Capital One Cup Round Two
Watford 1 (Anya 71)
Bradford City 2 (Reid 85, Thompson 90+4)
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at Vicarage Road
Attendance: 5,560 (284 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Watford FC
A stunning comeback from City saw Phil Parkinson's men book their place in the third round of the Capital One Cup in dramatic fashion.
Losing through a fine strike from Ikechi Anya with only five minutes of normal time remaining, the Bantams drew themselves thanks to a fierce drive from substitute Kyel Reid.
With the prospect of extra-time looming large, City then won it through Garry Thompson in the last minute of injury time when Watford 'keeper Jonathan Bond punched a Reid free-kick into his path.
Thompson's match-winning strike - his first for the club - sparked delirious scenes among City's loyal travelling support and Parkinson's men alike, as Jon McLaughlin ran the length of the pitch to join in the celebrations.
McLaughlin's recall into the starting eleven was one of six changes made by Parkinson for the second round tie.
Carl McHugh was given his debut at left back, while Stephen Darby returned to the right back slot.
In midfield, Will Atkinson replaced the rested Nathan Doyle to partner skipper Gary Jones in the centre of the park. Parkinson's two final changes saw Thompson and Alan Connell partnered together in attack.
MATCH UPDATES
FT: Watford 1 Bradford City 2
90+4min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watford 1 Bradford City 2 - City surely win it with a late strike from Thompson! A lofted free-kick into the area from Reid is punched clear by Bond as far as the waiting Thompson, who drills the ball into the far bottom corner to spark wild scenes of celebrations among the away contingent.
90+3min: Taylor glances a header wide of McLaughlin's far post following Forsyth's corner into the box.
90+3min: McLaughlin makes sure as he pushes a drive from distance by Carl Dickinson around the post.
85min: GOAL! Watford 1 Bradford City 1 - City grab a late equaliser through Reid! Oliver sees an effort for goal blocked out following McArdle's lofted free-kick into the area but Reid is on hand to smash home the rebound with a powerful strike past a helpless Bond.
80min: SUB - Sean Murray comes for goalscorer Anya.
79min: With literally one of his first touches of the match, Abdi hits a stunning drive on the volley from just outside the area that crashes against the base of McLaughlin's far post before bouncing away.
78min: SUB - Watford bring on Almen Abdi for Hogg.
76min: SUB - City make their final substitution of the evening by bringing on James Hanson for Meredith. Reid will move from the right wing to the left, allowing Thompson to shift over to the right and Hanson to join Connell in attack.
71min: GOAL - Watford 1 Bradford City 0 - A stunning strike from Anya finally breaks the deadlock and puts the hosts into the lead. The danger initially began for City when Beleck and Oliver contested a ball bouncing towards City's area. McLaughlin creeps forward to try and offer Oliver some help but the defender eventually gets a foot on the ball to knock it away from Beleck's advances. The ball only goes as far as the lurking Anya, however, who proceeds to crash a thunderous first-time drive past a retreating McLaughlin from around 20 yards out.
67min: With a little bit of luck, Anya eventually dances through three attempted City clearances before cutting the ball back across the goal from the byline. Luckily for City though, McLaughlin is on hand to dive on the ball at his near post and snuff out the danger.
63min: Ross Jenkins' looping pass through City's defences gives Anya a decent sight of goal but the attacker can only drag an low angled effort wide of McLaughlin's far post.
62min: SUB - City now take off Jones, probably with one eye on Saturday's league trip to Rotherham United, and replace him with Nathan Doyle. Oliver has been given the captain's armband following Jones' departure.
60min: SUB - City make a substitution of their own by bringing on Kyel Reid for Hines.
58min: SUB - Watford bring on Matej Vydra for Mujangi Bia.
54min: Despite Oliver's best efforts, Anya just beats the Bantams defender to the ball by the byline and McLaughlin has to race from his line to prevent the attacker from cutting the ball back dangerously across goal.
46min: The Bantams restart the game.
HT: Watford 0 Bradford City 0
45min: A downward header into the mix from Garry Thompson following Jones' corner into the area gives Connell a chance to fire for goal barely yards out. Unfortunately the striker can't quite get a proper hold of his initial strike and can eventually only force another corner with a deflected snap-shot on the turn from the rebound.
36min: Not for the first time in the evening, City have a mild shout for a penalty when Meredith's clip into the box appears to brush the arm of Lee Hodson. With nothing given though, Gary Jones eventually forces a fine full-stretch save out of Bond after the midfielder had let rip from around 25 yards out with a low drive.
34min: Connell is caught in possession and robbed of the ball just outside his own area as City try to clear the corner that follows. Luckily for Connell, however, the Bantams are not punished when Adam Thompson can only fire an effort from around 20 yards out at McLaughlin.
33min: Mujangi Bia feeds Steve Beleck into space just wide of City's goal before McLaughlin is forced to tip over the attacker's rising drive from around fourteen yards out.
30min: Geoffrey Mujangi Bia shows a couple of nice touches out on Watford's right flank before turning into a more central position and curling an effort from distance a metre or so wide of McLaughlin's goal.
25min: Craig Forsyth tries to sneak an effort in at McLaughlin's near post from a Watford corner but the Bantams 'keeper is wise to the move and scrambles across to gather.
18min: City go ever so close to taking the lead with the first real opportunity of the game! Hines initially does brilliantly to engineer the chance by charging down Carl Dickinson's attempted clearance from a wide position within Watford's penalty area. The block suddenly sees Hines in space behind Watford's defence as the winger scuffs a cross-come-shot along the face of the hosts' goal. James Meredith just misses out on connecting on the stretch for a tap-in before the ball finds Alan Connell at the far stick, who proceeds strikes Bond's near post with a low drive. The rebound falls to Hines just outside the six yard box but he goes down under an attempted challenge from Martin Taylor. The Bantams bench shout for a shot-kick but play is waved on by referee Mr Sarginson and Watford can eventually clear.
5min: A diving downward header from Jonathan Hogg after Ikechi Anya's cross into the area is saved in simple enough fashion by Jon McLaughlin.
2min: A low left-footed effort from Zavon Hines just outside the area lacks the power or placement to overly-trouble Jonathan Bond, who saves comfortably.
0min: Watford kick off the tie.
WATFORD LINE UP
Bond, Hodson, Dickinson, Taylor, Hogg, Forsyth, Beleck, Jenkins, Anya, Thompson, Mujangi Bia
Bond, Hodson, Dickinson, Taylor, Hogg, Forsyth, Beleck, Jenkins, Anya, Thompson, Mujangi Bia
Subs: Almunia, Doyley, Murray, Vydra, Abdi, Garner, Cassetti
Watford changes
Vydra for Mujangi Bia (58), Abdi for Hogg (78), Murray for Anya (80)
Vydra for Mujangi Bia (58), Abdi for Hogg (78), Murray for Anya (80)
Watford cautions
Watford dismissals
Referee: C SARGINSON
Assistant Referee: D FORD
Assistant Referee: R KENDALL
Fourth Official: S BUTLER
BRADFORD LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, McHugh, Oliver, McArdle, G Jones, Hines, Atkinson, Meredith, Thompson, Connell
Subs: Duke, Reid, Hannah, Hanson, Baker, Doyle, Bass
Bradford changes
Reid for Hines (60), Doyle for Jones (62), Hanson for Meredith (76)
Reid for Hines (60), Doyle for Jones (62), Hanson for Meredith (76)
Bradford cautions
Bradford dismissals