BRADFORD CITY AFC

On a difficult playing surface, Morais' fifth of the season came thirteen minutes from the end when the Portuguese attacker volleyed past Colchester United 'keeper Sam Walker from close range after being picked out by Jon Stead's flighted cross.

Morais' expertly-taken goal was needed to gain the Bantams a share of the spoils after City had found themselves a goal with only five minutes on the clock.

Colchester striker Chris Porter superbly fired the visitors into an early lead when he crashed the ball into the top corner with a strike from just outside the box.

With City slow out of the blocks on the slippy and muddy pitch, Colchester could have increased their lead further in the opening minutes but Gavin Massey shot wide and Sammie Szmodics was denied by Jordan Pickford.

The Bantams improved after their stuttery  opening to the match and looked the more likely scorers for the remainder of the contest.

City pushed for a way back into the match after the break and their efforts were rewarded with Morais' well-taken leveller.

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

90min: YELLOW CARD - Massey is booked for pulling back Meredith after the left back had burst clear of him down the wing.

86min: SUB - Colchester bring on Jack Marriott for Szmodics.

83min: After receiving a pass from Morais, Stead turns inside and shoots for goal but his left-footed drive from just outside the box sails wide of Walker's far post.

76min: The ball drops into the path of Morais just outside the box but his low angled drive flashes just wide of Walker's far post.

69min: Morais' flighted cross into the box is met by Hanson but his header is wide of Walker's near post.

66min: Morais' low driven cross-come-shot from a wide angle inside the box is knocked onto his near post and out for a corner by Walker.

63min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Mark Yeates for Halliday.

62min: Szmodics plays Gordon into shooting space but the midfielder's angled drive from just inside the box is pushed away by Pickford.

59min: YELLOW CARD - Eastman is booked for bringing down Stead just inside Colchester's half of the pitch as the striker looked to move clear into space.

52min: James Meredith's long throw-in into the box drops at the feet of Hanson, who plays the ball across the area. Hanson's low cross is deflected out as far as the lurking Darby, who fires a good over the bar with a rising drive from around the edge of the area.

50min: Morais tries his luck from outside the box but his left-footed drive is slashed comfortably wide of Walker's far post.

46min: Colchester restart the game.

45min: There will be one minute added on at the end of the first half.

44min: YELLOW CARD - Lapslie is booked for catching Morais as the Portuguese attacker looked to surge towards Colchester's penalty box.

44min: Szmodic works himself a shooting opportunity from a fairly tight angle towards the near post but his effort is smothered by a diving tackle from Andy Halliday.

40min: Darby's cross into the area is flicked on by Hanson but Billy Knott is denied over by the far side by the legs of Walker.

36min: Morais' teasing cross into the area hits Alex Wynter before rolling a couple yards wide of Walker's far post for a corner.

30min: Morais' free-kick from just outside the box takes a clip off the Colchester wall, which sees the ball lift up comfortably into the path of Walker for him to grab.

25min: After seeing his initial shot blocked, Morais tries again from just outside the box but his low left-footed drive lacks the power and placement to trouble Walker, who gathers easily.

23min: Davies heads narrowly over the bar following Morais' corner delivery.

18min: David Fox's resulting free-kick into the area is headed across the box by Briggs but Tom Eastman's following header across goal is straight at Pickford, who gathers up at the second attempt. After the save, Pickford quickly kicks the ball forward towards Stead, who fires for goal from outside the box but his early snap-shot half-volley fires well wide of goal.

17min: YELLOW CARD - Gary Liddle is booked for catching Szmodics late just inside City's half of the pitch.

15min: Morais tries his luck from outside the area but his left-footed drive flies comfortably wide of Walker's goal.

11min: An awkward bounce of the ball beats Davies and allows Szmodics a run on Pickford's goal. The young attacker has only Pickford to beat but his low angled drive from inside the box is pushed away by the Bantams shot-stopper and McArdle can then kick clear.

10min: Hanson's header is held by Walker following Darby's far post cross.

9min: A loose touch from Stephen Darby gives Massey the opportunity to nip in and stride towards City's goal. With a clear sight of Pickford's goal, Massey aims for the top corner but his curling effort from around twelve yards out flies narrowly wide.

7min: Billy Knott flicks a header comfortably wide following Filipe Morais' near post corner delivery.

4min: Sammie Szmodics' low ball into the box finds Gavin Massey in a dangerous position inside the Bantams' box. Massey looks to get a shot away at Jordan Pickford's goal but Rory McArdle makes an important block to deny the attacker.

2min: Jon Stead beats Matthew Briggs to James Hanson's heade flick-on but the striker's shot on the stretch from inside the box is well saved by Sam Walker down low to right.

0min: The Bantams kick off the match. They will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first period.

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:

Pickford, Darby, McArdle, Davies, Meredith, Liddle, Morais, Halliday, Knott, Hanson, Stead

Subs: Williams, Sheehan, Clarke, Zoko, Yeates, Kennedy, Routis

Liddle (17)

Yeates for Halliday (63)

COLCHESTER UNITED LINE UP:

Walker, Clohessy, Eastman, Briggs, Wynter, Fox, Lapslie, Massey, Szmodics, Gordon, Porter

Subs: Lewington, Watt, Marriott, Vincent-Young, Bonne, Sembie-Ferris, Harney

Colchester United cautions:

Lapslie (44), Eastman (59), Massey (90)

Marriott for Szmodics (86)