Tuesday 8 August 2017
Carabao Cup Round 1
Bradford City 2 (Poleon 35, Jones 84)
Doncaster Rovers 3 (May 8, Kongolo 71, Whiteman 88)
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance: 3,175 (388 visitors)
Ten-man City were knocked out of this season's Carabao Cup at the first round stage after a brave effort from Stuart McCall's men against Doncaster Rovers at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
With the scores 1-1 at the break after a brilliant Dominic Poleon effort had levelled up Alfie May's early opener, City were dealt a blow fifteen minutes into the second period when skipper Romain Vincelot was given a straight red card for a tackle on May.
Doncaster took advantage of Vincelot's dismissal to retake the lead through Rodney Kongolo, only for City to fight back once again thanks to a goal from sub Alex Jones in the eighty-fourth minute.
Jones' goal looked like it was going to take McCall's side depleted side into extra time but a well-taken strike two minutes from the end by Ben Whiteman won the tie for the visitors.
FT: Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 3
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: GOAL - Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 3 - Ben Whiteman has Doncaster in front once again. As Doncaster threaten on the attack, the ball drops into the path of Whiteman just outside the box and the midfielder finds the far bottom corner with a great strike.
87min: May is found in a pocket of space over on Doncaster's right wing. The attacker drives forward into the box and his low angled drive has to be pushed around the near post by Doyle.
84min: GOAL!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Doncaster Rovers 2 - Jones has City level once again! Taylor's shot from just outside the box falls nicely into the path of Jones inside the area and the striker calmly slots past Lawlor.
80min: Andrew tries his luck from distance but his long-range drive sails over.
79min: SUB - Doncaster bring on Craig Alcock for Kongolo.
78min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Alex Jones for Patrick.
76min: SUB - The Bantams take off Field and replace him with Paul Taylor.
72min: YELLOW CARD - Joe Wright is booked for a forceful challenge on Poleon inside Doncaster's half of the pitch by the near touchline.
71min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Doncaster Rovers 2 - The visitors retake the lead through Kongolo. A whipped ball into the box from the left finds Kongolo in space in the middle. His first effort is saved by Doyle but the midfielder is on hand to fire home the loose ball from close range on the rebound.
67min: SUB - Doncaster bring on Alfie Beestin for Tyler Garratt.
67min: Doncaster break forward with real purpose from a City counter-attack. Rowe is played through on goal by Kongolo but Doyle manages to make the save. Marquis looks to pounce on the rebound by Kilgallon makes a great recovery block to clear the danger.65min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Matthew Kilgallon for Gilliead.
60min: Following Vincelot's dismissal, McMahon has been handed the captain's armband and Dieng has dropped back into central defence.60min: RED CARD - Romain Vincelot is given a straight red card for a late tackle on May over by far touchline just inside City's half of the pitch.
56min: Gilliead feeds Patrick into space inside the area but the striker's low angled drive is held by Lawlor.
53min: Andrew's corner delivery is headed goalwards by Butler but the looping header is held underneath his own crossbar by Doyle.
47min: Dieng's looping header from Gilliead's cross drops comfortably into the clutches of Lawlor.
47min: A great ball down the line from Tom Field plays Poleon into space down City's left flank. Poleon uses his strength to move in-field, past a couple of Doncaster players and into the box. Poleon eventually shoots for goal but his powerful strike is bravely blocked by Andy Butler.
46min: Doncaster restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 1 Doncaster Rovers 1
45+1min: After a brilliant tackle from Reeves to dispossess Rowe, Patrick tries his luck from distance but the effort sails comfortably over.
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first period.
39min: Patrick's low cross into the middle is played back into the path of Reeves outside the area by Dieng. Reeves goes for goal but his deflected drive is held by Lawlor.
36min: From City's right wing, Poleon feeds the ball into the path of McMahon just outside the area. McMahon has a couple of options in the middle but he elects to shoot and his rising drive from an angle flashes over.
35min: GOAL!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Doncaster Rovers 1 - What a brilliant strike from Dominic Poleon to get City level! Patrick drives into space down City's right flank before feeding the ball into Poleon inside the area. Poleon moves away neatly from a couple of Doncaster defenders before crashing in a fierce drive that whistles past Lawlor's despairing dive via the inside of his near post.
31min: Omari Patrick beats Andrew over on City's right flank before whipping in a cross that Lawlor has to claim almost underneath his own crossbar while under pressure from Dieng.
28min: Timothee Dieng heads over following McMahon's corner delivery towards the near post.
27min: Jake Reeves takes aim from roughly twenty-five yards out and Ian Lawlor has to push the effort behind.
22min: Soon after, Kongolo wins the ball deep in City's half before feeding May, who sees a shot from edge of the box parried behind by Doyle.
22min: From Andrew's long throw-in into the box, Ben Whiteman's scuffed shot drops into the path of Marquis. The striker shoots for goal but Doyle is able to gather up at the second attempt.
18min: Alex Gilliead beats Andrew before cutting the ball back from the right byline towards Daniel Pybus. The midfielder is crowded out and prevented from taking a shoot at goal, however. The ball comes back to McMahon just outside the area and his left-footer curler goes narrowly over.
14min: Rowe's low drive from outside the box is held by Doyle.
13min: Andrew's hanging cross towards the far post is flicked across the box by Rodney Kongolo. The ball drops into the path of Marquis but the sting is taken out of the striker's shot by the frame of Romain Vincelot and City can clear their lines.
8min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Doncaster Rovers 1 - Alfie May fires the visitors into an early lead. Marquis looks set to shoot for goal as the ball deflects nicely into his path inside the box. Tony McMahon gets across to make the tackle but the ball stills ends up heading towards goal. Colin Doyle shows sharp reflexes to make the save but May is on hand to bundle home the rebound.
4min: Danny Andrew plays a low corner delivery into the box towards Tommy Rowe but the midfielder's shot for goal is blocked behind for another corner. Andrew's next delivery into the box flicks off the head of John Marquis and just past the post.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match. Stuart McCall's men will play towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY:
Doyle, McMahon, Vincelot, Knight-Percival, Field, Dieng, Reeves, Pybus, Gilliead, Poleon, Patrick
Subs: Sattelmaier, Kilgallon, Law, Taylor, Jones, Devine, Hudson
Bradford City substitutions:
Kilgallon for Gilliead (65), Taylor for Field (76), Jones for Patrick (78)
Bradford City dismissals:
Vincelot (60)
DONCASTER ROVERS:
Lawlor, Andrew, Butler, Wright, Mason, Kongolo, Whiteman, Garratt, May, Rowe, Marquis
Subs: Marosi, Alcock, Longbottom, Beestin, Fielding, Fletcher, Prior
Doncaster Rovers substitutions:
Beestin for Garratt (67), Alcock for Kongolo (79)
Doncaster Rovers cautions:
Wright (72)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Assistant Referee: Nicholas Barnard (Red/Yellow)
Assistant Referee: Thomas Harty (Yellow)
Fourth Official: Scott Oldham