Jabo powerhouse takes starring role

Photo: Pictures by ALAN HOWARTH

TAKE THAT . . . Mike Jones fizzes in a shot from the edge of the penalty box to put Athletic 2-0 up.

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Athletic 2, Bradford City 1

TABLES were turned as Athletic made it into the top six of Sky Bet League One for the first time this season.

Bradford arrived with a reputation as the division's bruisers. But after a richly-entertaining battle, the West Yorkshire side went home nursing their wounds – mainly thanks to the most influential man on the pitch, Jabo Ibehre.

The 31 year old did unto the Bantams what he had done to Athletic on the first day of this most promising of seasons. Tall and strong as an ox with his back to goal, the loaned Colchester striker proved the perfect foil for Jonathan Forte.

Ibehre set up the first goal with a neat nod-down and bullied visiting Swiss defender Cristopher Routis so badly he almost reported him for cruelty when he was hauled off after 42 minutes.

At that stage, Ibehre and his team-mates were conducting everything – much to the delight of a boisterous home crowd, the biggest of the season.

After Forte had spun on the spot before launching the ball home for his 11th goal of a barely-believable season, Mike Jones made it 2-0 with only 24 minutes on the clock.

Danny Philliskirk spread the ball wide to the left and Jones cut inside and launched a 20-yard shot which swept past a flat-footed Jordan Pickford in the Bantams goal at his near post.

The damage to a bewildered Bradford side – fresh from a midweek draw at Bristol City – should have been more severe.

Forte nipped in as Routis tried to shepherd a ball back to Pickford, but couldn't poke it past the on-loan Sunderland shot-stopper.

The same man again couldn't quite turn home soon after when Ibehre had again caused confusion and when the roles were reversed, Forte's low centre was deflected wide after it was met by Ibehre's side-foot.

With Philliskirk and Carl Winchester standing out in a fluid midfield diamond formation, Bradford were chasing shadows and praying for the half-time interval.

Routis's removal, though, saw James Meredith into the action down the left flank, and a new diamond formation in midfield began to exert real influence.

Athletic had already been warned by Hanson. His header in the 42nd minute was directed straight at Paul Rachubka but three minutes later, he nodded down for Andy Halliday to fire home emphatically.

Enthusiastically applauded off at the interval, Athletic were to face a bombardment in the second half.

It was about how they dealt with it that would dictate whether or not the unbeaten run would extend to 13 games.

Athletic opened up on the front foot. Philliskirk hit one straight at Pickford and approaching the hour mark, Alan Sheehan totally missed with a swing of his right foot when trying to clear.

Bradford snapped out of their stupor to dominate the final half-hour. Rarely do Athletic lose a midfield battle but fatigue seemed to play its part.

Philliskirk wasted a promising position with a weak finish and Forte should have hammered in from Jones's cross rather than shoot low and tamely enough for Pickford to save.

Bradford pressed on. Sheehan's arrowing drive was pushed out by a diving Rachubka and Mills produced a superb diving block when Gary Liddle found space down the right.

Rory McArdle was sent off late in the game for his second crude hack on Ibehre, the first of which had brought an initial yellow card.

The dismissal had no effect on the result, but served to indicate Ibehre's nuisance value. His attributes are unique to Athletic's forward line, within a squad designed to deal with challenges as difficult as this one proved to be.

Scintillating in the first half, subdued in the second, adaptable Athletic nonetheless solved their problems on the way to a fourth straight home win.