BRADFORD CITY AFC

.City's apprentices booked their place in the F.A Youth Cup second round with a home victory over their counterparts from Grimsby Town

The Bantams' goals in the first round affair came at either end of the tie - Connor Bower opening the scoring with less than 170 seconds gone before substitute Callum Chippendale sealed things a minute before the end.

Steve Thornber's side will now face a trip to either Dunkirk or Stourbridge in the next round.

City's line up at the Coral Windows Stadium contained the duo of Scott Brown and Forrayah Bass, both of whom have featured on the bench for Phil Parkinson's first team this season.

As mentioned, City's F.A Youth Cup campaign began in dream fashion with less than three minutes on the clock when Bower headed Bass' cross past Grimsby 'keeper Harry Ashton via the inside of the post.

The Bantams threatened to double their lead fifteen minutes in when Connor Erangey let rip with a fierce drive from outside the area, but Ashton was equal to it and tipped over.

Erangey when close again just past the half hour mark when he marauded forward unchallenged towards the edge of Grimsby's area before firing a low drive only a whisker or so wide of Ashton's near post.

Grimsby's brightest moment of the half to that point came less than ten minutes before the interval when they enjoyed as many as four bites of the cherry to trouble Stuart Morrison in the City goal.

The Mariners' first three efforts were blocked by City defenders before Will Peers eventually fired wide with a shot from just outside the area.

After a first period shaded by the Bantams, the second half began with half-chances for both sides.

The industrious Calum Hepworth fired narrowly over with a rising drive from the edge of the area, while at the other end, Grimsby striker Rob Bryant dragged a shot wide when in plenty of shooting space just outside City's penalty box.

With the tie still seemingly in the balance as proceedings reached the hour point, Grimsby left back Josh Morrall wasn't too far off target with a drive from distance that narrowly cleared Morrison's crossbar.

City tried to a mount a response with some attacks of their own, and Steve Thornber's side actually thought for a moment that they had doubled their lead when a Brown corner was bundled home. Any celebrations were cut short, however, as the effort was ruled out for pushing.

As time ticked down towards the 90 minute mark, Grimsby understandably threw more caution to the wind in their pursuit of an equaliser, but it was City who could have troubled the scorers next.

Bower led a dangerous City break-away but could only find Ashton with a low drive from the edge of the area with the unmarked duo of Swain and Chippendale screaming for a pass in the middle.

City did finally get their tie-clincher a minute before the end of normal time, however, when Chippendale twisted his way into shooting space around eight yards from goal with a neat turn before slotting home past Ashton.