City left Nottingham as losers again last night - but with their self-respect back intact.
Despite falling at the FA Cup first hurdle for the first time since 2004, there was no repeat of the capitulation from the last visit to Meadow Lane three months ago.
And a late Michael Boulding effort gave the home side an anxious moment or two after goals either side of half-time looked to have killed off the tie.
City can certainly go into the Johnstone's Paint clash with Port Vale next week in a fairly positive frame of mind and the form of goalkeeper Simon Eastwood, who has had an up and down time recently, was a big plus.
Lee Bullock, missed at Macclesfield last week, was back in the heart of midfield. Chris Brandon made way with his tight hamstring, although he should be back in contention for the JPT.
Graeme Lee's ankle injury spared the former City skipper another night's baiting from the away fans. Lee Hughes was also out with a similar complaint - a welcome absentee, given his one-man show on opening day.
The game opened up in a scrappy fashion before City had a scare after 11 minutes. Ade Akinbiyi, making his first start for Notts County, used his strength to hold off Zesh Rehman before strike partner Karl Hawley shielded the ball to create a close-range chance for Johnnie Jackson but Steve Williams made a crunching block to kill the danger.
Michael Flynn responded with a thundering volley from a half-cleared corner but it flew harmlessly into the Kop behind Russell Hoult's goal.
City were soon in double trouble as both O'Briens picked up yellow cards. Luke's looked harsh but James could have few complaints for a late clip on Ricky Ravenhill.
Ben Davies, who began the carnage in August, cleverly found some room to shoot across goal and centre half Simon Hunt was also not too far away from distance.
City were staying solid as their manager had demanded and were looking to exploit Scott Neilson's speed and trickery on the break. The winger fired one wide and showed a few menacing glimpses to keep County's rearguard on their toes.
The visitors created their best chance after 33 minutes as James Hanson did well to hold up Neilson's pass on the halfway line before sending Gareth Evans clear. With Hunt in his wake, the striker bore down on the home goal but Hoult made a big save to turn the ball behind.
City's confidence was lifted by that and Neilson immediately bombed forward again, only to be denied by Hunt's timely tackle on the edge of the penalty area.
County responded strongly and Jackson wasted a real opening when he overhit a pass intended for the unmarked Hawley.
City were twice indebted to the reflexes of Eastwood for keeping the home side at bay. First he plunged to his left to tip away Matt Ritchie's snapshot, before denying Jackson with a late dive to the right.
Then it was Hoult's turn at the other end with a strong block from Neilson as the entertainment level was turned up.
City almost got a huge break at the end of the half as the flag stayed down even though Evans looked a good couple of yards offside. Unfortunately he could not control the ball, which ran through to the keeper.
Evans then limped off for treatment following a whack on the foot and, while he was on the side of the pitch, City's ten men were undone in stoppage time.
Once again there was a self-inflicted edge to the goal after Flynn sliced a clearance towards his own danger area to spark a melee. Eastwood punched away under pressure and then saved well from Ravenhill, whose follow-up effort was also blocked.
But the ball was not cleared and fell for Hawley for a low drive which left the off-balance Eastwood wrong-footed and found the bottom corner of the net.
It was a killer blow for the young keeper and could not have come at a worse time for the Bantams.
Evans did not reappear for the second half but instead of Boulding as the expected change it was Leon Osborne who got the nod.
The youngster had not touched the ball, though, before City fell further behind after being caught out by a well-worked move. The period was barely 30 seconds old as Jackson carved through the middle of the Bantams, finding the space he needed to drill a shot past the unprotected Eastwood.
Two goals in two minutes and City were totally up against it - and it nearly got worse as Ritchie, clearly offside, forced Eastwood into another block with his left hand.
As the home fans bayed "we want five", City tempers were starting to flare and Neilson squared up to Jamie Clapham, who claimed he had gone in high in a challenge. The winger grew more frustrated when he failed to pick up Flynn's break from midfield.
Boulding did appear for James O'Brien after 54 minutes as City frantically chased a way back into a game that had run away from them. Hanson had a wild thrash from 25 yards but they needed a lot more composure to launch any comeback.
At least Eastwood continued to have a good night, despite the scoreline, and came out of his box to head clear from the on-rushing Akinbiyi.
City were gifted a corner when Hunt got in the way of his keeper and Bullock, yet to score this season, nearly got on the end of a Williams knockdown.
The Bantams were seeing their fair share of possession and Williams was close again with another header over the angle. Then Hanson won a big flick-on to seemingly set up Boulding but Hunt knocked the ball away as he prepared to pull the trigger.
Hanson missed a great chance to pull one back, putting a free header wide at the back post after Flynn's floated free-kick had caught County napping.
But City were thrown a lifeline with nine minutes left as Boulding deftly touched home from a long ball out of defence which Neilson turned into his path.
There was light at the end of the tunnel and Boulding went down under a challenge as Hanson won another high ball but referee Eddie Ilderton was unimpressed.
Bullock needlessly clipped the heels of Davies to receive his fifth yellow card - which means another suspension on Tuesday.
Eastwood again denied County in the five minutes of stoppage time with a good save from Davies. The keeper even went upfield for a last-gasp free-kick but City could not dig out an equaliser.
| NOTTS COUNTY | BRADFORD CITY |
| 1 Russell Hoult | 1 Simon Eastwood |
| 3 Matt Ritchie | 3 Luke O'Brien |
| 4 Mike Edwards | 4 Michael Flynn |
| 8 Ricky Ravenhill | 5 Zesh Rehman |
| 10 Neal Bishop | 8 Lee Bullock |
| 11 Ben Davies | 9 Gareth Evans |
| 15 Karl Hawley | 12 Steve Williams |
| 17 Jamie Clapham | 16 Jonathan Bateson |
| 18 Stephen Hunt | 17 James Hanson |
| 21 Johnnie Jackson | 19 James O'Brien |
| 30 Ade Akinbiyi | 26 Scott Neilson |
| Substitutes: | Substitutes: |
| 12 Kevin Pilkington | 13 Jon McLaughlin |
| 6 John Thompson | 14 Michael Boulding for 19 (54) |
| 7 Matt Hamshaw | 18 Rory Boulding |
| 19 Luke Rodgers for 30 (80) | 20 Leon Osborne for 9 (46) |
| 20 Craig Westcarr for 3 (78) | 21 Luke Sharry |
| 22 Delroy Facey for 15 (90) | 22 Rory Carson |
| 24 Daniel Jones | 24 Louis Horne |
| MATCH OFFICIALS: | |
| Referee | E L Ilderton |
| Assistant Referee | K D G Lawson |
| Assistant Referee | S J Ross |
| 4th Official | R Fletcher |
| GOALSCORERS: | |
| NOTTS COUNTY | BRADFORD CITY |
| Hawley (45) | M Boulding (81) |
| Jackson (46) | |
| DISCIPLINARY: | |
| NOTTS COUNTY | BRADFORD CITY |
| Edwards | L O'Brien |
| Davies | J O'Brien |
| Bishop | Bullock |
