BRADFORD CITY AFC

On a worn and muddy surface, Phil Parkinson's men more than held their own against a Shakers side who had won three out of their last four home fixtures coming into the game.

In an even opening period, Lee Evans headed wide from an early Tony McMahon free-kick into the box while Kyel Reid had a shot deflected narrowly wide later in the half. 

City also saw a decent penalty appeal turned away shortly before the break when James Hanson looked to have been nudged in the box by Reece Brown.

For Bury, their best openings of the first half came via long range efforts from Danny Pugh and Andrew Tutte.

The second period continued in the same vein, with both sides remaining evenly-matched for the most part.

Danny Mayor's deflected drive from just outside the box was held by Ben Williams just less than ten minutes after the restart but City probably had the best chances overall in the half.

Wes Thomas headed over from Kyel Reid's cross into the box before seeing a glancing header from an Evans free-kick pushed over by Bury 'keeper Ian Lawlor eight minutes later.

James Hanson hooked over the bar after Evans had headed down into the mix via McMahon's delivery from the resulting corner.

Having just used their second and third substitutions to introduce striking duo Jamie Proctor and Billy Clarke onto the pitch literally a minute or so earlier, City ended the game with only ten men following an injury to Rory McArdle.

McArdle had to leave the field with the game going into injury time after his left shoulder temporarily popped out of place following an awkward trip and fall from the defender.

90+5min: Brown's searching cross into the middle is left by Burke before bouncing through into Williams' gloves.

90+2min: McArdle sadly has to leave the pitch, his arm or shoulder appears to have been injured. All this means that City will play the final few minutes with only ten men having used all three substitutes. McMahon will now play at centre half following McArdle's departure.

90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match. There will probably be more than that, however, with McArdle still down.

90min: McArdle is down and needing treatment after falling awkwardly after being tripped while trying to clear the ball over by City's right back position.

89min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Jamie Proctor and Billy Clarke for Hanson and Thomas respectively.

87min: Hussey's backward header is left by Peter Clarke, presuambly to allow the ball to run through to Lawlor, but the Bury shot-stopper has to be on his toes to quickly race clear from his goal to stop a lurking Hanson from pouncing.

84min: McArdle's hooked ball forward is flicked on by Hanson towards Thomas just outside the box. Thomas moves into the box trying to get a shot away but Peter Clarke and Craig Jones do enough to steal possession away from the striker as the ball bounces through to Lawlor.

82min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Mark Marshall for Reid.

80min: As Leon Clarke and Burke challenge in the air for a Lawlor kick forward, Lowe pushes McArdle off the ball before striking a fierce half-volley from around twelve yards against the bar. Play is brought back, however, as Lowe's barge on McArdle is deemed illegal.

74min: SUB - Bury bring on Sean Clare for O'Sullivan.

73min: McMahon's corner delivery is headed down into the mix by Evans but Hanson fires over the bar from around twelve yards out on the half-volley.

72min: Thomas' glancing header from Evans' wide free-kick delivery into the box is helped over the bar by Lawlor.

69min: McMahon's corner delivery is flicked on by the head of Hanson before the ball hits Brown and bounces a yard or so wide of Lawlor's far post.

64min: Thomas heads over from roughly ten yards out following Reid's cross into the box.

61min: Tutte fires over the bar direct from the resulting free-kick.

60min: YELLOW CARD - Cullen is booked for bringing down Mayor as the Bury winger cut inside looking to drive towards City's penalty area.

56min: Evans' threatening free-kick from wide looks to be going towards goal but Bury manage to clear the effort before a City player can latch onto the cross-come-shot.

54min: Mayor's deflected drive from just outside the box is held by Williams.

53min: Meredith is lucky to avoid a booking after bringing down Lowe just outside the Bantams box by the byline. Hussey and Tutte's short free-kick routine results only in the latter over-hitting his cross into the box but Mayor results the situation over by the far side. Mayor runs at Darby before firing in a low cross that McArdle blocks before City can eventually clear their lines.

51min: Wes Thomas' low drive from outside the area rolls comfortably wide of Lawlor's goal.

50min: City force two corners in quick succession but Bury nearly counter-attack from the second one. A loose touch from Cullen presents the hosts with a two on one situation around the halfway line but Lowe's attempted pass forward towards Leon Clarke is over-hit and Meredith can crucially kick clear.

46min: Bury kick off the second period.

45+1min: As Burke and O'Sullivan challenge for possession around the edge of City's penalty area, Lowe looks set to drive dangerously into the box as he picks up the ball but Meredith gets back to make a vital tackle.

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

40min: The Bantams bench appeal for a penalty for the second time this half when Hanson appears to been possibly nudged in the back by Brown as he tried to head on Josh Cullen's cross into the box. Once again though, nothing is given as play continues.

37min: YELLOW CARD - McMahon is booked for a late challenge on Mayor down by the corner flag on City's right wing.

32min: From a McMahon corner, Reece Burke sees a shot blocked inside the box before Reid's strike from outside the area is blocked by Brown.

31min: Darby's searching cross is headed down into the mix by Hanson. Evans tries two strikes at goal inside the box but both are blocked. City appeal that the first one struck a Bury arm but nothing is given.

30min: Danny Mayor takes on Rory McArdle deep inside City's penalty box before firing the ball across the six yard box. Ryan Lowe appears to be lurking close by but a watchful Stephen Darby kicks clear.

26min: Andrew Tutte's low bobbling drive from outside the box is held by Williams.

25min: Breaking forward on the counter-attack, O'Sullivan moves in-field from Bury's left flank before firing in a low drive from outside the area that is held by Williams.

24min: Evans crosses into the box as the Welshman and McMahon work a short throw-in over by City's left wing. The cross eventually drops into the path of Reid and the winger lets rip with a fierce strike from the edge of the box that deflects off a Bury player before flashing past Lawlor's far post.

22min: YELLOW CARD - Former Bantams loanee Reece Brown is booked for bringing down Kyel Reid roughly twenty yards out as the flying winger burst forward on a purposeful run. McMahon hits the resulting free-kick into the wall.

11min: Ryan Lowe's threatening cross into the six yard box sails narrowly over the head of Leon Clarke, who was lurking in space in the middle.

3min: Close from City! Tony McMahon's clipped ball into the box from a free-kick is met by Lee Evans but the Welshman's powerful header goes just wide of Ian Lawlor's far post.

2min: John O'Sullivan's attempted cross into the box eventually falls at the feet of Danny Pugh outside the area and the midfielder's fierce drive has to be pushed away by Ben Williams.

0min: The Bantams will kick off the match. City will attack towards their own fans in the first period.

BURY LINE UP:

Lawlor, Jones, Brown, P Clarke, Hussey, O'Sullivan, Tutte, Pugh, Mayor, L Clarke, Lowe

Subs: Ruddy, Pope, Sedgwick, Burgess, Rose, Clare, Harker

Clare for O'Sullivan (74)

Brown (22)

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:

Williams, Darby, McArdle, Burke, Meredith, McMahon, Evans, Cullen, Reid, Thomas, Hanson

Subs: Cracknell, N Clarke, Marshall, B Clarke, Knott, Leigh, Proctor

Marshall for Reid (82), Proctor for Hanson (89), B Clarke for Thomas (89)

McMahon (37), Cullen (60)