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00:00Valley Parade was the setting on the 22nd of January 2000, for a clash between two teams who'd recently gained promotion to the Premiership.
00:08Bradford had gone up automatically, while Watford squeezed in via the playoffs.
00:13The Hornets had struggled to find the net early on in the season, but had surprised everyone with notable wins over Liverpool and Chelsea.
00:19Despite that, a long struggle for survival was on the cards for Graham Taylor's team, while few expected Bradford to avoid the drop either.
00:27Both teams had been leaking goals at an alarming rate, so the onus was definitely on the strikers.
00:34Dean Windass had scored 99 career league goals going into the game.
00:38He started in place of top scorer Lee Mills, who had a hamstring injury.
00:42Windass was partnered up front by the veteran Dean Saunders.
00:46One other change saw Bradford call upon the services of Gareth Wally.
00:51Despite just two home wins all season, the Bradford faithful clearly hadn't lost their appetite for the game.
00:57Watford's team sheet included records signing Haider Helgerson, starting only his second game.
01:02He partnered Xavier Gravelin in attack, Micah Hyde was back in midfield, and also back after suspension was Neil Cox.
01:11Your match commentator is John Champion.
01:14Two sides in real peril near the foot of the English Premier League.
01:19Bradford kick off with home advantage, and four points better off in the table.
01:27And with the greater chance of escape from that bottom three.
01:33Bradford with 18 points from 22 fixtures, Watford have 14, Sheffield Wednesday the bottom club, 13.
01:43So a win for Bradford would be bad news for Watford.
01:49In that it would leave them seven points adrift of the club above them in the table.
01:57Bright sunshine on this mid-winter Saturday.
02:03And a free kick for Bradford, given away by Steve Palmer.
02:10And already Peter Begre has placed the ball.
02:20Bradford relatively strong at home, they're unbeaten in six Premier League games here.
02:26But the majority of those have been draws.
02:30Ten matches here in the league, Paul Jewel's side have won two, lost two, and drawn six.
02:36If only three or four of those draws had been wins, they'd have been in a much healthier position by now.
02:44Jamie Lawrence.
02:47Challenge was not a foul from David Perpetuini.
02:52Whatever Lawrence may have thought.
03:00Lawrence has escaped.
03:06And then Gareth Wally is battling for it.
03:11It is a Watford free kick.
03:13Jamie Lawrence a lively customer down the right flank.
03:16Former Sunderland and Leicester winger.
03:19Never scored a goal in the top division.
03:32Kicked away by O'Brien. Here's Charlie Miller.
03:37Now Lawrence. Watford were expecting a whistle for a foul.
03:44Stuart McCall.
03:48Gunnar Halle.
03:50Some experience there with those two. Halle's 34.
03:53McCall 35.
03:56That was very nearly the opening goal.
03:58Turned in at the near post by Windas.
04:02Talking of 30-somethings as we were.
04:13Dean Windas' three goals this season have all been in a losing cause.
04:17He's been playing in midfield. It's his first game up front since August today.
04:26Foul given.
04:27It's Gravelin, the Frenchman.
04:31Who was sent spinning.
04:33By David Weatherall.
04:40Des Little is over the ball.
04:43High towards Robert Page.
04:45Who appeals for but doesn't get a corner.
04:49Graham Taylor.
04:51Has been in charge for five of Watford's seven promotions.
05:03Paul Roberts.
05:05He's been in charge for five of Watford's seven promotions.
05:09Come on, Jamie!
05:12Paul Robinson with the header back.
05:24Jacobs.
05:27And a foul by Weatherall.
05:31Bringing down Heider Helgesen.
05:38Helgesen made a favourable impression with that goal on his debut against Liverpool.
05:44Trying to build on that today.
05:46The Icelander.
05:53Six in the Bradford wall.
05:57Paul Robinson.
06:00Comfortable for Matt Clarke.
06:01Matt Clarke.
06:06Ideal height and direction for the goalkeeper.
06:22Bradford's free kick.
06:24Given by a referee no more than three yards from the incident.
06:27Paul Alcock.
06:29Charlie Miller the offender.
06:43Windass there ahead of Palmer.
06:49There's a Watford ball.
06:52Bradford have scored just once in their last five league games.
06:58At the other end it's not been too healthy either.
07:0027 matches this season, just four clean sheets.
07:07Lawrence.
07:10Saunders.
07:11Windass couldn't get there.
07:13But he's got a penalty.
07:14He was sandwiched.
07:16Watford are furious.
07:18But Bradford have a chance to take the lead.
07:21Page on one side of him.
07:22Robinson on the other.
07:24Down went Windass.
07:26Paul Alcock says penalty.
07:37Peter Begri.
07:39And a penalty.
07:41Peter Begri was successful from the spot six times last season.
07:46He's got one penalty this.
07:47A last minute equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday.
07:50And now in this oh so vital game.
07:53He has driven Bradford into the lead.
08:03Acclamation from right around Valley Parade.
08:11A win for Bradford today would be a lifeline.
08:20Micah Hyde.
08:22Too strong for Gravelin.
08:30Watford have lost 14 of their last 17 league games.
08:34Since beating Chelsea in the middle of September.
08:37Just four victories.
08:38Just four victories.
08:41One of them away from home at Liverpool.
08:46And only Bradford have scored fewer goals.
08:49Than Watford.
08:52So we're watching the two lowest scorers.
08:54The two most feeble attacks in the English Premier League.
09:01It's Helgesen.
09:02To Gravelin.
09:03Gravelin.
09:07Helgesen again.
09:08And it's swept in by Hyde.
09:18Good counter-attacking goal by Watford.
09:25Nice link-up by the two strikers.
09:27Gravelin.
09:29Helgesen.
09:30Hyde with a search from midfield.
09:33And Micah Hyde.
09:34Second of the season.
09:35His first in the Premier League.
09:37Restores parity.
09:40Graham Taylor.
09:41Discussing matters with his coach Kenny Jackett.
09:46Off goes Saunders.
09:51Bigri.
10:00It's Windass.
10:03Micah Hyde.
10:18Stuart McCall.
10:22Gareth Wally striding forward.
10:27Bradford have their lead back.
10:31And it didn't take long.
10:34It's only his second start in four long months.
10:39And he's made his point.
10:43In off the inside of the post.
10:45Goalkeeper might have done a little better.
10:52Gravelin.
10:54That clock was routed.
10:58A sign from Paris Saint-Germain.
11:03He's had seven clubs in France.
11:04Four caps for France.
11:07Much needed experience for Watford.
11:16Well, the half-time whistle goes.
11:19With Steve Palmer on the deck.
11:23Having been caught by Dean Saunders.
11:25And arguments breaking out involving Bigri.
11:28And Helgesen in particular.
11:31The sour taste at the end of this first period.
11:33Which has been well contested.
11:35Micah Hyde equalising after Peter Bigri's penalty.
11:38Had given Bradford an early lead.
11:40Gareth Wally striding forward to score again.
11:43Eight minutes short of half-time.
11:45And Steve Palmer is furious.
11:47He's abandoned the physio Paul Rastrick.
11:50Because he wants words with the referee Paul Alcock.
11:53Who took no action for the challenge by Dean Saunders.
11:56That floored him.
11:58Sensibly, Charlie Miller has acted as a peacemaker.
12:01And a guardian figure to Steve Palmer.
12:04And so there's plenty to talk about.
12:06But not with the referee.
12:07Bradford 2.
12:09Watford 1 at half-time.
12:14Gareth Wally and Dean Saunders overseeing the kick-off for the second half.
12:20Bradford have done their best to make Valley Parade into something of a fortress.
12:24That was a prerequisite for any hope of survival.
12:28In their first season in the top flight of English football since 1922.
12:33It would be a huge achievement if Paul Jewell, Terry Jorath and Chris Hutchings there could keep them up.
12:42It's a positive start to the half though.
12:47Jacobs with the header wide.
12:49To Bigri.
12:55Bigri.
13:01The prospect of defeat for either of these sides is as horrible.
13:05As the idea of victory must seem wonderful.
13:15Stuart McCall.
13:17He's caught there by Charlie Miller.
13:25Come on, come on, come on.
13:29Graham Taylor first walked through the doors at Watford in 1977.
13:41Hyde.
13:43Cox.
13:45There's Little.
13:49Charlie Miller had it whipped off his toe.
13:51And Gravelin.
13:53With the acrobatic effort wide.
13:59Second time he's gone for the spectacular option.
14:03And it was probably his best hope. It was wonderfully dexterous.
14:08But agonisingly wide.
14:15Saunders.
14:18Lawrence.
14:19All he could do to reach the ball, couldn't keep it in.
14:32Perpetuini.
14:37Well to get the cross in.
14:39Which invited a finish from Dean Saunders.
14:42Saunders.
14:48Dean Winders whipped it into the ideal area.
14:55Combined age of 65.
14:57The two Bradford strikers.
15:00Andy O'Brien has scored for the first time in three years.
15:24His last goal was against Grimsby in March 1997.
15:28Nowhere near as valuable as this one may prove to be.
15:34It's only his third career goal.
15:36And makes up for his own goal at Hillsborough last weekend.
15:47Paige Saunders.
15:51One Welshman caught napping by another.
15:58International colleagues.
16:00Very much opponents today.
16:03Because this game matters so much to both.
16:10Bono.
16:17Hyde.
16:25Paul Robinson.
16:28Left foot.
16:31Tommy Smith.
16:32Chance for Smith.
16:33Robinson.
16:35Great double save but it's come at a cost for Matt Clarke.
16:38Who's down injured.
16:40And Bradford need the ball put out of play here.
16:43Bono.
16:44I don't know whether he realised but he played on nonetheless.
16:47That's why the boos are ringing out.
16:49When they're all cleared from in front of the post.
16:52But Clarke's got a real problem with that left knee.
16:56Very good first save.
16:57Even better second save.
16:59But it was there.
17:01The collision.
17:03With Paul Robinson in his follow through.
17:06Just watch the left knee.
17:10So Paul Jewell is forced to turn to his number three goalkeeper.
17:15Because there's no Gary Walsh at the moment remember.
17:20And that means.
17:22That is Clarke gets a sympathetic round of applause.
17:27Aidan Davison on loan from Sheffield United.
17:30Gets his chance.
17:34Capped three times by Northern Ireland.
17:36It is eighth club.
17:39Long time servant of Bolton amongst others.
17:48Jim Devine the linesman.
17:52After the spotting up of the ball.
17:53There's a gusting wind that's not helping.
17:57Des Little will take this.
18:01Cox.
18:11Graham Taylor has taken a pretty sanguine view of Watford's.
18:15Elevation to the Premier League.
18:18Not gone mad in terms of big name signings or the wage bill.
18:26Chris Foy the fourth official raising the board.
18:31Gareth Wallach.
18:33Who got Bradford's second goal.
18:35Applauding those who are applauding him.
18:39And shaking the hand of his replacement.
18:42That doughty midfield battler Neil Redfern.
18:47And that's it.
18:58Hooked on for Saunders to pursue and he's got the legs on Palmer.
19:03Dean Saunders.
19:07Could have sealed it.
19:09At 4-1 there'd definitely be no way back for Watford.
19:18Chamberlain's fingertips.
19:20Begley's corner.
19:31O'Brien.
19:35Given away to Robbins.
19:41Little.
19:48Bono.
19:50And McCall.
19:54Wayne Jacobs.
19:57Saunders.
20:02And now Windas.
20:05Went down very easily.
20:10Certainly hasn't got the pace.
20:12To worry defenders.
20:14Dean Windas he's got the trickery.
20:17Little.
20:27Little.
20:43Watford seem unlikely to break their duck on this ground.
20:45They've never won.
20:47Seven previous visits to Valley Parade.
20:51They say so of the linesmen on the far side.
20:54It's going to be a free kick.
21:05Time is running out for Watford.
21:11Gravelly.
21:16It's a corner.
21:21Leonis is very much on the visitors to get on with it.
21:26More problems with that corner quadrant.
21:33Maybe psychologically that was playing on the mind.
21:37Of Gravelin. He doesn't seem at all comfortable.
21:40Taking corners from that area.
21:42Struggling to find any firm ground to put the ball on.
21:47That's better.
21:50It's not as if he's struggling for practice.
21:59See the effect of the breeze on Davison's towel.
22:06Gravelin again.
22:08Two good fists by him.
22:11Hayden Davison.
22:13Micah Hyde.
22:17It's Robert Page.
22:20And it's Helgesen.
22:23And with two minutes to play.
22:25There might still be something in this game.
22:28For Watford.
22:31Second game for the club.
22:33Second goal for the club.
22:35For the Icelandic international, Heide Helgesen.
22:42And Watford would take a draw from here.
22:45Bradford desperate to cling on.
22:47And they're sending on another defender, Ashley Westwood.
22:51To replace Dean Saunders for the last few moments.
23:02Bradford's record against others in the bottom four.
23:05Very poor prior to this.
23:07Played four, one none.
23:09Drawn one, lost three.
23:11So only one point against companions in distress.
23:14But three more today would be an enormous boost to that cause.
23:19Page clears for Watford.
23:23O'Brien slices for Bradford.
23:27Gravelin.
23:29Has dug it out for Robinson.
23:32Alex Bono.
23:37The whistles are Bradfordian.
23:43The points may be two.
23:45In just a few seconds' time.
24:07And Bradford will happily accept the throw and will take their time over it.
24:18The bantams of Valley Parade.
24:23Yearning to hear Paul Alcott blow that whistle.
24:33Neal Cox.
24:35There is no more time.
24:37It's a huge win for Bradford City and Paul Jewell.
24:41A crushing defeat for Graham Taylor's Watford.
24:44A pivotal game.
24:4615 matches for each still to play.
24:49But for Bradford, three hugely important points.
24:54Bradford City three.
24:56Watford two.
24:58So a great result for Bradford and a much needed home win.
25:01It was one that would prove vital come the end of the season
25:05when the club avoided relegation thanks to a dramatic 1-0 victory over Liverpool
25:09on the very last afternoon.
25:11Watford's fortunes took a turn for the worse though.
25:14And after winning just two more games in the remainder of the season
25:17they went down, as predicted by many, with just 24 points.