npower League 2
Bradford City 2 (Thompson 24, Connell 87)
Accrington Stanley 1 (Boco 80)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 11,181 (188 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Gintare Karpaviciute
Substitute Alan Connell proved to be City's match-winner for the second home league match in succession when he climbed off the bench to claim all three points for Phil Parkinson's men from their Boxing Day encounter against a dogged Accrington Stanley side.
Following on from his stunning winner against Torquay United just over two weeks ago, Connell proved to be City's main man again when he headed home fellow substitute Kyel Reid's cross three minutes before the end of normal time.
Connell's vital contribution in the match came only seven minutes after Accrington, who had seen defender Dean Winnard sent off for a second booking earlier in the half, stunned a rain-soaked Coral Windows Stadium by equalising through Romauld Boco.
Garry Thompson's third goal of the season had earlier given City the half-time lead.
MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Bradford City 2 Accrington Stanley 1
90+4min: YELLOW CARD - Aristote Nsiala is booked for a late tackle on Reid over by the far touchline.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: SUB - Accrington bring on Padraig Amond for Beattie.
87min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Accrington Stanley 1 - City have the lead again through Connell! Reid's cross into the area is met by the striker at the near post, who powers a header past Rachubka.
82min: Hanson heads narrowly over the bar following Jones' teasing corner delivery into the mix.
82min: SUB - City bring on Kyel Reid for Atkinson.
80min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Accrington Stanley 1 - The ten-men of Accrington equalise through Boco. City fail to properly deal with a long free-kick from deep into the area from Joyce and Boco is on hand to smash home from close range.
78min: YELLOW CARD - Michael Liddle is booked for bringing down Thompson as the attacker looked to burst clear down City's right flank.
72min: SUB - With Wells perhaps still struggling with the affects of a recent illness, the Bermudian is brought off and replaced by Alan Connell.
69min: Thompson fizzes in a rising drive from just outside the area that whistles narrowly wide of Rachubka's goal.
67min: YELLOW CARD = RED CARD - Winnard is dismissed after picking up his second yellow of the match for blocking off Wells as the attacker looked to burst into clear space in Accrington's half.
62min: YELLOW CARD - Luke Joyce is booked for a nasty tackle from behind on Hanson around the halfway line.
52min: Matt Duke produces a stunning one-handed save to tip a curling Lindfield effort around the post after James Beattie had found the Accrington midfielder in space inside City's area with a clever free-kick.
50min: Thompson sends a low drive from just outside the area comfortably past Rachubka's near post.
49min: Romauld Boco's crouches down to head a searching far post cross from Craig Lindfield across goal and narrowly wide of the target at the other end.
48min: Murphy's low drive across goal is saved by Duke after City had failed to properly clear an Accrington corner.
46min: Accrington restart the match.
HT SUB: Accrington bring on Marcus Carver for Lee Molyneux just before the beginning of the second half.
HT: Bradford City 1 Accrington Stanley 0
45min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
44min: SUB - Seemingly still struggling from his earlier blow, Hines is replaced by Nahki Wells.
39min: Doyle fires a rising first-time drive over the bar from just outside the area after Accrington had failed to properly clear their lines.
37min: Hines is down and receiving treatment after appearing to accidentally being caught in the face by a stray arm from Murphy. The attacker is eventually up on his feet, however, and able to continue.
32min: YELLOW CARD - Dean Winnard is booked for bringing down Hines with a late tackle just inside Accrington's own half.
24min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Accrington Stanley 0 - City take the lead through Garry Thompson's first league goal of the season! Rory McArdle's free-kick from deep is glanced on by Hanson and Thompson is on hand at the far end of the area to drill a low angled drive past Rachubka and into the far bottom corner.
15min: After being teed up by Hines, Gary Jones drills a low shot from outside the area a yard or so wide of Rachubka's goal.
14min: Nathan Doyle drags a shot comfortably wide of Rachubka's goal from around 20 yards out.
9min: Stephen Darby's long ball forward is headed down into the path of Zavon Hines thanks to another towering header from Hanson. After waiting for the ball to bounce into his path, Hines takes aim inside the area but his shot for goal seems to have the pace taken off it slightly by the frame of Peter Murphy and Rachubka gathers.
3min: Will Atkinson sends a downward header narrowly wide of Paul Rachubka's near post from around six yards out after James Hanson had put the ball right in the mix with a towering header.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match. City will attack towards The Kop in the first half.
BRADFORD LINE UP
Duke, Darby, McArdle, Naylor, Meredith, Thompson, G Jones, Doyle, Atkinson, Hines, Hanson
Subs: McLaughlin, Ravenhill, Reid, R Jones, Connell, Wells, Trugott
Bradford changes:
Wells for Hines (44), Connell for Wells (72), Reid for Atkinson (82)
Bradford cautions:
Bradford dismissals:
ACCRINGTON LINE UP
Rachubka, Nsiala, Murphy, Liddle, Winnard, Joyce, Lindfield, Miller, Molyneux, Boco, Beattie
Subs: Dawber, Hatfield, Clark, Carver, Eckersley, Dixon, Amond
Accrington changes:
Carver for Molyneux (46), Amond for Beattie (88)
Accrington cautions:
Liddle (78), Nsiala (90+4)Winnard (67), Winnard (32), Joyce (62),
Accrington dismissals:
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Geoff Eltringham
Assistant Referee: Barry Gordon
Assistant Referee: Paul Curry
Fourth Official: Barry Cropp