Bradford 2 - 2 Port Vale - Match Report

Johnstone's Paint Trophy - Regional Quarter Final

10th November 2009

City's last game in this competition against Notts County had ended in a 2-2 draw at Valley Parade and had been decided in favour of the home side on penalties, and tonight, on the same ground, the same full-time scoreline and outcome was recorded against Port Vale.

The Valiants had already visited Valley Parade earlier in the season for a game that ended goalless, and for much of the first half here, a repeat scoreline looked likely in a drab opening 45 minutes.

Michael Boulding, recalled to the City side at the expense of the injured Gareth Evans, had two tame shots along the ground at Chris Martin in the opening quarter of an hour and Steve Williams should have also done better with an unmarked header from a Michael Flynn free-kick, which was diverted wide.

The visitors first real chance fell to Louis Dodds who fired over on the turn after quarter of an hour, whilst Jamie Guy stretched desperately to get onto the end of a long pass from Robert Taylor, but diverted a header wide two minutes later.

Gareth Owen saw a header tipped around the post by Simon Eastwood but Micky Adams' men finally broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when the City defence was caught napping and John McCombe fired in a half-volley at the near post.

Guy bobbled a shot wide after City had failed to clear a corner and City entered the break one goal down.

Thankfully City boss Stuart McCall made two inspired substituations at the re-start, replacing Boulding and Luke Sharry with James O'Brien and Chris Brandon, both of whom breathed life into an up-to-that-point delapidated City side.

It was J. O'Brien that had a hand in the equaliser too, crossing from the left hand touchline for Michael Flynn to head home from close range for his fifth goal in City colours.

That brought the game to life and Flynn almost added a second later but saw Martin scramble clear as he tried to chase down a loose ball, whilst Brandon angled himself a shooting opportunity and wasn't a million miles away when curling a low shot narrowly wide too.

Robert Taylor continued to exert an influence for Vale and fired a twenty yard rocket just wide of the right hand post but it was City that netted next with James Hanson, who had seen an excellent knock down across the face of goal cleared minutes earlier, glancing home a header from a Luke O'Brien cross in the 70th minute.

Taylor did finally draw blood when City allowed Dodds to cut infrom the right and failed to pick up the onrushing full-back who slammed home in fine style, but there was still chances thereafter for either side to secure themsleves a place in the semi-final.

J. O'Brien played a neat one two with Michael Flynn on the edge of the area before dragging his shot disappointingly wide after bursting into the box whilst Vale nearly netted a freak equaliser in the 77th minute when a ball that seemed to be set to roll into touch hit a divot and slowed down, allowed a Vale winger to cross from the right, only for a teammate to fire over the bar from close range.

Kris Taylor lashed a free-kick across the face of goal as Vale attempted to snatch a later winner, but the ball rolled out safely into touch and the tie went to penalties.

Both Marc Richards and then Flynn netted opening kicks for either side before Dodds and Kris Taylor and then J. O'Brien and Brandon missed kicks for either side and failed to expoit one anothers misses. As the shootout entered sudden death Robert Taylor and Zesh Rehman each held their nerve but Adam Yates saw his kick saved by Eastwood and when Steve Williams lashed in City's seventh kick, McCall's men progressed to the next round to set up a possible clash with Leeds, Carlisle or Accrington.

BCTID MOM - Matt Clarke - dominated in the air and a generally solid display at centre-half.