The Bantams were unable to stop new Bristol Rovers manager Mark McGhee from enjoying a winning home debut as City slipped to a narrow defeat at the hands of the Pirates.

Despite a steady first period showing, Phil Parkinson's men found themselves trailing for most of the half thanks to Lee Brown's well-taken opener.

The Bantams' problems were doubled ten minutes into the second half when Eliot Richards raced clear to slot home past Jon McLaughlin to increase the hosts' lead.

City's efforts to get back in the match were then hindered further when Rob Kozluk was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence just past the hour mark.

Parkinson's men shrugged off the blow of losing their right back, however, and surged back into the contest thanks to a close range finish from David Syers on his return from a recent three game ban.

Gambling with only three at the back, City pushed forward for an equaliser following Syers' strike and took the game to McGhee's side despite their numerical disadvantage.

Andrew Davies saw one decent chance in particular - a looping header - well saved by Rovers 'keeper Michael Poke following Lee Bullock's pumped free-kick into the area, while James Hanson also had two sights of goal in quick succession.

As City pushed though, Rovers enjoyed some moments to kill the game off once and for all, with Richards striking the post and then being denied by McLaughlin after he had latched onto Marcel Seip's underhit backpass.

With time running out and City's chances of collecting a deserved point diminishing, City appeared to have been given a late lifeline when substitute Kyel Reid was seemingly brought down in the box by Chris Zebroski.

To the amazement of all of the City camp though, referee Mr Sarginson chose not to point to the spot.

In fairness, Rovers should have been awarded a spot-kick of their own when Craig Fagan appeared to trip Richards inside the area in the first period, but it was still a shock to the vast majority inside the Memorial Stadium that Zebroski's apparent foul was not penalised.

To underline the improvements that Parkinson has made with the Bantams in recent months, the defeat is only the second for City in their last nine league games.

New loan signing Will Atkinson was handed his City debut in the match, with the returning Syers taking Ritchie Jones' place in midfield as well, as Parkinson made two changes to the side that started against Burton Albion last weekend.

Before being involved in the controversial late penalty shout, Reid started the match from the bench after sitting out the last month with a hamstring problem.

It was the Pirates bench, including new boss McGhee on his home debut, who were celebrating early on though when the Bantams conceded a sloppy opener with barely six minutes on the clock.

City's defence had three opportunites to clear an early Rovers corner, but the ball eventually worked its way through to the unmarked Brown who was lurking in space just inside the Bantams' penalty area.

Realising the danger, Davies tried to get across to block the ball, but Brown still managed to beat McLaughlin with a neat first time finish into the corner.

The goal, as sloppy as it may have been, came from Rovers' only real attack of opening quarter as City looked to play some positive football in the early stages of the match.

That was proving easy said than done, however, on an extremely rutted and bobbling Memorial Stadium pitch.

As City continued to look comfortable in the fixture despite the scoreline, Fagan flashed a shot wide after Atkinson had set him up on the counter-attack and Seip fired over from distance.

Kozluk then got his first booking of the afternoon when he was penalised for tripping up Brown just inside City's own half.

Zebroski fired straight at McLaughlin just past the half hour mark but City were still edging proceedings, with Fagan hooking over from inside the area and Poke having to push away a dangerous Nahki Wells cross with Hanson waiting to pounce.

As half time approached though, it was the Pirates who began to have a bigger say in the game.

With only two minutes of normal time remaining, Rovers had a major shout for a penalty turned down when Fagan seemingly brought down Richards just inside the Bantams' box.

City held their breath, but, thankfully, no spot-kick was given - much to the annoyance of the home support.

Kozluk had to be on hand to clear City's box after McLaughlin could only parry out a shot from Andy Dorman and then Matt Gill fired wide just before the interval, but it would have been harsh on City had Rovers increased their lead before half time.

The Bantams started the second period in positive fashion, with Hanson forcing Poke into a punched clearance following his header from a Fagan corner, but they soon found themselves further behind.

In a particular bad patch of Rovers' poor playing surface, Davies seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet, allowing Richards to nip in and dispossess the defender for a clear run on goal.

The attacker had the legs to keep out of Davies and Lee Bullock's reach as he raced into the box before calmly slotting past McLaughlin.

Parkinson introduced Deane Smalley and Reid into the action as a response, but City's problems grew even further when Kozluk was dismissed in unfortunate circumstances less than ten minutes later.

As Kozluk and Richards raced to contest a lofted ball, City's right back seemed to get caught out by the bounce as he accidently caught the Rovers attacker instead of heading the ball.

It seemed clear to many in claret and amber that the collision wasn't intentional but it didn't stop Mr Sarginson from issuing Kozluk with his second yellow of the afternoon to leave City with it all to do.

The Bantams, who were now playing with a back three, seemed to rise to their unenviable task, however, as they showed great fighting spirit to try and get themselves back in the contest.

Their commendable efforts were rewarded only seven minutes after Kozluk's dismissal when Syers swooped to nick his first goal of the season.

From Syers' own long throw-in into the area, City managed to keep the ball alive before Smalley headed down into the six yard box.

Both Davies and Syers threw themselves at the ball, with the midfielder being credited for getting the final touch that took the ball flying past Poke from close range despite some agencies initially giving Davies the goal.

City's tails were well and truly up at this stage as they could sense an unlikely comeback was on the cards.

A mis-kick from Rovers defender Cian Bolger nearly gave Hanson a sight of goal shortly after Syers' effort.

Despite the chance initially looking extremely promising, the bounce of the ball took Hanson away from goal and the striker could only eventually dig out a cross instead of a shot.

The ball came back to Hanson via a fizzing cross from Reid barely seconds later, but the giant striker could only turn the pacey ball wide at the near post with a wayward volley.

As City did push forward though, Rovers, and in particular Richards, did have chances to kill the game off for the hosts.

McLaughlin was able to keep out the attacker's rising shot from inside the area, but he had to rely on the frame of his goal to keep Richards out moments later when the Rovers man drilled a shot against his far post from outside the box.

The ball sprang out loose right in front of City's goal but no attacker was in position for an easy tap-in and Ricky Ravenhill could clear.

The missed opportunity kept City in it, and they nearly had their unfancied comeback completed with only four minutes of normal time remaining.

Davies rose highest to send Bullock's pumped free-kick into the area looping towards the far corner of Poke's goal.

The ball looked set to drop into the corner of the goal but Poke got across to tip the effort over.

With time running out and City's back three now consisting of substitute Charlie Taylor, Seip and Ravenhill, Davies was then pushed into attack in the game's final stages as Parkinson's side gave it one last go.

McLaughlin had to be on hand to deny Richards as the attacker jumped on Seip's underhit backpass, but City thought they had earned the opportunity to snatch something from the game right at the end of normal time.

Davies' well-judged pass picked out Reid in space out on City's left flank.

As the dangerous winger surged into the box, he clearly appeared to be tripped up by Zebroski as the Rovers man slid in to dispossess Reid.

Almost all of City's players and staff were convinced it was a spot-kick but referee Mr Sarginson was unmoved.