Tuesday 12 September 2017
Sky Bet League One
Oxford United 2 (Thomas 74, Rothwell 87)
Bradford City 2 (Patrick 30, Vincelot 90+4)
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at the Kassam Stadium
Attendance: 6,558 (403 visitors)
City skipper Romain Vincelot's last-gasp goal secured the Bantams a welcome and well-earned point from a challenging away fixture against an in-form Oxford United side.
Omari Patrick's delightful curler on the half hour mark had given City the half time lead, but late strikes from Oxford duo Wes Thomas and Joe Rothwell looked to have secured the win for the hosts.
Vincelot had the final say for Stuart McCall's men, however, powering in a dramatic late equaliser in the final minute of injury time from Nicky Law's cross.
Despite periods of Oxford pressure in the second period, City could have extended their lead before the late drama, with Patrick hitting the bar with the score at 1-0.
Thomas netted from close range sixteen minutes from the end after Colin Doyle had parried out a deflected Gino van Kessel strike from distance.
Oxford then took the lead for the first time on the evening with just three minutes of normal time remaining when Rothwell slotted home from inside the box.
Rothwell's intervention looked to have sealed the points for Oxford but Vincelot's thumping header gave City late joy and a share of the spoils.
FT: Oxford United 2 Bradford City 2
90+4min: GOAL!!!!!!!! Oxford United 2 Bradford City 2 - Romain Vincelot heads City level right at the very end! Law's teasing cross into the box is attacked with purpose by Vincelot and the downward header is powered into the corner!
90+2min: Mowatt's ball into van Kessel in a wide position inside the box gives the striker a shooting chance. He shoots low across goal and Doyle has to push the effort away.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
90min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Paul Taylor for Kilgallon.
89min: SUB - Oxford bring on Josh Ruffels for Rothwell.
87min: GOAL - Oxford United 2 Bradford City 1 - Oxford take the lead late on through Rothwell. The midfielder is played into space inside the box by van Kessel and Rothwell calmly slots home past Doyle into the far botttom corner.
84min: Both players are able to carry on as play continues.
82min: Knight-Percival and van Kessel require a spot of treatment after appearing to bump into each other while the City defender dispossessed the Oxford attacker.
79min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Dominic Poleon and Shay McCartan for Wyke and Patrick.
78min: Gilliead tries his luck from just outside the box and the effort sails narrowly over.
74min: GOAL - Oxford United 1 Bradford City 1 - Thomas fires Oxford level from close range. Doyle can only parry out van Kessel's deflected drive from distance and Thomas is on hand to pounce and fire in the rebound.
67min: SUB - Oxford bring on Alex Mowatt for Payne.
61min: SUB - Oxford bring on Gino van Kessel for James Henry.
58min: Patrick hits the bar! A great run down the right from Gilliead eventually sees the winger teed the ball up for Reeves in the middle. The midfielder is crowded out as he goes to shoot from close range, but Patrick is onto the loose ball and the attacker crashes a drive against the crossbar!
57min: Ledson looks to play Thomas in with run at goal but Knight-Percival gets across to make a vital sliding tackle just outside the box.
54min: Payne's low drive from outside the box is held first time by Doyle.
49min: YELLOW CARD - Rothwell is booked during a break in play following an earlier late challenge on Knight-Percival as the City defender cleared the ball inside his own half.
46min: Oxford restart the match.
HT: Oxford United 0 Bradford City 1
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first period.
37min: Ryan Ledson shoots over from distance.
30min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! Oxford United 0 Bradford City 1 - Patrick gives City the lead with a superb effort! After Wyke feeds the ball into his path just outside the box on the left-hand channel, Patrick goes for goal and his curling effort flies into the far top corner past Simon Eastwood's dive.
29min: McMahon's teasing cross into the middle is met by Charlie Wyke but his flicked effort on the stretch flashes over.
27min: Law clips the ball into the box but Patrick's glancing header flies some distance wide of goal.
26min: Knight-Percival's attempted clearance is charged down by Payne, giving the Oxford attacker a run into box from the left flank. Payne fires the ball across the six yard box, Doyle gets a hand on the effort but Reeves still needs to be in the right position to clear and prevent Hall from potentially cashing in.
25min: Hall drives in-field from Oxford's left flank before firing in a bouncing right-footed drive from outside the area that whistles past Doyle's far post.
20min: Penalty appeal turned down for the hosts. As City battle to recover their composure following Jake Reeves' intercepted back-pass by Thomas, the ball is eventually worked back to Hall, who drives into the box at pace. Hall then goes down in the area as Nathaniel Knight-Percival dangles out a leg. The home fans shout for a spot-kick but referee Christopher Sarginson allows play to continue.
17min: Jack Payne's threatening wide free-kick delivery into the box is headed up into the air by Matthew Kilgallon. Mike Williamson heads the ball back the direction of City's goal though, and Doyle has to push clear almost underneath his own crossbar while under pressure from the lurking Thomas.
15min: As City break forward at pace, Nicky Law looks to play Gilliead in with a clear run at goal jut outside the box but at alert Richardinho gets across to block the winger's path and clear.
11min: A neat flick from Wes Thomas plays Rob Hall into space outside City's penalty area. As Hall gets to the edge of the box, he twists and turns to give himself a sight of goal. Hall curls forwards but his goal-bound effort is parried by Doyle before Tom Field clears.
7min: Gilliead's low cross towards the near post is collected by Charlie Wyke. The striker spins and fires across the box but Omari Patrick in the middle isn't quite able to latch to the ball, however, and Oxford can clear.
3min: Joe Rothwell turns away from Alex Gilliead before driving forward deep into City territory. Rothwell eventually shoots for goal from just outside the box but Colin Doyle is able to watch the low drive roll past his near post.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match.
OXFORD UNITED LINE UP:
Eastwood, Williamson, Nelson, Hall, Ledson, Thomas, Payne, Henry, Rothwell, Ricardinho, Mousinho
Subs: Shearer, Martin, Ruffels, Fernandez, Mowatt, Carroll, van Kessel
Oxford United substitutions:
van Kessel for Henry (61), Mowatt for Payne (67), Ruffels for Rothwell (89)
Oxford United cautions:
Rothwell (49)
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Field, Vincelot, Reeves, Law, Patrick, Gilliead, Wyke
Subs: Raeder, Thompson, Taylor, Poleon, McCartan, Hendrie, Jones
Bradford City substitutions:
Poleon for Patrick (79), McCartan for Wyke (79), Taylor for Kilgallon (90)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Christopher Sarginson
Assistant Referee: Ravel Cheosiaua
Assistant Referee: Justin Amey
Fourth Official: Joe Clark