Tuesday 15 December 2009
Johnstone's Paint Trophy Area Semi-Final
Carlisle United 3 (Keogh 44, Dobie 68, Robson 74)
Bradford City 0
Kick Off: 7.30pm
at Brunton Park

Attendance: 3176

The Bantams dreams of Johnstone's Paint Trophy glory were ended for another season at the hands of Carlisle United.

The result and final scoreline were harsh on Stuart McCall's men though, who held their own and created some promising openings despite playing over 50 minutes with ten men.

Underdogs going into the match against their League 1 opponents, City's task was made even harder on 39 minutes when Simon Ramsden was given his second yellow card for tugging back Carlisle winger Matty Robson.

Carlisle opened scoring through Richard Keogh five minutes later and at half time, the Bantams had a mountain to climb.

For the start of the second period, McCall's side did not let their numerical disadvantage effect them as they created several opportunities to grabbed an equaliser.

As City pushed forward, they understandbly left gaps at the back, which Carlisle managed to exploit twice through sub Scott Dobie and the pacey Robson to put a slightly unfair slant on the final score.

One positive from the tie was the return of Jamaican winger Omar Daley, who featured for Bradford in the last 18 minutes.

Daley had started the match from the bench, while James O'Brien and Gareth Evans moved up from the sub places they occupied at the weekend to replace the cup-tied Simon Whaley and injured Michael Boulding respectively.

Zesh Rehman returned to the Bantams starting line up and regained the skippers armband in the process.

Carlisle's line up included the former Premiership duo Ian Harte and Vincent Pericard.

It was Pericard who was involved in the first major incident of the tie as he saw headers from himself and team-mate Keogh cleared off the line, as City scrambled away a Carlisle corner.

Pericard went close again as he was inches away from connecting with a Evan Horwood low cross that slid right in front of the Bantams goal.

City responded moments later, as Scott Neilson had the home keeper Lenny Pidgeley desperately backtracking when he crashed in a first time half volley from distance.

Neilson's effort was close, but ultimately no cigar, as Pidgeley watched it bounce just wide.

The Bantams winger was involved again moments later, as his surging run eventually saw the ball deflect into the path of James O'Brien.

O'Brien's first time shot was just deflected wide, before Ramsden headed narrowly over from the resulting corner.

As the first period advanced, the home side seemed to be edging the possession stakes, aided by a five man midfield, but the Bantams were certainly able to match the Cumbrians in terms of chances created.

Chances continued to come for both sides, as firstly Harte headed wide at a Carlisle corner from an unmarked posititon, before James Hanson headed straight at Pidgeley.

Despite not having as much of the ball, the Bantams continued to create openings.

A well worked move from Bradford resulted in Luke O'Brien picking out Evans in the area.

The Bantams forward didn't appear to get the clearest connection to his angled shot, but in the end it only narrowly missed the target.

City came even closer minutes later as Michael Flynn found Neilson on the edge of the Carlisle area.

A neat turn from Neilson and he was away, driving towards the home goal.

As the Bantams winger burst into the box, he fired for goal, only to see Pidgeley fling out a leg and divert the effort away.

With half time approaching, the turning point of the match arrived.

Ramsden, who had already been booked for a clear pull on Robson, got himself involved in another altercation with the Carlisle winger.

The incident seemed innocuous, but Referee Mr A Bates deemed it worthy of a second yellow for the Bantams right back and suddenly McCall's side were on the back foot.

The home side sensed an opportunity, as City now looked to hang on and re-group for half time.

Unfortunately the Bantams couldn't quite make it, as a minute from the interval Keogh was on hand to tap home after Eastwood could only parry a Robson shot into his path.

City were facing an almightly challenge to keep in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy now, but seemed up for the fight as the second half got underway.

Barely a minute of the second period had taken place when Hanson headed a Bantams corner back across goal, causing panic in the home defence.

No player in claret and amber could quite get a boot on it, before Rehman eventually managed to prod goalwards.

The effort had Pidgeley beaten, only for Robson to clear from the line.

To their credit, City continued to hold their own in the second period despite being a man light, as they pressed for an unlikely equaliser.

Just past the hour mark, City missed out on a glorious opportunity to get back on level terms.

A fierce shot from Evans could only be parried up in the air by Pidgeley, with the approaching Hanson looking certain to crash in and head home the rebound.

Twice, Hanson fired goalwards, only to see his efforts somehow kept out on both occasions.

The ball fell back to Evans, who's second effort was eventually cleared away from right underneath the Carlisle crossbar by a combination of Pidgeley and Harte.

Carlisle manager Gregg Abbott had seen enough and brought on striker Scott Dobie, switching to 4-4-2 in the process.

Dobie would make a major contribution within minutes of coming on, as he put the match out of the Bantams reach.

Kevan Hurst's lofted pass found the former West Brom forward in space behind the Bradford defence, allowing him to compose himself and beat Eastwood with ease.

Less than ten minutes later and it truly was game, set and match as Matty Robson broke from a Bradford corner to race past Luke O'Brien and Jonathan Bateson, before beating Eastwood with aplomb.

The scoreline was beginning to look harsh on City and show no true reflection on their efforts.

As the match reaches its finish, the Bantams brave efforts began to take their toil on their players.

Despite some weary legs, City fought on to the end, but could not stop their Johnstone's Paint Trophy story finally ending for another season.

CARLISLE UNITED	BRADFORD CITY
40 Lenny Pidgeley	1 Simon Eastwood
3 Evan Horwood	2 Simon Ramsden
5 Danny Livesey	3 Luke O'Brien
6 Peter Murphy	4 Michael Flynn
10 Matty Robson	5 Zesh Rehman
12 Tom Taiwo	6 Matthew Clarke
14 Ian Harte	8 Lee Bullock
16 Vincent Pericard	9 Gareth Evans
21 Richard Keogh	17 James Hanson
24 Kevan Hurst	19 James O'Brien
25 Adam Clayton	26 Scott Neilson
Substitutes:	Substitutes:
1 Adam Collin	13 Jon McLaughlin
4 Marc Bridge-Wilkinson for 16 (80)	7 Omar Daley for 26 (72)
9 Scott Dobie for 12 (64)	11 Chris Brandon for 4 (82)
19 Tom Alfred for 5 (89)	16 Jonathan Bateson for 19 (43)
23 Tony Kane	24 Louis Horne

MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee:	A Bates
Assistant Referee:	D Handley
Assistant Referee:	R L Metcalfe
Fourth Official	S Smith

GOALSCORERS:
CARLISLE UNITED	BRADFORD CITY
Keogh (44)
Dobie (68)
Robson (74)

DISCIPLINARY:
CARLISLE UNITED	BRADFORD CITY
	Ramsden
	Ramsden