BRADFORD CITY AFC

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Johnstone's Paint Trophy Second Round

Hartlepool United 0

Bradford City 0

Kick Off: 7.30pm

at Victoria Park

(Bradford City win 3-2 on penalties)

Attendance: 1,777 (224 visitors)

Pictures kindly provided by Frank Reid - Hartlepool Mail

City continued their amazing penalty record in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy after defeating League 1 side Hartlepool United in their Second Round shoot-out.

After a goalless ninety minutes, the Bantams won through 3-2 on penalties at Victoria Park this Tuesday to incredibly seal their sixth straight penalty shoot-out win in the competition in recent years.

The shoot-out didn't get off to the best of starts after Garry Thompson fired over the bar with the opening penalty but misses from Hartlepool's Jonathan Franks and Ryan Noble left Phil Parkinson's men on the verge of victory.

Andrew Davies saw his potentially tie-winning spot-kick saved by Pools 'keeper Scott Flinders but Jon McLaughlin matched his fellow shot-stoppers' feat next up by repelling Evan Horwood's kick to send City through.

MATCH UPDATES

FT: Hartlepool United 0 Bradford City 0 - We're going to penalties!

90+3min: After being played into space down on City's left, Noble tries to play the ball across the box to a team-mate but the searching centre is just out of the reach of Wyke in the middle and then Horwood by the far post.

90+2min: Franks sends over yet another cross into City's area but stretching back to connect with the ball, Wyke can only head straight at McLaughlin.

90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of normal time.

88min: Franks fires over a low teasing cross from a wide position that flashes in between Noble and Wyke before Darby can clear at the far end of the penalty box.

86min: Stretching back to reach a searching Thompson cross inside the area, Ricky Ravenhill sends in a looping header that is out of the reach of Flinders but thuds against the top of the crossbar.

79min: Stephen Darby crosses into the path of Thompson, who chests the ball down for Connell to send a half-volley from just outside area flying a yard or so wide of Flinders' far post.

77min: After cutting inside of Neil Austin, Wells fires in a fierce and swerving low shot that Flinders just about manages to shovel around his near post.

75min: McLaughlin comes to take control of a Franks far post corner but can only tip the ball into the path of Sweeney. With the 'keeper on the ground, Sweeney swivels and shoots but Davies is in the right place to head clear from right in front of his own goal.

73min: SUB - James Meredith is brought on for McHugh.

71min: Franks fizzes a dangerous centre across the area following a quickly taken Hartlepool free-kick but no-one gets a touch on the ball before it goes out for a throw-in at the far side.

69min: SUBS - City bring on Nahki Wells and Nathan Doyle for Hanson and Jones respectively.

68min: An effort on the stretch from Wyke inside the area is kept out by McLaughlin before Carl McHugh makes a brave and important block to stop another strike coming in on the Bantams goal.

67min: A mad scramble ensues inside City's area following a flighted Franks corner. Hartlepool try a couple of times to bundle the ball home but the danger is eventually ended when a free-kick is awarded against the hosts for handball.

64min: Hanson slashes a shot wide of goal from just outside the area after again being set up by Thompson.

64min: Hanson misses a promising chance to open the scoring when he heads wide from barely yards out following Thompson's clipped cross to the far post. In fairness to the striker though, the post must have been in his line of sight and possibly on his mind when he went to head the ball.

62min: SUB - Anthony Sweeney is brought on for Walton.

62min: Connell's searching pass forward is touched into the path of Jones by Thompson but the midfielder's angled drive from quite a wide position flashes over the bar.

57min: Connell shows great skill and awareness to flick a low cross from the byline by Thompson back into the path of the on-rushing Ritchie Jones. The midfielder takes aim from around twelve yards out but his rising left-footed effort is flicked over the bar by Flinders.

55min: Walton fires a first-time drive from distance comfortably wide of McLaughlin's goal after Andrew Davies' headed clearance from a deep Pools free-kick had fallen his way.

46min: The Bantams restart the tie.

HT: Hartlepool United 0 Bradford City 0

45+1min: Not for the first time on the night, McLaughlin produces a smart stop to prevent a Hartlepool player. This time the City shot-stopper thrusts up a hand at his near post to tip over a fierce angled drive from Ryan Noble.

45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.

44min: Peter Hartley jumps highest out of a clutch of players inside the area but heads wide from a Jonathan Franks corner.

32min: Darren Holden's cross is headed goalwards by Horwood but his downward effort from inside the area is straight-forward enough for McLaughlin.

27min: McLaughlin makes a superb finger-tip save to tip a curling Charlie Wyke effort from just inside the area around the post, preventing it from finding the far corner in the process.

25min: Via a slight deflection on his pass, Alan Connell plays Thompson into a promising position just inside Hartlepool's penalty area. Going away from goal slightly though, Thompson can only fire over with an angled drive on his left foot from around fourteen yards out.

14min: Jon McLaughlin makes a great reaction save from a fiercely-struck Simon Walton half-volley around twelve yards out after a half-cleared Evan Horwood free-kick had fallen into the midfielder's path.

6min: After picking up a long pass forward from Rory McArdle, Garry Thompson fizzes a driven centre right across the six yard box that Scott Flinders just gets a palm on to stop the diving James Hanson from sliding home from close range.

0min: Hartlepool kick off the tie.