City’s under-19s returned to the top of the EFL Youth Alliance North East division table on Tuesday, with a 2-1 victory over Hartlepool United at Blackwell Welfare Park.
Goals from under-16s Lewis Boney - who was making his debut for the under-19s - and a last-minute winner from Harry Ibbitson secured victory for the young Bantams.
As well as Boney, fellow under-16s team-mates George Goodman and Oliver Thompson also made appearances off the bench, in a side with three changes from the weekend.
It was a scrappy first half between the sides, with both looking to take control of the game.
The encounter burst into life in the second period, with substitute Boney’s goal kickstarting affairs.
From a corner which was cleared away by the hosts, Boney picked up the ball on the edge of the box and set himself up nicely for the shot, directing his effort into the bottom-left corner and giving City the lead in style.
The hosts however pegged the young Bantams back, as a neat move found the visitors caught out. As City tried to make amends by blocking the cross, the ball found a Hartlepool man arriving who, from the edge of the box, struck home to level things up.
Both sides tried to find a winner after that, but it would be the young Bantams who snatched the victory late on.
Boney, again involved, received the ball wide of the six-yard box. He crossed to find Ibbitson who headed home past the keeper to earn another battling victory for Ryan Farrell’s men, sending them to the summit of the league.
The under-19s next travel to South Yorkshire to take on Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, in the EFL Youth Alliance North East Division.
CITY: Richardson, Wilkinson (Goodman 62’), Kamga, G. Wadsworth, Gledhill, Breaks, Ibbitson, J. Tinsdale (Boney 62’), Jeffers, Sedibeh (Thompson 62’), Kamwa. Subs Not Used: Gellan.
GOALS: Boney, Ibbitson.