Blues miss goal rush - but uneasy peace holds; Bradford 0 Blues 0.

AFTER the events at Blues in the past seven days, it would have been no surprise to see a United Nations peace keeping force turning up at St Andrew's.

The good news is that Blues are a good deal more positive on the field than they are off it at the moment.

The bad news is that their performance did not produce the result they deserved in Blues' bid for a place in the promotion play-offs.

This was a game that Blues should have won at a canter after creating a host of chances but converting none of them.

The behind the scenes squabbling between managing director Karren Brady and Trevor Francis seemed a long way off as Blues dominated.

Yet it was so frustrating to see them come away with just one point from the Pulse Stadium.

Blues are now unbeaten in five games but they can ill afford to be so wasteful in front of goal if they are to claim a top six place.

Bradford started well and threatened early in the game, but once Blues had control they were the only side who looked like winning - but it simply did not happen.

But Bradford goalkeeper Mark Prudhoe, once at St Andrew's himsel was on top form to add to Blues' frustrations.

If Francis had needed any reminding about the way Blues fans felt about his position after temporarily quitting the club last weekend, he was left in no doubt. Supporters chanted "There's only one Trevor Francis" before the game and at the final whistle.

But Francis would not be drawn on a controversial week for the club.

"I'm a football person, I know a little bit about this game and that's what I want to talk about" he remarked after the match.

Francis had no complaints about his team's efforts, but was left wondering how they failed to collect a victory.

"They worked hard right up until the 90th minute" said Francis.

"I thought we were superb, I can't fault the players. I think the fact that their goalkeeper was man of the match tells its own story.

"But we had some bad misses. We must have had 20 attempts at goal and when you have that many opportunities you should find the net,it's very much two points dropped. It's seldom you play at that and don't collect three points.

"You'd have thought the way we dominated the match that we were the home team. We were very disappointed to collect only one point.

"The players can't give any more than they are doing, they just need to be a bit more cold and calculating in front of goal."

The only real scare for Blues throughout the match came after 12 minutes when Robbie Blake shot just wide of the far post after being set up by Robert Steiner.

PROBLEMS

After that, Dele Adebola and Peter Ndlovu caused massive problems for Bradford's defence.

Prudhoe saved well on a number of occasions from Adebola while Ndlovu was also denied by the Bradford keeper.

The Zimbabwean international almost poked the ball home a minute before the break after racing on to a long ball from Martin O'Connor only to see Prudhoe dash out of his area and block superbly.

O'Connor collected the rebound but floated over.

At the back Blues were well organised, with Jon Bass in excellent form.

After the break, Blues remained on top with Martin Grainger twice flashing shots just wide and Bradford defender Eddie Youds almost putting into his own goal after a fine cross from Simon Charlton.

Blues looked tired near the end but still forced a pace right up to the final whistle.

But both substitutes Nicky Forster and Bryan Hughes both should have done better after creating good openings.

BRADFORD: Prudhoe; Wilder, Jacobs, Ramage (Murray 74), Youds, O'Brien, Lawrence, Pepper, Steiner, Blake (McGinlay 62), Beagrie (Sepp 78).

BLUES: Bennett; Bass, Charlton, Bruce, Johnson, Marsden, McCarthy, O'Connor, Adebola, Grainger (Hughes 82), Ndlovu (Forster 75). Subs: Ablett.

Referee: F G Stretton (Nottingham).