BRADFORD CITY AFC

Reid, who was making his first league start of the season, curled a delightful free-kick from roughly 25 yards out three minutes after the restart to cancel out Greg Tansey's first half penalty for Stevenage.

Tansey's opener from the penalty spot came during a first half where City had struggled to reach top gear for large parts.

Stevenage's penalty was awarded after Gary Jones was penalised for blocking a Luke Freeman strike with his hands inside the area midway through the first half. 

Tansey took responsibility for the kick and sent Jon McLaughlin the wrong way by slotting home into the bottom right-hand corner of the 'keeper's net.

The hosts appealed for another spot-kick later in the half when Nathan Doyle seemed to clear a James Dunne strike off the line with his arm but nothing was given.

Less than a minute later after that escape, City enjoyed their best chance of the first period when Nahki Wells fired over from close range following a quality delivery into the middle by Reid.

Reid went one better, however, shortly after the restart when curled home with a free-kick delivery that beat the despairing dive of Stevenage 'keeper Chris Day and sent the away fans behind the goal into raptures.

The game was well and truly up for grabs at that stage, with City having a greater say in the contest thanks to an improved second period showing.

Looking to score for a club record ninth consecutive match, Nahki Wells tested Day with a fine acrobatic overhead kick, while Stevenage sub Oumare Tounkara was denied by a smart save from McLaughlin after a shot from the edge of the area.

Before either one of those bright openings though, Stevenage nearly retook the lead in fortunate circumstances when a Freeman strike from the edge of the area was deflected up before looping onto the roof of the net with the 'keeper wrong-footed.

City replacement Raffaele De Vita enjoyed the last meaningful opening of the match when he hit the side-netting in injury time.

90+3min: A Hanson flick-on from a City throw-in into the area finds Wells and the Bermudian tries another overhead kick, with this time the effort looping over the bar.

90+1min: A flick on by Wells plays De Vita is a decent amount of space just wide of Day's goal inside the area. The Italian strikes for goal but his low effort hits the side-netting by Day's near post.

90min: There will be five minutes added on at the end of the match.

88min: Freeman's fierce drive from a few yards outside the area is well-held by McLaughlin.

84min: SUB - Stevenage bring on Jimmy Smith for Doughty.

83min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Mark Yeates for Reid.

82min: Lopez's shot on the turn from the edge of the area is scuffed and McLaughlin can gather easily.

80min: YELLOW CARD - Darby is booked for a late tackle on Lopez by the near touchline a few yards into Stevenage's half.

78min: Tounkara is allowed far too much space on the edge of the area to get a shoot away and McLaughlin is required to make an important save to tip the striker's low effort around the post.

75min: McArdle finds space at the near post to connect with a Jones corner but the ball hits his shoulder and not his head and sails comfortably wide.

74min: A Hanson headed flick-on from a City throw-in finds Wells, whose acrobatic overhead kick is pushed away by a diving Day.

74min: SUB - Stevenage replace Tansey with Dani Lopez.

73min: A low corner from Tansey eventually finds Hartley, whose side-footed effort for goal is kicked clear by Jones from right in front of his own goal.

72min: CHANCE - Freeman's low drive on the turn from the edge of the area takes a nasty deflection up off the outstretched leg of Davies before looping up dangerously towards McLaughlin with the City 'keeper wrong-footed. The ball eventually spins up and drops on the roof of McLaughlin's net for a corner.

72min: SUB - The Bantams also bring on Ricky Ravenhill for Doyle.

71min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Raffaele De Vita for Thompson.

70min: Davies glances a header a yard or so wide of goal following Jones' delivery into the area from a wide free-kick over by City's left-flank.

69min: Wells' low cross into the six yard box is kicked away by David Gray just before a lurking Hanson can look to try and pounce.

66min: SUB - Stevenage bring on Oumare Tounkara for Burrow.

66min: Jones' delivery to the far post following a wide free-kick is headed back across goal by Hanson but Hartley is on hand to head clear from inside his own six yard box.

56min: YELLOW CARD - Freeman is now booked following a late tackle on McArdle just inside City's own half the defender went to clear his lines.

54min: Freeman's drive from distance initially bobbles out of McLaughlin's grasp before the 'keeper is able to gather the ball up at the second attempt shortly afterwards.

52min: YELLOW CARD - Doyle is booked shortly afterwards, however, when referee Mr Sutton judges that the midfielder has dived following Dunne's tackle just outside Stevenage's area.

52min: YELLOW CARD - Doughty is booked for bringing down Stephen Darby over by the near touchline just inside Stevenage's half.

50min: Deacon fizzes in a fierce cross-come-shot into the area from his wide left flank position. The drive is well struck but it sails across City's penalty area before going out for a goal-kick on the far side.

46min: Freeman strikes for goal from just outside City's penalty area but McLaughlin is able to watch it go past his near post by a good yard or so.

46min: The Bantams restart the match.

45+1min: Tansey's corner following McLaughlin's save eventually allows Ashton the opportunity to shoot for goal when the ball drops kindly for the defender. McLaughlin's save the low effort before the Bantams can clear their lines a few moments later.

45+1min: Roarie Deacon's clipped bar over the top finds Shroot in space inside City's penalty area and his half-volley from a relatively tight angle is shovelled behind by McLaughlin by his near post.

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

42min: A downward header from Ashton following a flighted corner delivery from Tansey is pushed away by McLaughlin.

39min: A loose ball on the edge of Stevenage's penalty area is picked up by Reid, who fizzes a fierce first-time rising drive a yard or two over Day's goal.

38min: Davies bustles his way through a crowd of players to get to a far post corner from Reid but the defender's header for goal misses the target by a couple of yards.

38min: A teasing cross from Wells has to be kicked behind for a corner from right in front of his own goal by Hartley.

36min: A half-cleared City corner is volleyed back goalwards with menace by Jones, who is situated just outside the hosts' penalty area. The effort looks to be motoring towards goal but Ashton kicks clear while situated in the middle of his box.

34min: YELLOW CARD - Peter Hartley is booked for bringing down Wells midway into his own half with a late tackle.

31min: CHANCE - A superb fizzing cross from Reid finds Wells in the middle but the Bermudian stabs his close range shot into the ground before seeing the ball bounce up and just drop over the bar.

31min: CHANCE - Following a Stevenage corner into area, Dunne shoots for goal about fourteen yards out and Nathan Doyle has to be alert to block the ball off his own goal-line. As the ball rolls away for a corner, a selection of Stevenage crowd the referee tried to claim that the Doyle had blocked Dunne's shot with his arm. Despite it seeming like the hosts may have a case, only a corner is awarded.

30min: A quick free-kick from Stevenage sees Shroot played into shooting space behind City's defences. Luckily for City though, Shroot is forced wide and his low effort from a tight angle is tipped around the far post by McLaughlin.

22min: YELLOW CARD - Jones is booked for his troubles after giving away the penalty.

21min: Freeman lines up a shot just outside City's box following a half-cleared Stevenage free-kick but his half-volley for goal sails comfortably over the bar.

20min: Greg Tansey's far post cross is volleyed back across goal by Shroot but McArdle is on hand to head clear with an important clearance.

18min: There is a brief moment of panic in the City defence when Davies looks to try and shield a forward pass from David Gray back to McLaughlin. Unknown to the Bantams defender, however, Burrow is lurking and looking to pounce. Burrow does sneak in behind Davies but, luckily for City, the ball bounces between the striker's legs and McLaughlin is eventually able to gather.

15min: Kyel Reid plays Wells into a small pocket of space inside the Stevenage area. The Bermudian looks to get a strike in on goal but his low effort has all the pace taken out of it by the outstretched leg of Michael Doughty and Day can save easily by his near post.

11min: Luke Freeman spins away from Andrew Davies but his strike on the turn from just outside the area sails high and well wide of McLaughlin's goal.

8min: Nahki Wells tries his luck from outside the area but his first-time low effort whistles wide of Chris Day's near post.

7min: James Dunne's cross into the area is headed down by Jon Ashton but Jordan Burrow, who is under pressure from Andrew Davies, can only get a slight flick on the ball with his head and his effort loops harmlessly behind.

3min: Robin Shroot cuts inside of Rory McArdle before curling an effort from the edge of the area a couple of yards wide of Jon McLaughlin's far post.

0min: Stevenage kick off the match.

Day, Gray, Ashton, Hartley, Deacon, Doughty, Dunne, Tansey, Freeman, Shroot, Burrow

Subs: Arnold, Jones, Heslop, Haber, Smith, Tounkara, Lopez

Tounkara for Burrow (66), Lopez for Tansey (74), Smith for Doughty (84)

Hartley (34), Doughty (52), Freeman (56)

McLaughlin, Darby, Davies, McArdle, Meredith, Thompson, Doyle, Jones, Reid, Hanson, Wells

Subs: Ripley, Ravenhill, Yeates, Taylor, McHugh, Connell, De Vita

De Vita for Thompson (71), Ravenhill for Doyle (72), Yeates for Reid (83)

Jones (22), Doyle (52), Darby (80)