Saturday 3 August 2013
at Ashton Gate
Kick Off: 3.00pm
Bradford City 2 (Wells 33, McArdle 79)
Bristol City 2 (Wagstaff 11, Emmanuel-Thomas 58)
Sky Bet League 1
Attendance: 13,862 (1,072 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Claire Epton
The Bantams twice came from behind to secure a fully-deserved point at Bristol City on day one of their Sky Bet League 1 campaign.
A first half goal from Nahki Wells equalised Scott Wagstaff’s early strike before Rory McArdle’s header from a Raffaele De Vita corner eleven minutes from the end cancelled out Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ effort just before the hour mark.
Coming up against one of the division’s pre-season promotion favourites on their own patch, City can be extremely contented with their first performance back at League 1 level.
Although it is extremely early stages in the season, the display should give Phil Parkinson’s men real belief that they can pick up results in this league following last season’s promotion.
Bristol City debutant Wagstaff – a target for City this summer before his move to Ashton Gate – gave the hosts the lead with just over ten minutes gone when the latched onto a loose ball inside the area and slotted home via the far post.
The Bantams had started in a relatively positive fashion before Wagstaff’s opener, with Wells heading against the post after only five minutes, but the goal seemingly gave the hosts a boost in confidence.
Home captain Sam Baldock saw a curling effort from just inside the area tipped around the post by Jon McLaughlin, while McArdle had to be alert to prevent Wagstaff from converting Emmanuel-Thomas’ ball across the six yard box.
After forging a reputation last season of never giving up though, Parkinson’s side brought themselves back into the game just past the half hour mark.
Yeates’ delightful through-ball played Hanson nicely into space behind Bristol City’s backline. Robins keeper Frank Fielding raced outside his area to try and cut out the danger but Hanson beat him to the ball to leave the ‘keeper stranded.
With the home shot-stopper out of his goal, Hanson crossed for the waiting Wells, who fired home from inside the area after taking a touch to steady himself.
Building on Wells’ goal, City began the second half by taking the game to the Robins.
Most of the early action in the second period was played out in Bristol City’s half, but Sean O’Driscoll’s side caught the Bantams out thirteen minutes after the restart.
With their first real attack of the half, Baldock crossed for Emmanuel-Thomas to steer home with a low drive from around sixteen yards out.
Parkinson introduced Kyel Reid and De Vita into the action shortly afterwards in an attempt to search out City’s second equaliser of the match.
Following substitutions from the hosts as well, the game was finely poised going into the final quarter of the opening day contest. Both sides would register half chances during this section of the game, both knowing that the next goal in the match would probably prove crucial.
Thankfully for City, however, and their thousand-strong away support, it was Parkinson’s men who netted the goal that their endeavour and effort had merited.
De Vita’s pinpoint near post corner with just over ten minutes to go was met by the flying frame of McArdle, who flung himself at the ball before bowling over the sponsor boards behind the pitch.
The defender’s effort to reach the ball may have left him grounded, but the centre half was quickly able to dust himself off and celebrate with the City fans behind the goal after seeing that his glancing header had sent the ball into the far corner.
De Vita and Wells then went close as City looked for more in the final stages, but they still had to be thankful to McLaughlin when he pushed away a header from Greg Cunningham following Wagstaff's far post cross in the ninetieth minute.
Aden Flint headed narrowly over from the resulting corner to ensure City would head back up north with a point in their pocket.
FT: Bristol City 2 Bradford City 2
Bristol City kick off the match. City’s 2013/2014 campaign is underway! The Bantams, wearing their new light blue and white away shirts with black shorts and socks, will defend the goal in front of their own travelling supporters in this first half.
0min:
Nahki Wells hits the post! Mark Yeates’ near post delivery from a wide free-kick is met by the Bermudian, who heads the ball plum against Frank Fielding’s goal-frame. The rebound falls back into Wells’ path but his shot bounces down into the ground and then over the bar with James Hanson lurking.
CHANCE! 5min:
: Sam Baldock appears for a second to have a clear run on goal after beating Rory McArdle to a long ball forward just inside City’s area. Luckily for City though, Stephen Darby is supporting his Bradford team-mate and he is just able to halt Baldock’s progress enough for Jon McLaughlin to pounce on the loose ball.
7min
: Joe Bryan turns away from Darby and Nathan Doyle but his angled drive from inside the area is blocked by the diving frame of McArdle.
11min
11min: GOAL – Bristol City 1 Bradford City 0 – The Bantams concede first in their season opener when Scott Wagstaff nips in to slot home past McLaughlin via the far post. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was the Bristol player who initially was trying to get a shot in on goal but the eventually broke for Wagstaff to complete the move around ten yards out.
Brendan Moloney’s low cross into the box finds Emmanuel-Thomas lurking just inside City’s area but the giant striker’s shot for goal is scuffed well wide of the target.
15min:
: Baldock’s curling effort from the edge of the area misses McLaughlin’s far post by inches after the City shot-stopper gets his fingertips to it.
17min
Emmanuel-Thomas manages to wriggle free of the attentions of James Meredith before cutting the ball back from the byline into the six yard box. Wagstaff tries to latch onto the ball but McArdle just manages to beat the former Charlton midfielder to it, with McArdle actually able to kick the ball off Wagstaff and out for a goal-kick.
30min:
GOAL!!!!! Bristol City 1 Bradford City 1 – The Bantams equalise through Wells! Yeates perfectly-waited ball in behind Bristol’s defence sees Hanson narrowly beats home ‘keeper Fielding to the pass just outside the area. With Fielding completely out of his goal, Hanson crosses for the waiting Wells and the Bermudian is able to fire home after taking a touch inside the box to steady himself.: 33min
There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
45min:
HT: Bristol City 1 Bradford City 1
The Bantams restart the game. After relatively sunny conditions in the first half, the second period has begun with rain steaming down.
46min:
: Gary Jones’ lofted ball over the top threatens to play Hanson in on goal but Fielding comes to just outside his area to side-foot the ball clear.
52min
58min: GOAL – Bristol City 2 Bradford City 1 – Despite Bradford bossing the opening exchanges of the second period, Bristol City take the lead for the second time of match with their first real attack of the second half. Baldock’s low ball into the area picks out Emmanuel-Thomas and the forward fires the ball into the bottom corner past McLaughlin’s despairing dive.
Wells runs at pace at a retreating Aden Flint as the Bermudian drives from deep into Bristol City’s penalty area. Wells’ low ball across the area fails to pick out a player in the middle, however, and Liam Fontaine is able to let it run out for a goal-kick.
62min:
– The hosts bring on Marlon Pack for Joe Bryan.
63min: SUB
Wells fires comfortably over the bar with a rising drive from an angle inside the Bristol penalty area.
64min:
Jordan Wynter’s low drive from outside the area is held with relative ease by McLaughlin.
64min:
– The Bantams bring on Raffaele De Vita and Kyel Reid for Garry Thompson and Yeates respectively.
66min: SUBS
: McLaughlin slides out to the very edge of his area to beat Baldock to a searching ball forward from Wynter. The home fans scream for handball outside the area as the City ‘keeper slides on the wet surface but McLaughlin just manages to keep the ball and his arms inside the area.
68min
Reid’s searching cross to the far post is punched away by Fielding while under pressure from Hanson. Doyle fires the ball back goal-wards with a low volley from the edge of the area. Wells nips in to beat Fielding to the ball but his first-time stab for goal is wide.
69min:
: Wynter heads over in the middle following Emmanuel-Thomas’ wide free-kick into the area.
73min
– Bristol City bring on Ryan Taylor for fellow attacker Emmanuel-Thomas.
75min: SUB
Taylor holds up Baldock’s clipping ball forward but laying it off to his strike-partner just outside the Bantams’ penalty area. With Andrew Davies diving in to try and block, Baldock’s rising strike sails over the bar.
77min:
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bristol City 2 Bradford City 2 – Bradford are back on terms for the second this afternoon! De Vita’s near post corner is flicked into the far corner thanks to a glancing header from McArdle.: 79min
Greg Cunningham’s teasing ball into the area eventually finds the lurking Baldock but his strike from just inside the area bobbles a few yards wide of goal.
80min:
: Wells cuts inside from a wide position just outside the area before curling a powerful left-footer effort only a yard or so wide of the top corner.
83min
Reid’s clipped ball into the middle is headed clear but only as far as the lurking De Vita. The Italian, positioned about fourteen yards out, strikes for goal first time but his volley is scuffed and bounces wide of the near post.
86min:
Wagstaff's far post cross is headed for goal by Cunningham but the effort is repelled by McLaughlin for a corner.
90min:
Flint heads narrowly over the bar from Neil Kilkenny’s delivery from the resulting corner.
90min:
: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
90min
Bristol City
Fielding, Moloney, Flint, Fontaine, Cunningham, Wagstaff, Kilkenny, Wynter, Bryan, Emmanuel-Thomas, Baldock
Subs: Parish, Williams, Reid, Taylor, Pack, Harewood, Elliott
Bristol City changes:
Pack for Bryan (62), Taylor for Emmanuel-Thomas (75)
Bradford City
McLaughlin, Darby, Davies, McArdle, Meredith, Thompson, Doyle, Jones, Yeates, Hanson, Wells
Subs: Ripley, Reid, Kennedy, Taylor, McHugh, Connell, De Vita
Bradford changes:
De Vita for Thompson (66), Reid for Yeates (66)
Fourth Official: Grant Taylor
Assistant Referee: Andy Hendley
Assistant Referee: Andrew Bennett
Referee: Mr Stephen Martin