradually running out of games as they strive to preserve their Coca- Cola League Two status.
"I don’t think I could ask for anything more in terms of the fighting qualities, the effort and the endeavour they put into that football match," said City manager Mark Wright.
The former Liverpool and England defender continued: "They battled and did everything they possibly could to get a result. We played three up front to try and win the game, which was positive and we had a few chances we could have done a little better with.
"If we keep going out there with some sort of resilience and the players keep winning their individual battles, then we can get results between now and the end of the season."
Chances were few and far between in an evenly contested first half, with Jay Harris and Kevin Ellison firing wide from 20 yards and Danby making a regulation save from the Bantams’ on-loan striker Paul Mullin.
Chester took control in the second period and on three occasions Ritchie Partridge had chances to score, the best falling to the Irishman in the dying embers of the game, but Rehman did well to block the pint-sized player’s effort five yards out.
Partridge had a further chance in added time, but after rounding Evans he found the angle too acute and the chance went begging.
City have now drawn their last three matches, but the paltry record of just two goals scored in 270 minutes of football tells its own story.
One positive to emerge from the last trio of games has been the performances of young defender Glenn Rule, who is improving with every game he plays and also showing a maturity beyond his tender years.
Chester are next in action next Saturday when they visit Meadow Lane to play Notts County, but already they have concerns over the fitness of Kevin Ellison, who limped off midway through the second period on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
CHESTER CITY: Danby, J Vaughan, Roberts, Linwood, Rule, Wilson, Harris, Barry, Partridge, Lowe, Ellison (B Jones 77). Subs: Mannix, Rutherford, Owen, Ellams.
BRADFORD CITY: Evans, Rehman, Lee, Clarke, O’Brien, Law, McLaren (Bullock 82), Furman, Jones (Brandon 75), Mullin, Boulding. Subs: Arnison, Nix, Gillespie.
REFEREE: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).
ATT: 2,735.
