Town - Joe Murhpy, Scott Golbourne, Ro-Shaun Williams, Omar Beckles, Shaun Whalley (Louis Thompson 86), Ollie Norburn, Brad Walker (Dave Edwards 54), Donald Love, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Josh Laurent, Jason Cummings (Fejiri Okenabirhie 67)
Subs – Max O’Leary, Aaron Pierre, Ryan Giles, Lenell John-Lewis
Bradford – Richard 0’Donnell, Ben Richards-Everton, Harry Pritchard (Daniel Devine 77), James Vaughn, Dylan Connolly, Hope Akpan (Zeli Ismail 84), Adam Henley, Connor Wood, Aramide Oteh (Kevin Mellor 64), Callum Cooke
Subs – George Sykes-Kenworthy, Paudie O’Connor, Jake Reeves, Jermaine Anderso.
Referee – Paul Marsden
Attendance – 3,888 (172 visitors)
Sam Ricketts made two changes two the sides from the last time the two sides met, Ro-Shaun Williams came in for Aaron Pierre and Brad Walker for Sean Goss. Bradford also made a couple of changes from the meeting at Montgomery Waters Meadow, Zeli Ismail was dropped to the bench meanwhile Daniel Devine was given a start and Callum Cooke was brought straight into the starting 11 having not been involved in the first tie.
Town had a chance early on after good running from Cummings, he held the ball up and played into the run of Golbourne down the left, he cut past his marker and into the box, he then laid it off to set-up Walker, he hit a first-time shot but it was over the target.
There were chances for both sides in the opening exchanges, Town looked the more composed side but Bradford looked dangerous when they moved the ball quickly and stretched Town.
Brad Walker was getting into some good positions on the edge of the Bradford box and had a couple of efforts which flew over the bar of O’Donnell’s goal.
Bradford had the better of the chances in the opening exchanges, but good keeping from Murphy and the Town defence did what was needed to keep them at bay.
Bradford had a great chance on 24 minutes when Connolly found space to get in behind Golbourne, he drove in low to find Akpan, he shot from close range but Murphy pulled off a superb save, the ball dropped to Vaughan who smashed a shot in on goal but Williams was across with a goal-saving block.
Town had a good chance on 36 minutes when Whalley picked up the ball in midfield, he drove forward and kept going, when he got to the edge of the box he drove in a low shot that fizzed just wide of the far post.
Town broke with Cummings, he held the ball up and plays to Laurent, he played to Golbourne who looped an inviting cross to find Love, he headed it in on goal but it lacked the power to trouble O'Donnell.
There was a good break from Town with Whalley playing the ball down the line for Love, he got past Woods but was pulled back, ref Marsden played on as Love still had the ball, he played it to Cummings who was offside, ref pulled play back for the foul and booked Wood.
Half-time: 0-0
Bradford looked dangerous after the break and had a couple of good breaks, the first a quick counter-attack but Beckles was alert and came across to cut out the danger. Then minutes later Cooke picked up the ball in the middle of the park, he drove forward and fired in a low shot from the edge of the box, but Murphy was down quickly to tip the ball around the post.
Town were creating chances and after the introduction of Edwards early on he played a lovely ball down the left to put Whalley away, he cut back infield and played it cross-field to find Cummings, he came inside and tried to curl a shot in from the edge of the box but it was deflected behind for a Town corner.
Town had a free-kick on the half-hour mark after Norburn was sent tumbling. Whalley was over the ball, there was lots of jostling for position on the edge of the box but Whalley put the ball up and over the ball, but O’Donnell was in the right place to collect.
Town grabbed the lead on 65-minutes, good pressing saw the ball was with Love in the Bradford box, he got in front of his marker and crossed low across the face of goal, and there waa Dave Edwards to turn the ball home from close range and give Town a 1-0 lead.
Town were continuing to push and probe and look to add to their lead, that got into some good areas to create chances but the Bradford defence was digging in.
The home side were still looking dangerous and creating chances, they got into a number of good positions but the Town defence was doing it’s job. The rest of the Town team was digging deep and when Bradford did get in the others dug in.
Bradford were finishing strongly and were putting the pressure onto the Town goal, there were blocks and saves to keep the visitors at bay. There were a couple of scary moments with the ball flashing across the box, a few blocks and a header at the back post that Murphy and Ebanks-Landell did their best to clear behind for a corner.
With only minutes of the game remaining, Bradford had the last chance to level after Golbourne fouled Ismail, to give away a free-kick on the edge of the box. The ball was swung into the box but Murphy was up quickly to calmly collect.
Full-time: 0-1