Ainsworth: Game was won and lost in the first five minutes
9:24am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Latest Sport By Andy Carswell
GARETH Ainsworth said his side were punished for switching off in the first five minutes against Bradford last night.
In a game the Blues boss said was high on work ethic but low on quality, Wanderers were undone from an early set piece as Bradford striker Garry Thompson scrambled home what proved to be the game’s only goal.
But Ainsworth said the biggest low point of the evening was the fact his side hadn’t heeded an even earlier warning as the Yorkshire club almost netted in the game’s opening minute.
The Wanderers manager said: “Set pieces and organisation are so important in this league. We had a little warning sign and that’s what disappointed me the most. We had the warning sign before, we didn’t organise properly and we let one in that turned out to be the winning goal.
“Physically we were a bit short tonight. It was a very workmanlike performance from Bradford. The two front lads didn’t give our lads a rest.
“Bradford are a wounded animal – they got a bit of a spanking away at Exeter on Saturday. But it’s not as if I didn’t warn my boys, they knew what was coming.
“We started the game a little bit slower than Bradford and it was won and lost in the first five minutes.
“I thought there was maybe something for us from a set play as we are strong on them. Games are sometimes won and lost on these things in League Two. You’ve got to be ready to battle, got to be ready to work really hard away from home.”
Collectively the sides only managed three shots on target in a game dominated by defences that never looked like it was going to spark into life.
Ainsworth said: “We were second best to a lot of things but our keeper didn’t have to make a save apart from the first five minutes when he saved a corner. Then we let one in.
“There was a lot of good play around the box. The wingers for Bradford played well and we got a lot of good possession in their half but never really got into their box or managed to get shots on their goal.
“I don’t think there was too much quality about in the whole game. It was a good battle. My centre halves have taken some battles tonight with Thompson and Hanson. They are big lads, they are up for a battle and sometimes you’re going to get that. It was like a basketball game at times.”
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