Sky Bet League 1
Bradford City 1 (McArdle 16)
Swindon Town 1 (Pritchard 63)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 13,461
Pictures kindly provided by Gary Chadwick
A single goal in each half ensured the spoils were shared in City's final match of 2013 against Swindon Town.
A first half header from the returning Rory McArdle gave City the half-time advantage but a fine individual goal from Swindon's Alex Pritchard after the restart meant the game finished level.
The draw sees City finish the calendar year in tenth place in the table as the Sky Bet League 1 season reaches its halfway point.
Along with McArdle's opener, the first period at the Coral Windows Stadium also unfortunately saw top scorer Nahki Wells limp off with a hamstring problem in the twenty-eight minute.
After joining the fit-again James Hanson and the recalled Ricky Ravenhill in the City starting eleven, McArdle fired himself onto the score-sheet just after the quarter hour mark when he powered home a header via the underside of the crossbar from a Gary Jones corner.
City couldn't hang onto that lead, however, when the impressive Pritchard, who is on loan to Swindon from Premiership giants Tottenham Hotspur, netted a fine leveller just after the hour point.
The diminutive attacker drove into the City box from a wide position, beating four defenders in the process, before drilling a low strike past Jon McLaughlin and into the bottom corner.
FT: Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 1
90+6min: An attempted header clear by Carl McHugh from a Swindon throw-in lands at Gladwin's feet but the attacker's volley from around ten yards out is sliced and sails well wide of the target.
90+6min: Storey forces McLaughlin into a finger-tip save as the Swindon attacker ended a swift counter-attack from the visitors with a rising angled drive across the goal.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: Yeates fires a couple of yards over with a free-kick just outside the Swindon area.
85min: A short Swindon corner is eventually worked out to the waiting Byrne who fires in a low drive from outside the area that whistles a yard or so wide of McLaughlin's far post.
84min: YELLOW CARD - McArdle is booked for bringing down Pritchard just outside the area.
82min: After a wide free-kick into the box is cleared as only as far as the lurking Doyle just outside the area, the midfielder takes aim with a looping half-volley but the powerful effort is tipped around the post by a diving Fotheringham.
74min: SUB - Swindon bring on Ben Gladwin for Kasim.
73min: A great teasing cross by McBurnie over on City's left flank flashes across the six yard box, narrowly missing the diving Hanson in the middle.
71min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Oliver McBurnie and Doyle for Garry Thompson and Ravenhill respectively.
63min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 1 - The visitors equalise thanks a fine individual goal from Pritchard. The Swindon loanee drives for the area from a wide position, beating four City players in the process, before drilling a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner from around twelve yards out.
61min: Hanson heads a couple of yards wide after connecting with Jones' free-kick delivery into the penalty box over on City's right flank.
59min: Pritchard fires narrowly wide of McLaughlin's near post with a low drive from just outside the area.
53min: SUB - Swindon bring on another sub due to an injury as this time Smith goes off for fellow centre half Raphael Branco.
53min: Kyel Reid's delightful cross from wide meets the head of Hanson but his header from around eight yards out is straight at Fotheringham.
47min: YELLOW CARD - Yeates is booked for catching Louis Thompson with a late challenge just inside Swindon's half.
46min: Swindon restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 0
45+1min: SUB - Swindon have an injury of their own now as McEveley comes off for Miles Storey on the stroke of half time.
45min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the half.
41min: Ajose takes on McArdle in a wide position near the byline in City's area. The striker goes for goal from a tight angle but his cross/shot rises over McLaughlin's bar.
40min: Pritchard's curling free-kick from around 20 yards out sails a yard or so wide of McLaughlin's near post.
38min: Pritchard's shot from outside the area is spilled by McLaughlin at the first attempt but the 'keeper gobbles up the ball at the second attempt before the lurking Ajose can pounce.
37min: It appears for a few seconds as Ravenhill would become the second player within in the half to go off for City after picking up a knock. Sub Nathan Doyle is stripped down and ready to come on as his replacement but Ravenhill decides he wants to carry on and Doyle sits back down on the bench.
28min: SUB - A bit of a blow for City as Wells, who appears to have taken a knock, is replaced by Mark Yeates.
27min: Ajose looks to be in with a clear sight of goal when he wriggles clear of the clutches of McArdle just inside City's area. McLaughlin is out quickly at the striker's feet, however, and clutches the ball off his toes.
26min: Jay McEveley's cross from wide is headed powerfully by Hall but wide of the target.
20min: Nahki Wells gets the better of Grant Hall out on City's right flank. The Bermudian forward goes for goal from a relatively tight angle but his low effort hits the side-netting by Wes Fotheringham's near post.
20min: Yaser Kasim tees up Louis Thompson for a long shot from just outside the area that is held with relative ease by Jon McLaughlin.
16min: GOAL!!!! - Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 0 - City take the lead when Rory McArdle leaps up to reach a Gary Jones corner before powering in a bullet header in off the underside of the bar.
14min: Ricky Ravenhill tries his luck with an acrobatic volley from just inside the area but the effort sails comfortably over the bar.
12min: Nicky Ajose's teasing centre across the six yard box has to be put behind by Stephen Darby over by the far post before Nathan Byrne can pounce for an easy tap-in.
5min: There are shouts for a City penalty when James Hanson's shot inside the area seems to accidentally hit the raised hands of Darren Ward. Play is waved on, however, despite Bradford protests.
2min: Alex Pritchard's first time effort from distance whistles a yard or so over the bar.
0min: The Bantams kick off - they will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, Meredith, McArdle, McHugh, Thompson, Jones, Ravenhill, Reid, Wells, Hanson
Subs: Ripley, Kennedy, Yeates, Bates, Doyle, Clarkson, McBurnie
Bradford City changes:
Yeates for Wells (28), McBurnie for Thompson (71), Doyle for Ravenhill (71)
Bradford City cautions:
Yeates (47), McArdle (84)
SWINDON TOWN LINE UP
Fotheringham, N Thompson, Byrne, Hall, Ward, McEveley, Luongo, Pritchard, Kasim, L Thompson, Ajose
Subs: Belford, Harley, Mason, Storey, Barthram, Branco, Gladwin
Swindon Town changes:
McEveley for Storey (45+1), Branco for Smith (53), Gladwin for Kasim (73)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: O Langford
Assistant Referee: P Kettlewell
Assistant Referee: J Wilson
Fourth Official: S Mather
Attendance: 13,461
Pictures kindly provided by Gary Chadwick
A single goal in each half ensured the spoils were shared in City's final match of 2013 against Swindon Town.
A first half header from the returning Rory McArdle gave City the half-time advantage but a fine individual goal from Swindon's Alex Pritchard after the restart meant the game finished level.
The draw sees City finish the calendar year in tenth place in the table as the Sky Bet League 1 season reaches its halfway point.
Along with McArdle's opener, the first period at the Coral Windows Stadium also unfortunately saw top scorer Nahki Wells limp off with a hamstring problem in the twenty-eight minute.
After joining the fit-again James Hanson and the recalled Ricky Ravenhill in the City starting eleven, McArdle fired himself onto the score-sheet just after the quarter hour mark when he powered home a header via the underside of the crossbar from a Gary Jones corner.
City couldn't hang onto that lead, however, when the impressive Pritchard, who is on loan to Swindon from Premiership giants Tottenham Hotspur, netted a fine leveller just after the hour point.
The diminutive attacker drove into the City box from a wide position, beating four defenders in the process, before drilling a low strike past Jon McLaughlin and into the bottom corner.
FT: Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 1
90+6min: An attempted header clear by Carl McHugh from a Swindon throw-in lands at Gladwin's feet but the attacker's volley from around ten yards out is sliced and sails well wide of the target.
90+6min: Storey forces McLaughlin into a finger-tip save as the Swindon attacker ended a swift counter-attack from the visitors with a rising angled drive across the goal.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: Yeates fires a couple of yards over with a free-kick just outside the Swindon area.
85min: A short Swindon corner is eventually worked out to the waiting Byrne who fires in a low drive from outside the area that whistles a yard or so wide of McLaughlin's far post.
84min: YELLOW CARD - McArdle is booked for bringing down Pritchard just outside the area.
82min: After a wide free-kick into the box is cleared as only as far as the lurking Doyle just outside the area, the midfielder takes aim with a looping half-volley but the powerful effort is tipped around the post by a diving Fotheringham.
74min: SUB - Swindon bring on Ben Gladwin for Kasim.
73min: A great teasing cross by McBurnie over on City's left flank flashes across the six yard box, narrowly missing the diving Hanson in the middle.
71min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Oliver McBurnie and Doyle for Garry Thompson and Ravenhill respectively.
63min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 1 - The visitors equalise thanks a fine individual goal from Pritchard. The Swindon loanee drives for the area from a wide position, beating four City players in the process, before drilling a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner from around twelve yards out.
61min: Hanson heads a couple of yards wide after connecting with Jones' free-kick delivery into the penalty box over on City's right flank.
59min: Pritchard fires narrowly wide of McLaughlin's near post with a low drive from just outside the area.
53min: SUB - Swindon bring on another sub due to an injury as this time Smith goes off for fellow centre half Raphael Branco.
53min: Kyel Reid's delightful cross from wide meets the head of Hanson but his header from around eight yards out is straight at Fotheringham.
47min: YELLOW CARD - Yeates is booked for catching Louis Thompson with a late challenge just inside Swindon's half.
46min: Swindon restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 0
45+1min: SUB - Swindon have an injury of their own now as McEveley comes off for Miles Storey on the stroke of half time.
45min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the half.
41min: Ajose takes on McArdle in a wide position near the byline in City's area. The striker goes for goal from a tight angle but his cross/shot rises over McLaughlin's bar.
40min: Pritchard's curling free-kick from around 20 yards out sails a yard or so wide of McLaughlin's near post.
38min: Pritchard's shot from outside the area is spilled by McLaughlin at the first attempt but the 'keeper gobbles up the ball at the second attempt before the lurking Ajose can pounce.
37min: It appears for a few seconds as Ravenhill would become the second player within in the half to go off for City after picking up a knock. Sub Nathan Doyle is stripped down and ready to come on as his replacement but Ravenhill decides he wants to carry on and Doyle sits back down on the bench.
28min: SUB - A bit of a blow for City as Wells, who appears to have taken a knock, is replaced by Mark Yeates.
27min: Ajose looks to be in with a clear sight of goal when he wriggles clear of the clutches of McArdle just inside City's area. McLaughlin is out quickly at the striker's feet, however, and clutches the ball off his toes.
26min: Jay McEveley's cross from wide is headed powerfully by Hall but wide of the target.
20min: Nahki Wells gets the better of Grant Hall out on City's right flank. The Bermudian forward goes for goal from a relatively tight angle but his low effort hits the side-netting by Wes Fotheringham's near post.
20min: Yaser Kasim tees up Louis Thompson for a long shot from just outside the area that is held with relative ease by Jon McLaughlin.
16min: GOAL!!!! - Bradford City 1 Swindon Town 0 - City take the lead when Rory McArdle leaps up to reach a Gary Jones corner before powering in a bullet header in off the underside of the bar.
14min: Ricky Ravenhill tries his luck with an acrobatic volley from just inside the area but the effort sails comfortably over the bar.
12min: Nicky Ajose's teasing centre across the six yard box has to be put behind by Stephen Darby over by the far post before Nathan Byrne can pounce for an easy tap-in.
5min: There are shouts for a City penalty when James Hanson's shot inside the area seems to accidentally hit the raised hands of Darren Ward. Play is waved on, however, despite Bradford protests.
2min: Alex Pritchard's first time effort from distance whistles a yard or so over the bar.
0min: The Bantams kick off - they will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, Meredith, McArdle, McHugh, Thompson, Jones, Ravenhill, Reid, Wells, Hanson
Subs: Ripley, Kennedy, Yeates, Bates, Doyle, Clarkson, McBurnie
Bradford City changes:
Yeates for Wells (28), McBurnie for Thompson (71), Doyle for Ravenhill (71)
Bradford City cautions:
Yeates (47), McArdle (84)
SWINDON TOWN LINE UP
Fotheringham, N Thompson, Byrne, Hall, Ward, McEveley, Luongo, Pritchard, Kasim, L Thompson, Ajose
Subs: Belford, Harley, Mason, Storey, Barthram, Branco, Gladwin
Swindon Town changes:
McEveley for Storey (45+1), Branco for Smith (53), Gladwin for Kasim (73)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: O Langford
Assistant Referee: P Kettlewell
Assistant Referee: J Wilson
Fourth Official: S Mather