THIS coming together of the City Gent and the Town Hero ended in an honourable draw. It really could not have happened to two nicer blokes.

Bradford manager Stuart McCall is one of Cherries boss Eddie Howe’s idols. An Everton supporter as a kid, Howe once worshipped McCall. The respect now seems mutual.

It was perhaps no surprise then that this contest should mirror how the two used to ply their respective trades, McCall as a combative and grafting midfielder and Howe a tough and cultured defender.

There was no quarter either given or asked as the two sides went at it hammer and tong. Every player was fully committed, tackles were wholehearted and both teams left the pitch having given their all.

Driving rain and a swirling wind ensured the contest would never be remembered as a classic, and so it proved.

Sadly, after a rainbow had painted the West Yorkshire skyline following an opening 20 minutes of little in the way of incident, there was to be no pot of gold for Cherries.

But with 15 away games remaining, several at far-flung northern outposts like Valley Parade, this workmanlike performance and point should stand them in good stead for what lies ahead. Gone are the days when Cherries and their hardy band of regular travellers used to set out from Dorset more in hope than expectation.

Another arduous journey resulted in the squad taking around seven hours to reach their West Yorkshire base on Friday, while congested motorways on Saturday saw supporters fare little better.

But those who ventured north witnessed another encouraging road trip for Cherries, another solid display, another performance of grit and determination – and another point towards the ultimate goal.

Standing alongside Howe, McCall, at 43, must have felt like an OAP, his rival 12 years his junior. And but for a rebuff following Peterborough’s approach, Howe could have had the weekend off.

“I think he should have cleared off and sent the youth team here!” joked McCall, when asked by the Daily Echo what he thought of Howe’s decision to stay.

Having almost quit as City boss following Bradford’s 4-1 thumping at Dean Court in March, McCall may have thought he had seen the last of his nemesis.

“Stuart was one of my idols,” revealed Howe. “He scored two goals in the FA Cup final (in 1989) and that is something I will always remember because I was so desperate for Everton to win.”

Despite McCall’s heroics, the Toffees went on to lose to their arch rivals Liverpool, leaving both McCall and an 11-year-old Howe scarred.

Both managers were again of the same mind after their charges had shared the spoils following an encounter that improved as it progressed.

McCall went first: “Taking everything into account, it was a battling performance from us and a hard-fought point. I was quite satisfied and it was a fair result because neither team deserved to win or lose. It wasn’t a game for the purists.”

And Howe followed: “The first half was fairly even but I was disappointed we didn’t nick it in the second because we had some good chances. I still saw it as a point gained though.”

Howe again raised a few eyebrows among the local press pack, his articulate and informative post-match observations certainly leaving a lasting impression on one.

“Fair comments and it was very nice to meet you,” said the reporter, who later remarked on how polite and genuine Howe had come across.

He was asked about his decision to replace Alan Connell with Steve Fletcher just 11 minutes into the second half when a very public and calm discussion took place between Howe and Connell in the technical area.

Howe said: “I like to explain my decisions because sometimes players can get disillusioned without an explanation. I like to be honest with them and tell them why I’ve done it. They may not agree but at least you have said your bit. I thought Alan had played well and it wasn’t a reflection on his performance. I thought he was one of our best players. It’s hard but you have to make these decisions as a manager. Sometimes you are right and sometimes you are wrong.”

“It was interesting to watch,” replied the reporter, after Howe had spent a good 45 seconds explaining his decision to Connell. “He was obviously disappointed, but, after you had spoken to him, he patted you on the back and looked like he was saying ‘I understand, gaffer’.”

Connell played his part as Cherries opened the scoring through Brett Pitman in the 33rd minute, his slick one-two with Anton Robinson giving his team-mate a clear run on goal. Unselfishly, Robinson opted to square to allow Pitman to stroke the ball into an unguarded net for his ninth goal of the season.

Gareth Evans slipped the Cherries offside trap to level in the 42nd minute before a tense second period saw both sides lay claim to some decent chances, with Robinson probably squandering the pick when he blazed over from eight yards with the goal at his mercy.

The midfielder atoned with interest, however, when he cleared a Lee Bullock header off the line in the closing stages.