BRADFORD CITY AFC

F.A Youth Cup Second Round
Wednesday 14 November 2012

Stourbridge 2 (Davis 26, Murphy pen 55)

Bradford City 2 (Hepworth 41, Arundel 90)

Kick Off: 7.30pm

at the War Memorial Athletic Ground

Attendance: 437

CITY WIN 5-3 ON PENALTIES AFTER EXTRA TIME

City's Youth Team carried on where their senior team-mates left off on Tuesday by progressing into the F.A Youth Cup Third Round via a penalty shoot-out victory over non-league side Stourbridge.

Louie Swain kept his nerve from the spot to secure a 5-3 shoot-out win for the Bantams following earlier successful penalties from Connor Bower, Connor Erangey, Nathan Curtis and Forrayah Bass.

City actually earned their place in the penalty drama thanks to Jamie Arundel's ninetieth minute equaliser after Stourbridge had twice taken the lead of the tie.

The Bantams will now face Histon at home in the next round.

Stourbridge's opener came just before the half hour mark midfielder Ben Davis drove forward before fizzing in a low drive from around 20 yards out that beat Stuart Morrison at his near post.

City engineered a decent chance to reply barely five minutes later but Tom Bott sent a free header straight at Stourbridge 'keeper Dominic Richards following Jamie Arundel's free-kick into the area.

Four minutes before the interval, City did find an equaliser when Calum Hepworth let rip with a dipping drive from around 30 yards out that a back-pedalling Richards could only push into the top corner of his goal. 

Stourbridge were given a golden opportunity to retake the lead early after the restart, however, when a free-kick from Josh Garbett eventually popped up against the arm of Andrew Boote inside the area.

After consultation with his linesman, referee Mr Ollie Yates awarded a spot-kick and despite Morrison guessing the right way, Jordan Murphy was able to squeeze his strike past the 'keeper from the resulting penalty.

With City looking to turn up the intensity levels in search of a way back in the tie after Murphy's penalty, Swain fired narrowly wide of Richards' near post with a snap shot from around ten yards out after Bower's corner had dropped into his path.

Unfortunately for City substitute Sam Wright though, his chances of helping his side out in their attempts to get back in the game were cut short when he had to limp off only eight minutes after coming on.

As City continued to push forward, Stourbridge nearly grabbed themselves a third on the counter-attack when Garbett's low centre across the six yard box eventually found Murphy lurking at the far post.

With only Morrison to beat, Murphy's first touch let him down at the vital moment and the Bantams 'keeper was able to smuggle the striker's close range behind.

After surviving that near miss, City nearly fashioned an equaliser at the other end when Bower dinked an effort over the on-rushing Richards but the recovering Chris Neilsen was on hand to hack clear before the strike dropped in.

With time running out for the Bantams, they finally found that vital second goal they were looking for as time ticked over into the ninetieth minute. 

Erangey began the danger for Stourbridge with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area that smashed back against post before Arundel drilled home the rebound with an angled drive from around ten yards out.

City squandered a great opening to take the lead of the tie for the first time on the night when Bower was played in on goal with only Richards to beat. The Bantams striker tried to round Richards but was repelled by the home shot-stopper.

The ball still ran free for Curtis but his rebound effort on goal was blocked by a Stourbridge defender while Richards was still grounded and out of his goal.

Bower and Curtis linked up again later in the first period of extra time when the latter sent the former clear into space inside the area. Bower's low angled drive beat Richards' out-stretched leg but also rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.

With neither side able to find a winner in the second half of extra time either, the tie eventually went to penalties.