npower League 2
Bradford City 1 (Hanson 44)
Burton Albion 0
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 13,235 (420 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Gintare Karpaviciute
The Bantams secured their place in the end-of-season Play-Offs with a hard-fought home win over ten-man Burton Albion.
James Hanson was on hand to net the vital match-winner for City when he stooped to convert from close range just before half time after Burton 'keeper Dean Lyness had failed to hold onto a Marcus Holness header back following pressure from Nahki Wells.
Burton were then reduced to ten men in first half injury time when visiting skipper Lee Bell was given a straight red card for catching Zavon Hines, who had earlier replaced the injured Kyel Reid, in the head as the pair jumped for the ball.
Armed with their one man advantage, City had chances in the second half to finish off the match, most notably when Hines squandered a one-on-one chance in the ninetieth minute, but, despite a few nervy moments and five minutes of injury time, Phil Parkinson's men were able to pocket the points.
The Bantams' victory, coupled with Exeter City's home defeat at the hands of Cheltenham Town, means City are guaranteed a Play-Off spot with one game of the regular season to go - C'MON CITY!!!!!
MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Bradford City 1 Burton Albion 0
90+4min: YELLOW CARD - Maghoma is booked for tripping up Hines as the winger tries to play out time deep in Burton's half.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on.
90min: CHANCE - Golden chance for City to wrap it up when Connell plays Hines in on goal! The winger seems unsure where exactly to place the ball, however, and can only fire wide after earlier delaying his shot.
89min: Connell fires a low shot across goal and just wide of Lyness' far post.
88min: Connell fires a couple of yards over the bar following a shot from distance.
81min: After being fed by Hines, Atkinson moves into the box by playing a neat one-two with Connell but his eventual shot for goal dribbles meekly wide of Lyness' goal.
78min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Will Atkinson and take off Thompson.
76min: SUB - Dyer, who was only brought on at half time himself, has to be stretchered off with an injury and replaced by Michael Symes.
69min: After being fed into space just inside City's penalty area, Damien McCrory fires for goal but his curling drive from an angle flies a good few yards wide of McLaughlin's far post.
68min: SUB - Wells is brought off and replaced by Alan Connell for Bradford.
65min: Hanson and Lyness both need a bit of treatment after tangling for the ball in the air but both are fine to play on shortly afterwards.
63min: Nelson's looping header from Thompson's wide free-kick into the area is tipped over by a back-pedaling Lyness.
59min: SUB - Billy Kee is brought on by Burton for Zola.
58min: YELLOW CARD - Ravenhill is booked for catching Robbie Weir with a high foot as the Burton midfielder went to hook clear midway into his own half.
57min: Thompson's half-volley from just outside the area is saved by Lyness with a dive low to his left.
52min: YELLOW CARD - Sharps is booked for bringing down Wells just slightly wide of centre around 25 yards from goal.
49min: Hanson drives a couple of yards wide of the top corner with a rising strike from outside the penalty area.
48min: Holness heads MacDonald's floated corner back across goal but Sharps, with his back to goal slightly, can only flick over the bar.
HT SUB: Burton bring on Jack Dyer for Paterson to compensate for the loss of Bell in midfield.
HT: Bradford City 1 Burton Albion 0
45+1min: RED CARD - Lee Bell is sent off for the visitors for appearing to catch Hines with a stray elbow as the pair challenge in the air for the ball. Hines stays down after the incident and clearly appears to be in some discomfort but, after a period of treatment, he is eventually able to carry on.
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
44min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Burton Albion 0 - Hanson places City in the lead! A long ball forward from Ricky Ravenhill has Marcus Holness nervously racing back towards his own goal with Wells and Hanson breathing down his neck. Holness' header back to Lyness is read by Wells and the Bermudian gets a little boot on it to flick for goal. Lyness manages to keep the effort out but Hanson is on hand to loop a shot over the recovering Sharps on the line and into the net.
42min: CHANCE - Jacques Maghoma cuts inside of Jones and Darby before firing for goal with an angled drive from just inside the area that McLaughlin superbly tips around his far post.
32min: James Hanson heads a yard or so wide of Lyness' far post following a brilliant delivery into the middle by Thompson.
25min: Gary Jones' corner is headed down into the mix by Michael Nelson but Wells can't quite get a hold the ball and Burton can clear.
23min: YELLOW CARD - O'Connor is booked for bringing down James Meredith as the defender looked to surge into Burton's penalty area from City's left flank.
19min: SUB - Zavon Hines is brought on for Reid after the latter seems to have picked up an early injury.
16min: Stephen Darby sends over a fizzing low ball across Burton's six-yard box but, crucially for the visitors, Sharps is on hand in the middle to kick clear.
10min: Jon McLaughlin makes a brilliant stop to push away a goal-bound header from Ian Sharps following Damien McCrory's free-kick into the area from a wide position. Even if Sharps' header had of beaten McLaughlin though, the goal wouldn't have stood as the defender was flagged for offside.
8min: Garry Thompson sends over an inviting low cross into the area but the ball is just in front of the lurking Nahki Wells and Burton 'keeper Dean Lyness can gather.
7min: Anthony O'Connor's dipping cross is latched onto by Matt Paterson but the striker's shot for goal from inside the area is blocked by a diving tackle from Michael Nelson.
0min: Burton kick off the match. City will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first half.
3:02pm: The Coral Windows Stadium falls silent for a minute as a mark of respect to the forthcoming anniversary of the Valley Parade Fire Disaster.
2:59pm: With the Coral Windows Stadium bathed in sunshine, City and Burton Albion come out to a warm applause from the plentiful crowd in the ground this afternoon.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, Nelson, McArdle, Meredith, Thompson, Ravenhill, Jones, Reid, Hanson, Wells
Subs: Duke, Gray, Atkinson, McHugh, Connell, Hines, Doyle
Bradford changes:
Hines for Reid (19), Connell for Wells (68), Atkinson for Thompson (78)
Bradford cautions:
Ravenhill (58)
Bradford dismissals:
BURTON ALBION LINE UP
Lyness, O'Connor, Holness, Sharps, McCrory, MacDonald, Bell, Weir, Maghoma, Zola, Paterson
Subs: Tomlinson, Webster, Diamond, Dyer, Drury, Kee, Symes
Burton changes:
Dyer for Paterson (46), Kee for Zola (59), Symes for Dyer (76)
Burton cautions:
O'Connor (23), Sharps (52), Maghoma (90+4)
Burton dismissals:
Bell (45+1)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Andy Woolmer
Assistant Referee: William Smallwood
Assistant Referee: James Wilson
Fourth Official: Bob Roberts