BRADFORD CITY AFC

City started their new League 2 campaign with a defeat at the hands of Gillingham at a scorching Priestfield Stadium.

In temperatures touching 30 degrees, City conceded the game's opener just before the half time interval when Danny Kedwell lofted an unorthodox effort over a stranded Matt Duke from a tight angle.

Kedwell then increased the hosts lead further from the penalty spot nine minutes after the restart, but substitute Nahki Wells responded quickly for the Bantams when they were awarded their own spot-kick shortly after the hour mark.

The Bantams threw more men forward in an attempt to grab an equaliser with time running out - playing with only three at the back at one stage - but a fine finish from Myles Weston two minutes from time realistically ended City's hopes of getting anything out of their league opener. 

The defeat, and certainly the scoreline, was harsh on Phil Parkinson's men, who matched their hosts for longer periods in the extremely hot conditions.

Less than twenty-four hours after completing his move to City, new Bantams winger Zavon Hines made his debut for the club as a second half substitute.

Fellow new recruit Carl McHugh was an unused substitute.

90+3min: With City pushing men forward, substitute Dack nearly grabs a fourth for Gillingham when his angled drive from just inside the area hits the inside of Duke's post before rolling away.

90min: There will four minutes added on at the end of the game.

86min: Oliver is perfectly positioned to clear the danger from inside his own area after Weston had beaten the on-rushing Duke to a loose ball before squaring it across the unguarded goal.

85min: SUB - Gillingham bring on Bradley Duck in place of Jackman.

84min: SUB - Andrew Davies comes on for Stephen Darby for City. Davies will go up front for City, with Meredith, McArdle and Oliver now playing in a back three.

83min: Matt Fish fires a low fizzing centre across the six yard box but luckily Weston isn't quite able to get on the end of it for an easy tap-in.

80min: Jackman fires a low angled drive from outside the area a few inches wide of Duke's far post.

79min: Hanson heads Hines' far post centre back across goal but Jones, who steams onto the loose ball just inside the area, fires over the bar with a rising shot.

78min: Hines shows good promise as he drifts past a couple of Gillingham defenders before moving into a dangerous position inside the hosts' area. The winger can't complete the move in style, however, as he scuffed cross-come-shot sails over everyone before going out for a throw-in at the far side.

75min: A promising breakaway from City led out by Hines eventually ends with Jones dragging a shot comfortably wide of Nelson's goal from around 25 yards out.

71min: Hanson sends a low drive from around 20 yards out a few inches wide of Nelson's near post.

61min: PENALTY TO CITY - The Bantams win a penalty of their own when Wells in bundled over from behind by Frampton after the Bermudian striker had beaten the Gillingham defender to a Hanson flick on.

60min: City win a free-kick in a promising just outside Gillingham's area but Jones' effort curls over the bar.

58min: SUB - Gillingham make their second change of the day by replacing Deon Burton with Myles Weston.

58min: SUBS - City bring on Nahki Wells and Zavon Hines for Connell and Thompson respectively.

55min: SUB - Gillingham bring on Jack Payne for Lewis Montrose.

53min: PENALTY TO GILLINGHAM - The Gills are awarded a spot kick when Atkinson upends Lee by the byline.

46min: The Bantams restart the match.

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

40min: Duke produces a fine reaction save at his near post to push away a prod for goal by Danny Jackman after the Gills had been teed up invitingly by Kedwell inside the area.

39min: Joe Martin goes down inside the area after claiming to have been barged in the back by Will Atkinson. Contact looked minimal, however, and no spot-kick is given.

31min: Wisely given the extremely warm conditions - believed to be around 30 degrees - referee Mr Mick Russell pauses play for few moments to allow both the Bantams and Gillingham to take on some liquids.

29min: Frampton has to head behind for a corner to stop Hanson from pouncing for an easy header from barely yards out following Reid's teasing far post cross. Thompson connects first with the Jones corner that follows but his flicked header flies comfortably over.

24min: Nelson has to get down low to his left to stop Jones' daisy-cutter from distance from sneaking in at the near post.

16min: Penalty shout for the Bantams gets waved away. Kyel Reid looks to be in with a clear sight of goal for moment after bursting into the area but he is eventually crowded out by Lee and Charlie Allen. Still in possession of the ball despite the Gills pressure, however, Reid then seems to be pushed off the ball by Allen inside the area. The Bantams bench make their protests known but nothing is given. 

12min: Alan Connell spins and shoots in one motion following Luke Oliver's headed knock down into the mix but the striker's effort lack power and Stuart Nelson can gather comfortably.

9min: Gary Jones is in the right place to clear Danny Kedwell's goal-bound header off the line from the resulting corner with a header of own.

8min: A great reflex save from Matt Duke denies Gillingham the opener. A teasing cross from Charlie Lee picks out the lurking Andy Frampton at the far post barely yards out but Duke flings himself across his goal to push out the defender's flying header.

1min: Early chance for City when James Hanson flicks on James Meredith's long throw into the Gills' box. Garry Thompson steals in and swoops to meet the ball but his header from around seven yards out loops over the bar.

0min: Gillingham kick off the match - City's League 2 season is under way!

3:02pm: City have won the pre-match toss and chosen to switch Gillingham around. That means that the hosts will be denied the chance to attack to their favoured Rainham End in the second period.

 

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Subs: Forecast (GK), Payne, Strevens, Davies, Dack, Weston, Barrett

Gillingham changes
Payne for Montrose (55), Weston for Burton (58), Dack for Jackman (85)

Gillingham cautions

Gillingham dismissals

Subs: McLaughlin, Davies, Hannah, McHugh, Hines, Wells, Doyle

Bradford changes:
Wells for Connell (58), Hines for Thompson (58), Davies for Darby (84)

Bradford cautions:

Bradford dismissals: