BRADFORD CITY AFC

City worked hard in attempt to match at their higher-ranked hosts but goals roughly either side of the interval for the Clarets secured their progression.

Burnley's Dwight McNeil opened the scoring on the stroke of half time, latching onto fellow winger's Olatunde Bayode through-ball before surging past City shot-stopper George Sykes-Kenworthy and firing home.

McNeil then turned provider early into second half when he released Tommy Wood into space in behind City's defence to allow the striker to slot past Sykes-Kenworthy.

The Bantams actually made a steady start to the tie on a rainy evening in Lancashire but Burnley threatened first when City were temporarily down to ten men thirteen minutes in.

As Tom Windle received treatment pitch-side following a late tackle in an earlier City attack, Bayode found Wood in the box and the striker's low angled drive flashed narrowly wide of Sykes-Kenworthy's far post.

Sadly for Windle, who has featured for City's first team in the Checkatrade Trophy already this campaign, he had to be replaced by Jake Maltby, with Kwame Boateng - another player with senior squad experience, - filling in at right back.

Wood went close again later in the half when his header dropped just wide following McNeil's cross into the box.

City midfielder Christian Farrar - a member of the Bantams' Under 16s - went into referee Mr Richard Abson's book in the thirty-third minute following a late challenge on Burnley left back Ali Kioki.

The Bantams survived a brief scare eight minutes before the break when Tinashe Chakwana latched onto Bayode's ball in behind.

Chakwana looked to charge clear into City's box but he tangled with last man Alex Laird just outside the area. The hosts wanted a foul - something that possibly would have resulted in a red card for the City defender - but Mr Abson waved away the protests.

Just as City were looking forward to deservedly heading into the break level though, Burnley struck right on the stroke of half time through McNeil.

Sykes-Kenworthy came to the edge of his area to deal with Bayode's searching ball forward but McNeil narrowly beat him to the pass before striding forward and firing into an unguarded goal.

With the rain continuing to pour down on the Turf Moor playing surface in the second period, Burnley doubled their lead ten minutes after the break, McNeil this time turning provider.

His driving run and pass played Wood through on goal and the striker confidently slotted past Sykes-Kenworthy.

Burnley nearly had a third just minutes later when Billy Grogan played Wood into plenty of space down City's left flank. From an angle inside the area, Wood fired the ball across goal but Chakwana, on the stretch, could only find the side-netting from close range.

City made their second substitution of the evening just before the hour mark, striker Casey Taglione replacing Farrar.

Shortly after the sub, Harry Warren sent over a teasing delivery into the six yard box but a watchful Kioki got his body in the way to deny Ellis Hudson the opportunity to pounce from close range.

Kioki was involved at the other end of the pitch minutes later when he surged at pace into the penalty box from just inside City's half, beating Boateng and Laird in the process, before seeing his close range shot from an angle blocked out by Sykes-Kenworthy.

With City looking for a way back into the match, they made a switch to three at the back by replacing Warren with attacker Dan Aitken fifteen minutes from the end.

The Bantams nearly did have a way back shortly afterwards when Wright's long ball into the box was controlled by Ville Moilanen but the Finn's impressive effort on the bounce was pushed away by Burnley 'keeper Connor King.

As City pushed, Burnley nearly wrapped up the tie late on but Wright made an important diving block to repel McNeil's goal-bound strike from deep inside the box.

City continued to try and seek out a goal in the remaining period of the game - Hudson going wide with a snap-shot from distance - but the hosts sat in to see out the rest of match and book themselves a home encounter with Norwich City in the fourth round.

CITY LINE UP:

1. George Sykes-Kenworthy
2. Tom Windle
3. Harry Warren
4. Kwame Boateng
5. Alex Laird
6. Sam Wright

7. Christian Farrar
8. Curtis Peters (c)
9. Ville Moilanen

10. Reece Powell
11. Ellis Hudson

12. Ross Mullett
14. Casey Taglione
15. Daniel Aitken
16. Raeece Ellington
17. Jake Maltby

Maltby for Windle (13), Taglione for Farrar (59), Aitken for Warren (74)

City cautions:

Farrar (33)