BRADFORD CITY AFC

Tuesday 28 January 2014
Sky Bet League 1
Bradford City 0
Preston North End 0
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium

Attendance: 13,686 (1,114 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by David Heaton

The Bantams matched promotion hopefuls Preston North End all the way as they played out a goalless draw with their Lancashire neighbours at the Coral Windows Stadium.

In an largely evenly-fought contest, there were chances at both ends with Preston hitting the woodwork on two occasions and City striker Aaron Mclean twice being denied on his home debut by smart saves from visiting 'keeper Declan Rudd.

The major talking point of the game, however, came midway through the first period when Bantams debutant Kyle Bennett and Preston's Neil Kilkenny were both given their marching orders in debatable fashion after raising their arms.

The pair both seemed to exchange a push each around the top of the chest after Kilkenny looked to have taken exception to a foul from Bennett.

Both Bennett and Kilkenny were given straight red cards for the brief incident by referee Stuart Attwell, although Bennett's case certainly wasn't helped by a dubious tumble to the ground from Kilkenny.

Along with Bennett, City also had fellow new boy Adam Reach and the returning Andrew Davies in their starting eleven.

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FT: Bradford City 0 Preston North End 0
90+3min: SUB - Preston bring on Keith Keane for Brownhill.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
85min: YELLOW CARD -Welsh is booked for bringing down Reach as the City winger looked to burst forward from inside City's own half of the pitch.
83min: GOAL...No! Preston think they have scored when Garner converts from close range but the effort is chalked off for offside, the flag going up before the forward had even put the ball in.
80min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Ricky Ravenhill for Doyle.
79min: YELLOW CARD - Jones is booked for bringing down John Welsh just outside the area as the Preston midfielder surged forward. Gallagher's effort from the resulting free-kick is blocked.
77min: Gallagher's searching ball from deep finds Garner in good shooting space deep inside City's penalty area but the striker fires wide of McLaughlin's near post with a left-footed drive.
72min: SUB - Preston bring on Chris Humphrey for Wiseman.
72min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Oliver McBurnie for Mclean.
66min: YELLOW CARD - Bailey Wright is booked for hauling back Mclean after the striker had spun away from him deep into Preston territory.
65min: A Preston cross a few seconds later sees Wiseman send a looping header narrowly wide of McLaughlin's goal-frame.
65min: CHANCE - Preston hit the woodwork for the second time in the match when Brownhill fires a thumping left-footed drive from just outside the area against McLaughlin's far post.
58min: Gallagher's side-footed effort from just outside the penalty box is stopped by McLaughlin.
52min: Hanson fires over on the half-volley from around eight yards out direct from Jones' corner delivery.
51min: Hanson's header on allows Mclean to wriggle free of the advances of Jack King but the striker's shot for goal from inside the area is blocked by the legs of Rudd.
50min: Brownhill's rising drive from outside the area is repelled by McLaughlin.
49min: Gallagher's low curling drive from an angle just outside the area is pushed away by a sprawling McLaughlin.
49min: Jones' delivery from a wide free-kick causes a brief scramble in Preston's area but the visitors are able to clear their lines following a blocked Mclean shot.
47min: A teasing Tom Clarke out on City's left wing, Reach sends over a searching cross that a back-tracking Rudd has to tip over to prevent it from dropping in.
47min: A clever ball through by Brownhill finds Scott Wiseman in space deep inside City's penalty area. Wiseman tries to square the ball across goal to a team-mate but a combination of Andrew Davies and Matthew Bates combine to stop him.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 0 Preston North End 0
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
45min: Mclean times his run perfectly to connect with Reach's hanging ball into the box but the striker's header is superbly pushed away by a diving save from Rudd.
38min: A Gary Jones corner delivery is cleared by Preston as the lurking Nathan Doyle just outside the area. Doyle fires clearly for goal but his well-struck half-volley hits a crowd of players before it can reach Rudd's goal.
29min: Laird fires well wide of goal with a hopeful shot from distance.
27min:CHANCE - A teasing cross from Scott Laird is missed from point blank range by the lurking Joe Garner in the six yard box before Paul Gallagher, who is equally close to goal, chests the ball against the far post and out.
25min: RED CARDS - Drama here at the Coral Windows Stadium as both Bennett and Preston's Neil Kilkenny are sent off for violent conduct. Kilkenny reacts to a foul by Bennett on him by raising an arm before the City winger does similar. Bennett is sent off first before Kilkenny, who seemed to go down in dubious fashion after Bennett's contact, is given his marching orders as well.
19min: Adam Reach's cross into the box is headed down by Hanson into the path of Kyle Bennett, who in turn picks out the lurking Mclean. The Bantams striker goes for goal first time but his effort isn't cleanly-struck and Jack King can clear.
14min: Brownhill tries his luck from distance but McLaughlin is right behind the bouncing strike and gathers.
10min: Brownhill is played into shooting space by the edge of City's penalty area but his low angled drive is well held by McLaughlin.
9min: Aaron Mclean's searching cross into the area is missed by James Hanson before Adam Reach behind him fires a yard or so wide of Declan Rudd's near post with an effort on his weaker right foot.
7min: Josh Brownhill's stooping header from a John Welsh cross into the box is fumbled behind for a corner by Jon McLaughlin as the Bantams 'keeper tries to claim hold of the ball. The City shot-stopper redeems himself shortly afterwards, however, by claiming the corner delivery that follows.
0min: Preston kick off the match. City will attack towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP

McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Davies, Bates, Bennett, Jones, Doyle, Reach, Mclean, Hanson

Subs: Jameson, Ravenhill, Gray, Thompson, McHugh, McBurnie, Atkinson

Bradford City changes:
McBurnie for Mclean (72), Ravenhill for Doyle (80)
Bradford City cautions:

Jones (79)

Bradford City dismissals:
Bennett (25)


PRESTON NORTH END LINE UP
Rudd, Wiseman, Clarke, King, Wright, Laird, Kilkenny, Welsh, Brownhill, Gallagher, Garner

Subs: Stuckmann, Keane, Humphrey, Beavon, Holmes, Buchanan, Hume

Preston North End changes:
Humphrey for Wiseman (72), Keane for Brownhill (90+3)

Preston North End dismissals:
Kilkenny (25)

Preston North End cautions:
Wright (66), Welsh (85)

MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: S Attwell
Assistant Referee: M Griffiths
Assistant Referee: T Peart
Fourth Official: B Toner