Saturday 5 August 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 2 (Knight-Percival 41, Patrick 59)
Blackpool 1 (Daniel 43)
Kick off: 3:00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance: 20,804 (878 visitors)
Omari Patrick sealed a dream debut for the Bantams by netting City's match-winner in their opening day encounter with Blackpool.
Patrick, who was making his first start at EFL level, fired home from the edge of the box just before the hour mark to help claim City's first three-point haul of the season.
The young striker's first senior goal came after Blackpool's Colin Daniel had quickly cancelled out Nathaniel Knight-Percival's opener towards the end of normal time in an extended first period.
The opening half of the season at the Northern Commercials Stadium was held up for nearly ten minutes after Adam Chicksen unfortunately suffered a nasty head injury during an aerial clash with Blackpool's Oliver Turton.
Chicksen had to be stretched off after losing consciousness during the clash.
Thankfully, it was confirmed post-match that the defender - one of five City debutants on show - came around after treatment and was heading to the hospital for precautionary scans.
Knight-Percival's opening goal - his first in City colours - came as the defender fired home from close range via the far post after Timothee Dieng - Chicksen's replacement - had glanced on a wide free-kick from Nicky Law.
After a disjointed performance from McCall's men up until that point, the goal was arguably harsh on the Blackpool, and they quickly restored parity when Daniel found the bottom corner with a low angled drive from inside the area.
If City were far from their best in the first period though, they certainly improved after the break.
Following Patrick's goal, City could have wrapped up the points late as substitute Dominic Poleon marked a bright cameo appearance by twice going close.
FT: Bradford City 2 Blackpool 1
90+2min: Gnanduillet's angled drive is pushed out by Doyle, the ball hits off Delfouneso in the middle before bouncing over and out for a goal-kick.
90+1min: Solomon-Otabor's low centre into the box finds Aimson but at least three City players combine to crowd him out and block out the danger.
90min: Ryan's corner is sent looping comfortably wide of Doyle's far post via a glancing header from Delfouneso.
88min: Law bursts into space down City's right flank but his centre into the middle is scuffed wide on the half volley by Devine.
84min: Patrick plays Poleon in on goal but his poke goalwards past Allsop rolls agonisingly wide of the post!
83min: SUB - Blackpool bring on Armand Gnanduillet for Cooke.
82min: McMahon's clipped ball into box from the resulting wide set-piece eventually drops into path of Poleon and the striker's shot from a tight angle hits the side-netting by Allsop's near post.
81min: YELLOW CARD - Tilt is booked for bringing down Poleon after the attacker turned away from him by the byline just outside the area.
80min: Poleon's first real action after coming on sees the attacker in with a sight of goal. His powerful drive from just inside the box is repelled by the legs of Allsop before Aimson makes a vital tackle to deny Patrick on the rebound.
79min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Dominic Poleon and Daniel Devine for Jones and McCartan.
76min: McCartan robs Nathan Delfouneso of the ball outside Blackpool's penalty area. McCartan looks to play Jones in with a sight of goal but a recovering Delfouneso gets back to recover the situation with an important sliding tackle.
69min: SUBS - Blackpool bring on Bright Osayi-Samuel and Viv Solomon-Otabor for Cullen and Vassell.
59min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Blackpool 1! Patrick gives City the lead once again! Reeves plays the ball into the feet of the young forward and his early strike from the edge of the box finds the bottom corner past Allsop's dive.
59min: After a driving run forward, Jake Reeves looks to play Jones in on goal. The watchful Curtis Tilt comes across, however, to cut out the danger inside the box.
55min: Vincelot takes his luck from distance but his effort deflects up into the gloves of Allsop.
54min: A superb tackle denies Jones! Shay McCartan looks to play the striker through on goal but a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Clark Robertson denies a shot at goal.
51min: A period of City pressure ends with Law seeing a shot blocked by the edge of the box. Vassell counters for Blackpool seconds later but a combination of Knight-Percival and Vincelot eventually manage to see out the danger.
46min: Blackpool restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 1 Blackpool 1
45+6min: Aimson heads comfortably high and wide from Cooke's corner delivery.
45min: Mainly due to Chicksen's injury, there will be ten minutes of time added on at the end of the first period.
45min: Callum Cooke's quick free-kick finds Vassell in space inside the box and Doyle has to save well with his legs by his near post.
43min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Blackpool 1 - The visitors respond almost straight away through Daniel. A well-timed pass from Cullen plays the attacker into space and he finishes neatly past Doyle with a low angled drive into the far bottom corner.
41min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Blackpool 0 - City have the lead through Knight-Percival! Law's wide free-kick delivery into the box is glanced on Dieng and Knight-Percival is on hand to slide the ball home via the inside of the far post!
40min: YELLOW CARD: Daniel is booked for bringing down Omari Patrick as the young attacker looked to burst clear down City's right wing.
35min: Turton's searching cross towards the far post is fired wide via a stretching Vassell.
34min: YELLOW CARD - Nathaniel Knight-Percival is booked for a late tackle on Vassell roughly midway into City's half of the pitch.
32min: Law drives into space towards Blackpool's penalty area but his low angled strike from outside the box flashes comfortably wide of Allsop's far post.
28min: McMahon's searching cross from the right eventually drops into the path of Kilgallon over by the far side. The makeshift left-back takes aim from around the edge of the box and his effort has to be pushed away by Ryan Allsop.
23min: Romain Vincelot has moved back into central defence and Kilgallon into the left back slot following Chicksen's departure, allowing the substitute Dieng to drop into midfield.
22min: SUB - Dieng does indeed replace Chicksen.
22min: After roughly nine minutes of treatment, Chicksen is stretchered off to a warm applause from both sets of supporters here at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
20min: City's coaching staff have introduced some balls onto the field of play to allow the players to keep loose while Chicksen continues to be seen to.
19min: As Chicksen continues to be looked after by both physios and members of the St John's Ambulance, it seems like Timothee Dieng is set to come on to replace him.
16min: Play is still suspended as Chicksen continues to receive treatment.
13min: Worrying moments for Chicksen. The left back is caught late by Oliver Turton as the pair challenge for the ball in the air just inside the Blackpool half. The defender is still down as both physios rush on to attend to him.
9min: Nearly a Blackpool goal in fortunate circumstances! Cullen's hooked ball into the box looks to be a simple take for Colin Doyle in the City goal. Doyle unfortunately lets the cross slip through his grasp, however, forcing the shot-stopper to frantically back-pedal and hook the ball away before it can bounce over the line.
8min: Nicky Law's floated delivery into the box is headed out by Will Aimson. Adam Chicksen is first onto the loose ball as it bounces free just outside the box but his first time shot sails over.
5min: Kilgallon does well to halt the progress of Kyle Vassell as he looks to burst clear into City's penalty area. The ball breaks free to Cullen just outside the box but his shot is bravely blocked by Tony McMahon.
4min: Colin Daniel breaks free down Blackpool's left flank. The attacker's low centre picks out Mark Cullen in the middle but a superb last-ditch tackle from Matthew Kilgallon denies the striker a shot at goal from close range.
2min: Jake Reeves' cross into the middle from the right finds Alex Jones in the middle unmarked. Jones connects with the delivery but his header on the stretch from around six yards out bounces over.0min: The Bantams kick off the new 2017/2018 season. City will attack towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY
Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Chicksen, Vincelot, Reeves, Law, McCartan, Jones, Patrick
Subs: Sattelmaier, Dieng, Poleon, Gilliead, Pybus, Devine, Hudson
Bradford City substitutions:
Dieng for Chicksen (22), Devine for McCartan (79), Poleon for Jones (79)
Bradford City cautions:
Knight-Percival (34)
BLACKPOOL
Allsop, Robertson, Aimson, Tilt, Ryan, Turton, Cooke, Daniel, Vassell, Cullen, Delfouneso
Subs: Williams, Taylor, Clayton, Gnanduillet, Longstaff, Solomon-Otabor, Osayi-Samuel
Blackpool substitutions:
Osayi-Samuel for Cullen (69), Solomon-Otabor for Vassell (69), Gnanduillet for Cooke (83)
Blackpool cautions:
Daniel (40), Tilt (81)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Roger East
Assistant Referee: Matthew Wilkes (red/yellow)
Assistant Referee: Dan Cook (yellow)
Fourth Official: Tom Nield