Kick Off: 7.45pm
Bradford City 1 (Thompson pen 23)
Bradford (Park Avenue) 3 (O'Brien 17, James 36, Deacey 76)
Tom Banks Memorial Trophy Pre-season Fixture
Tuesday 7 August 2012
Garry Thompson and Alan Connell gained some vital match minutes under their belt as a City side made up largely of trialists and apprentices were defeated by near neighbours Bradford (Park Avenue).
Thompson managed just over an hour and netted City's only goal of the game from the penalty spot, while Connell was given eighty minutes at Avenue's Horsfall Stadium.
Avenue had already opened the scoring in the first period through skipper Rob O'Brien before Thompson's contribution from the spot. City's Blue Square Bet North hosts then retook the lead later in the half through a fine finish from Matty James before fellow Avenue forward Jordan Deacey completed the scoring in the second half.
For Thompson, this Tuesday's match was his first start in Bradford colours after being troubled with a hamstring problem earlier this summer. Fellow summer signing Connell is also currently playing catch up after joining halfway through City's pre-season programme.
With City's season-opening Capital One Cup tie at Notts County only four days away, Bantams boss Phil Parkinson understandably chose not to risk most of his other senior players for the trip to Avenue.
Apprentices Scott Brown, Forrayah Bass, Kyle Harrison and Tom Bott were included in City's starting eleven, while four trialists also began the match.
Assistant manager Steve Parkin actually travelled to Meadow Lane to scout on County in their friendly with Nottingham Forest, so Reserve and Youth Team coach Steve Thornber joined Parkinson for the game.
MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Bradford (Park Avenue) 3 Bradford City 1
87min: Deacey picks out the surging O'Brien with a well-timed ball forward and the Avenue skipper fires a low drive against the outside of Duke's far post from just inside City's area.
85min: A fierce effort from outside the area by Brown is blocked by an Avenue defender before Swain's well-struck drive on the rebound is pushed away by Deasey.
84min: Swain's low cross is hit just past the near post and into the side-netting by Baker.
80min: SUB - Apprentice Robert Hiza is brought on for Connell.
76min: GOAL - Bradford (Park Avenue) 3 Bradford City 1 - Deacey makes enough space for himself inside the area to poke home past Duke from close range.
76min: Baker picks up a loose ball around 40 yards out before dribbling past a couple of Avenue defenders to find himself with a clean run on goal. Carrying the ball forward, Baker elects to shoot just as he reaches the edge of the area but his intentions are telegraphed by Deacey, who dives down to his left to gather the striker's low drive.
74min: SUB - City bring on Andrew Boote for fellow apprentice Bott.
72min: Walker's near post cross is flicked narrowly wide by the lurking Marshall around six yards out.
65min: SUBS - City take off Thompson and Trialist for Louie Swain and Adam Baker respectively. Avenue bring on Matt Dempsey for Knowles at the same time.
62min: Duke saves well with his legs to deny Marshall from right in front of goal after Davidson had found him lurking in the centre around eight yards out.
60min: Michael Duckworth picks out Jordan Deacey in a dangerous position inside City's area with a ball across the box but the Avenue's striker horribly screws his effort wayward and the Bantams can eventually clear.
55min: SUB - Avenue bring on former Bantams midfielder Luke Sharry for James.
53min: Connell plays Trialist into space inside Avenue's area and behind the home defence but his shot for goal is kicked away by the recovering Knowles a yard or so before it can bounce over the line.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT SUB - Avenue bring on Paul Walker for Nathan Hotte before the restart.
43min: Scott Brown sends a dipping effort from distance a few inches over Deasey's crossbar.
37min: Duke gets down to his left to gather hold of a flick for goal from James from around the penalty spot.
36min: GOAL - Bradford (Park Avenue) 2 Bradford City 1 - Avenue retake the lead through a fine finish from Matty James. Davidson's searching ball into the area finds James, who in turns sends a cushioned volley past Duke's reach and into the net.
34min: Shouts for another City penalty when Connell's attempted flick over Knowles inside Avenue's area appears to strike the defender's outstretched arm but play is waved on.
26min: From the resulting corner, Thompson heads the centre down into the mix but Connell can't quite get a vital secondary flick on the ball and Deasey can just about gather.
25min: City go close when Alan Connell robs Knowles of the ball in a wide position inside the area. Connell attempts to pick out Thompson with a ball across the six yard box but his first effort is just blocked out by Drury. Connell does eventually manage to pick out a team-mate when the loose ball falls back into his path but Bott's strike for goal is deflected out for a corner.
23min: GOAL! Bradford (Park Avenue) 1 Bradford City 1 - Thompson levels up the scores from the spot as he sends Deasey the wrong way with the resulting penalty.
23min: PENALTY TO BRADFORD - A Trialist is brought down in the area to give City a penalty.
22min: Marshall misses a golden opportunity to double his side's advantage when he sends a free header wide from close range following Martin Drury's far post cross.
19min: Garry Thompson fires narrowly wide of Deasey's far post with an angled drive from just outside Avenue's penalty area.
17min: GOAL - Bradford (Park Avenue) 1 Bradford City 0 - Avenue open the scoring when Davidson feeds Rob O'Brien just inside City's area and the Avenue skipper finishes nicely with a forceful drive past Matt Duke.
11min: After picking up a pass from Gallego, Connell turns nicely away from James Knowles on the edge of Avenue's area but his shot is dragged comfortably wide of Deasey's far post.
4min: Alex Davidson's searching cross across the six yard box just evades the lurking Richard Marshall at the far post.
11min: After picking up a pass from Gallego, Connell turns nicely away from James Knowles on the edge of Avenue's area but his shot is dragged comfortably wide of Deasey's far post.
4min: Alex Davidson's searching cross across the six yard box just evades the lurking Richard Marshall at the far post.
2min: Marc Gallego's cross from the right eventually presents Tom Bott with clear sight of goal when the ball breaks free to him around eight yards out. His first stab for goal is well blocked by Tim Deasey before he steers the rebound just wide.
0min: Avenue kick off
BRADFORD (PARK AVENUE) | BRADFORD CITY |
1. Tim Deasey | 1. Matt Duke |
2. Michael Duckworth | 2. Marc Gallego |
3. Martin Drury | 3. Forrayah Bass |
4. Rob O'Brien (c) | 4. Scott Brown (c) |
5. James Knowles | 5. Jack Mills |
6. James Riley | 6. Kyle Harrison |
7. Richard Marshall | 7. Tom Bott |
8. Nathan Hotte | 8. Gavin Hoolahan |
9. Matty James | 9. Garry Thompson |
10. Jordan Deacey | 10. Alan Connell |
11. Alex Davidson | 11. A Trialist |
Substitutes: | Substitutes: |
12. Paul Walker for 8 (46) | 17. Adam Baker for 11 (65) |
13. Matt Dempsey for 5 (65) | 13. Stuart Morrison |
14. Luke Sharry for 9 (55) | 14. Robert Hiza for 10 (80) |
15. Tom Greaves | 15. Andrew Boote for 7 (74) |
18. Louie Swain for 9 (65) | |