BRADFORD CITY AFC

Billy Clarke's penalty in the second period cancelled out Peter Clarke's early headed opener for Oldham to send Stuart McCall's side into second in the Sky Bet League One table.

Apart from the first ten minutes or so when Oldham started brightly and gained the lead, City controlled proceedings for the most part, with their hold over possession growing seemingly stronger and stronger as the match progressed.

Oldham took the lead through their skipper Clarke after only five minutes when he rose unchallenged to head home Marc Klok's free-kick from wide into the box.

City nearly equalised just seven minutes later, however, but Mark Marshall's drive from just outside the box was superbly tipped over by Oldham shot-stopper, and one-time City loanee, Connor Ripley.

Daniel Devine, filling in a right back for the injured Tony McMahon, went close himself in the twentieth minute but his surging run into the box ended with a low shot just past the post.

At the other end, Billy McKay headed wide from Josh Law's cross just before the half hour mark but City were continuing to grow into the contest as the first half drew to a close.

Billy Clarke could have levelled things up just before the break but he touched James Meredith's cross wide of the far post from roughly six yards out.

With City still on the front-foot after the break, Marshall had a shot repelled by Ripley ten minutes into the second period before McCall's men earned a way back into the match from the spot.

Referee Ross Joyce awarded a penalty to City after Josh Cullen had been dragged to the ground inside the area by Oldham midfielder Ousmane Fane.

Billy Clarke took responsibility for the kick and he sent Ripley the wrong way to level things up.

The Bantams pressured for a winner in the time remaining in the match but Oldham made it hard for City to break them down by defending deep with large numbers behind the ball.

James Meredith saw a shot from inside the box pushed around the near post by Ripley. 

The Australian left back was involved again with only minutes remaining but he was flagged offside from an attack as Nicky Law bundled the ball home from close range.

McCall's side still nearly won it in injury time through Marshall but the winger's fizzing drive from just outside the box whistled narrowly past the top corner of Ripley's goal with the 'keeper rooted to the spot.

90+2min: So close from Marshall! The City winger cuts in-field and fires in a fierce left-footed drive from just outside the box that has Ripley beaten but also flashes narrowly wide of the far post.

90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.

89min: Rabiega's shot on the turn from outside the area lacks the power and pace to trouble Ripley as the effort trickles wide.

88min: City have the ball in the net when Nicky Law bundles home from close range but Meredith had already been flagged for offside in the build-up.

87min: SUB - Oldham bring on Darius Osei for McKay.

85min: Dieng connects with Law's free-kick from wide towards the far post but his looping header sails wide of goal.

83min: Vincelot puts Doyle under a spot of pressure with a close range back-pass and the goalkeeper's attempted clearance is blocked behind for goal kick by Klok.

80min: Billy Clarke turns away from a couple of Oldham players following Dieng's pass into his feet but the striker's shot from outside the area sails over.

77min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Vincent Rabiega for Hiwula.

76min: Cullen tries his luck from distance on the half volley but Ripley is able to watch the looping effort sail over his bar.

74min: YELLOW CARD - Ripley is booked now for running out of his goal to complain at match official Mr Ross Joyce following a break in play.

72min: A great run down the left from Billy Clarke eventually sees the striker cut the ball back from the byline towards Hiwula. The striker looks to shoot for goal but his misses the ball with his left foot and the chance is gone.

70min: SUB - Oldham bring on Ryan McLaughlin for Erwin.

70min: Banks plays Flynn into space inside the area. The Oldham winger plays a teasing ball cross the six yard box but no-one is on it and Meredith can clear over the by the far side.

68min: YELLOW CARD - McKay is booked for hauling down Nicky Law earlier in the move that resulted in Meredith's saved shot.

68min: Meredith moves into the box following Billy Clarke's ball out to the left. The full back shoots for goal and his effort is turned around the near post by a good save from Ripley.

67min: Nicky Law comes in-field before firing in a cross-come-shot from just outside the box that bounces a yard or so wide of Ripley's far post.

61min: SUB - Oldham bring on Ollie Banks for Fane.

56min: YELLOW CARD - Flynn is booked for complaining following the award of the penalty for City.

56min: PENALTY TO THE BANTAMS! City are awarded a spot-kick when Cullen is dragged down to the ground inside the area by Ousmane Fane. 

55min: Meredith's cross into the box takes a touch off Klok on its way out to Marshall. The City winger strikes first time from the edge of the area but his effort is repelled by Ripley before Oldham clear the lines.

51min: YELLOW CARD: Klok is booked for kicking the ball away after a foul is given against him on Cullen just outside City's penalty area.

46min: Oldham restart the match.

45+3min: Marshall turns into space inside the area before drilling the ball low across the six yard box. Burgess is first on the ball and his attempted clearance flashes narrowly over the bar for a City corner.

45+1min: So close for Billy Clarke! Meredith's cross into the box finds the Irishman but the striker's effort for goal from roughly six yards out drops wide of the far post.

45min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.

45min: A deflected cross from Marshall drops into Hiwula path inside the box but the striker's effort is blocked bravely by Peter Clarke.

42min: Play gets underway again and Ripley is able to continue in goal for the visitors.

40min: Oldham goalkeeper Ripley is down receiving treatment after appearing to slip awkwardly as he kicked away a back-pass from Cameron Burgess while under pressure from Hiwula.

34min: YELLOW CARD - Oldham's Law is booked for a late challenge on Dieng near the dug-outs just inside City's half of the pitch.

31min: Billy Clarke's glancing header from six yards out following Law's corner takes a deflection and loops over.

29min: McKay heads narrowly wide of Doyle's near post following Josh Law's cross into the box.

29min: Dieng's downward header from Law's corner delivery is straight at Ripley.

27min: Erwin's teasing cross into the middle from wide is just out of the reach of McKay in the middle but it skips off the wet surface and a stretching Doyle has to dive to his right to save the effort.

23min: City threaten again. Josh Cullen's shot-come-cross in box falls to fall kindly for either Jordy Hiwula or Billy Clarke in the middle. The ball eventually breaks free to Dieng just outside the box but the Frenchman's first time effort flashes wide of the near post.

20min: After winning the ball from Paul Green just inside Oldham's half of the pitch, Daniel Devine surges forward into space. Turning away from one challenge, Devine moves into the box but his low effort on his left foot rolls agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

17min: Klok goes for goal from just outside the box but Doyle is able to watch his curling effort fly past the far post.

13min: Lee Erwin looks to play McKay in with a sight of goal but last man Romain Vincelot makes a well-timed intervention to tackle the ball off the Oldham attacker and out for a goal-kick.

12min: From the resulting Nicky Law corner lofted into the box, Dieng's header is held by Ripley.

12min: Marshall lets rip with a fierce shot on the turn from just outside the area and the ball is superbly tipped over the bar by Ripley.

11min: Timothee Dieng receives the ball just outside the box from Mark Marshall and the French midfielder fires in a low drive that takes a touch off an Oldham player as it goes narrowly past Connor Ripley's near post.

9min: Ryan Flynn shrugs off the challenges of Josh Cullen and James Meredith to make his way into the Bantams box but his eventual effort on goal with his weaker left foot is easily held by Doyle.

1min: Billy McKay has an early sighter for Oldham but his effort on the stretch from an angle inside the box rolls harmlessly wide of Colin Doyle's far post.

0min: The Bantams kick off the match. They will attack towards The Kop Stand in the first half.

Doyle, Devine, Vincelot, Knight-Percival, Meredith, N Law, Dieng, Cullen, Marshall, B Clarke, Hiwula

Subs: Sattelmaier, Darby, Rabiega, Morais, Webb-Foster, Kilgallon, Boateng

Rabiega for Hiwula (77)

Ripley, J Law, P Clarke, Burgess, Dunne, Fane, Klok, Green, Flynn, Erwin, McKay

Subs: Kettings, Wilson, Banks, Croft, Cassidy, Osei, McLaughlin

Banks for Fane (61), McLaughlin for Erwin (70), Osei for McKay (87)

J Law (34), Klok (51), Flynn (56), McKay (68), Ripley (74)