Tuesday 19 March 2013npower League 2
Bradford City 1 (Thompson 7)
Wycombe Wanderers 0
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 8,047 (68 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Gintare Karpaviciute
An early strike from Garry Thompson earned City a hard-fought but deserved win over Wycombe Wanderers.
Thompson's ultimately match-winning goal came as early as the seventh minute when he steered home James Hanson's header back across goal following a wide free-kick into the area from Kyel Reid.
In a battling encounter involving two highly-competitive teams, there weren't too many clear-cut chances to add to the scoring following Thompson's opener, with City never looking in too much danger and always seemingly had an element of control over the match.
Matt McClure headed over from a decent position early after the restart from probably Wycombe's best chance of equaliser, although Rory McArdle could have put the game beyond Wycombe had not missed out by mere inches on making a proper connection with Hanson's header across goal later in the second half.
The victory help secures City's first 'double' of the season after defeating Wycombe at Adams Park last month and also marks a return to winning ways at the Coral Windows Stadium for Phil Parkinson's men with two more home games on the trot coming up.
The only down point from the evening was the sight of Ricky Ravenhill limping off with a heavily gashed shin following a forceful tackle from Josh Scowen. The returning James Meredith made it through ninety minutes, however, in his first game back since being diagnosed with glandular fever back in early January.
MATCH UPDATES:
FT: Bradford City 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0
90+6min: YELLOW CARD - Dunne is booked for throwing the ball away after a disputed throw-in just inside City's half goes against the visitors.
90min: There will be six minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
90min: Reid fizzes over a delightful low and dipping cross that narrowly misses the diving frame of Hanson over by the far post.
87min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Nahki Wells for Thompson.
86min: Winfield heads a yard or so over with a power header following Wood's corner.
79min: SUB - Wycombe bring on Junior Morias for Morgan.
73min: SUB - Ravenhill is able to get to his feet but has to hobble off to be replaced by Nathan Doyle. Seconds later, Will Atkinson replaces Hines.
70min: Ravenhill is down and in need of treatment after coming off worse following a fierce 50-50 tackle for a loose ball involving himself and Scowen just outside City's area.
66min: SUB - Wycombe Player/Manager Gareth Ainsworth brings on himself for Grant.
65min: CHANCE! Thompson's hanging cross to the far post is headed dangerously back across goal by Hanson. McArdle comes steaming in to try and head for goal but he can only get the faintest of glances on the ball as it flicks across the box and out the far side.
61min: Morgan fizzes in a low drive from distance that rolls a good couple of yards wide of McLaughlin's goal.
57min: Hanson drives for goal with a half-volley from the edge of the area that bounces a yard or so wide of Archer's net.
49min: CHANCE! After seeing his first cross blocked out, Morgan's second cross - this time more flighted - is headed over the bar from a good position in the middle by McClure relatively close to goal.
46min: Racing onto McArdle's long clearance forward, Thompson neatly flicks the ball over Harriman's head from out wide before racing towards Wycombe's area. With Harriman and other recovering Wycombe defenders looking to close him down, Thompson fires for goal from just outside the area but his effort on the half-volley sails a yard over the bar.
46min: Wycombe restart the match.
HT:Bradford City 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0
45min: There will be a minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
40min: Ricky Ravenhill's clipped ball forward is headed into the path of Hines by Hanson. Hines picks up the ball just outside Wycombe's area and drills a low left-footed strike barely a yard wide of Archer's goal.
29min: Morgan beats Rory McArdle to Josh Scowen's long clearance into City's half as Wycombe spring forward on the counter-attack. Morgan's flighted cross is headed for goal by Wood but the effort from inside the area is simple enough for McLaughlin to pluck out of the night's sky.
26min: James Meredith's low cross into the area is flicked for goal by Thompson using the outside of his right foot but ball flashes narrowly wide.
24min: A half-cleared City throw-in into the area is falls into the path of Reid, who fires drills for goal with a strike from just inside the area that is deflected narrowly of Archer's net.
20min: Morgan latches onto Sam Wood's headed flick on but the striker's snap-shot from around the edge of the area flashes a good couple of yards wide of McLaughlin's near post.
19min: Morgan's low drive from outside the area lacks the pace to trouble McLaughlin, who gathers with ease by his near post.
16min: Hanson heads the ball down into Reid's path but the winger's angled drive from the edge of the area bounces a good few yards wide of Jordan Archer's far post.
9min: Andrew Davies has to be alert to prevent Matt McClure from connecting with Dean Morgan's teasing low across along City's six yard box. That was a vital block there from the City defender to deny McClure a strike on goal from right in front of Jon McLaughlin's goal.
7min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 - City take the lead of the match early doors! Reid's far post delivery from a wide free-kick is headed back across goal by Hanson and Garry Thompson is on hand to steer the ball home from the edge of the six yard box. Thompson's strike seem to squirm through a few bodies, including Andrew Davies, but it is definitely going down as the attacker's goal.
1min: CHANCE! - Kyel Reid's far post corner is headed for goal by James Hanson but the effort is kicked clear from almost underneath his own crossbar by Wycombe right back Michael Harriman.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match. City will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first half.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, Davies, McArdle, Meredith, Hines, Ravenhill, Jones, Reid, Thompson, Hanson
Subs: Duke, Atkinson, McHugh, Connell, Wells, Nelson, Doyle
Bradford changes:
Doyle for Ravenhill (73), Atkinson for Hines (73), Wells for Thompson (87)
Bradford cautions:
Bradford dismissals:
WYCOMBE WANDERERS LINE UP
Archer, Harriman, Doherty, Winfield, Dunne, Grant, Lewis, Scowen, Wood, Morgan, McClure
Subs: Ingram, Ainsworth, Oli, McCoy, Kuffour, Morias, Kuffour
Wycombe changes:
Ainsworth for Grant (66), Morias for Morgan (79)
Wycombe cautions:
Dunne (90+6)
Wycombe dismissals:
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Eddie Ilderton
Assistant Referee: Christopher Akers
Assistant Referee: Barry Gordon
Fourth Official: Shaun Hudson
