The crowd at Valley Parade of 14,657 is a record for a League Two play-off semi-final first leg.
Read this article online
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The "Social media Corner"
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===========================
Injuries, Suspensions
===========================
Match Media & Stats
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10397191.Live_blog__Bantams_v_Burton/
Pictures
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sport_bantams_pics2012/
(The T&A picture link will dfault to the last match for which pictures are available)
"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html
BBC highlights (uk only)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22325707
Pulse audio
http://www.pulse.co.uk/on-air/pulse-sport/
Match Highlights
Post match
Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=365009&action=stats&lang=EN&wjb=
Bradford: McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Nelson, Meredith, Thompson, Jones, Ravenhill (Doyle 57), Atkinson (Reid 57), Wells (Connell 89), Hanson. Subs Not Used: Duke, Gray, McHugh, Hines.
Goals: Wells 38 pen, Thompson 74.
Burton Albion: Tomlinson, O'Connor, Holness, Sharps, McCrory, Diamond, MacDonald (Drury 89), McGrath, Weir, Maghoma, Zola (Kee 67). Subs Not Used: Lyness, Webster, Phillips, Paterson, Symes.
Booked: Holness, Tomlinson, MacDonald.
Goals: Zola 22, 28, Weir 44.
Att: 14,657
Ref: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).
===========================
Final whistle - match report
Thompson gives Bradford City hope for return leg
10:48pm Thursday 2nd May 2013
By Simon Parker
City 2, Burton 3
City have it all to do on Sunday to prevent their promotion dream from falling at the hurdle before Wembley.
Burton boast the best home record in the entire Football League with 17 wins and only three defeats – but the Bantams must breach the fortress.
Brewers boss Gary Rowett had promised to "throw the kitchen sink" at City and they certainly did that, although Garry Thompson prevented home
hopes from going completely down the plughole with an explosive second-half strike.
That at least gives them a fighting chance for the second leg. And they can take comfort from history and a certain visit to Blackpool...
The 14,657 crowd was a record for a fourth-tier semi-final first leg and 400 more than the attendance for City's last Valley Parade play-off when
they lost to Sam Allardyce's Tangerines in 1996.
Kyel Reid was not risked from the start after his groin injury, with Phil Parkinson preferring Will Atkinson in left midfield. Otherwise, the
City team was as expected, with all those given a breather at Cheltenham coming straight back.
Burton, a 14-1 outside shot for promotion before the season began, had never won at Valley Parade – and lost on their last visit just 12 days
earlier.
But having finished fourth, their highest position since joining the league in 2009, the Brewers returned to West Yorkshire full of confidence.
Parkinson had called for a wall of noise to bombard the Brewers and the home fans did not disappoint. The decibels shot up as City forced three
corners in a breathless opening ten minutes.
The pace was predictably frenetic and there was little shape to the early exchanges. Nerves were on show and both sides were reluctant to put
their foot on the ball and take a touch.
But the stalemate was broken midway through the half – with Burton drawing first blood. Jacques Maghoma whipped in a dangerous cross from the
left wing and Calvin Zola headed firmly beyond Jon McLaughlin.
The Congolese targetman had been kept very quiet in the recent league meeting but made his mark when it mattered most.
The goal briefly knocked the stuffing out of a previously-vibrant Valley Parade and Maghoma's dancing feet threatened to cause more problems.
Rory McArdle headed over from Gary Jones's free-kick before the night took a further turn to the worse for City. Again it was Zola who caused the
damage, holding off McArdle to cut inside from the left before rifling a cross-shot into the far corner of the net.
City could argue that the striker was clearly offside when he brought down Zander Diamond's long ball but that only added to their agony.
Suddenly City were staring down the barrel – and the tie could have been put beyond them by a Burton third as Zola and Robbie Weir exchanged neat
passes to put John McGrath through on goal.
McGrath, the godfather of Ricky Ravenhill's daughter, could have delivered the telling hit but McLaughlin made a crucial block by spreading his
body.
That save proved even more critical as City grabbed a much-needed foothold in the contest eight minutes before the break.
James Hanson knocked an inviting ball into the box, McArdle swung and missed but Garry Thompson was right behind him for a shot that was
smothered illegally by the hands of Damien McCrory.
It was almost a goalkeeping dive by the left back, who could well have been sent off. But referee James Adcock ruled the penalty was sufficient
punishment and decided not to produce a card of either colour.
Parkinson could not bare to watch as Nahki Wells stepped up to take it. But the top scorer had only missed once this season – in the FA Cup
shoot-out against Northampton – and confidently sent keeper Stuart Tomlinson the wrong way.
It was game on as things warmed up on the pitch and off it, where Steve Parkin and Rowett exchanged a few heated "pleasantries" in front of the
dugout.
But Rowett had the last laugh before the break as Burton regained their two-goal advantage. Again City's defence was opened up too easily as
James Meredith was caught ball-watching.
He allowed Alex MacDonald to slip in behind him and pull back a low cross which midfielder Robbie Weir swept home.
City's success had been built on a solid base from the back but that was noticeable by its absence in a shaky 45 minutes which left them with it
all to do.
Reid's appearance for a warm-up jog along the touchline raised spirits and Parkinson did not wait long to unleash the winger. He came on for
Atkinson after 57 minutes in a double switch which also saw Nathan Doyle replace Ravenhill.
City finally mustered a hint of a comeback as Wells was foiled by Tomlinson and Thompson drilled the rebound across goal.
At least Zola could not inflict any more damage as he made way for Billy Kee. City were still looking for any way back as Doyle drove high and
wide.
Wells had an effort smuggled behind and missed the ball completely from close range as the corner dropped in his favour. It was that sort of
game.
City needed a moment of magic from someone – and Thompson provided it with an absolute bolt from the blue with 16 minutes to go.
There looked no danger for Burton when the winger picked up possession wide on the right. But he lined up his sights before unleashing a
trademark thunderbolt that took a slight deflection off Jones and zipped over Tomlinson into the roof of the net.
That flicked the switch once more as Valley Parade burst back into life and Tomlinson almost stumbled into his own goal taking a Wells curler
above his head.
But there were still problems at the other end where the elusive Maghoma, the best player on the pitch, found MacDonald for a fierce snap-shot
that clipped the top of the bar.
Tomlinson was booked for time-wasting and there was another card for MacDonald as he scythed down Reid.
Nelson nodded over from a Jones set-piece and Hanson should have done a lot better with a Meredith low cross in stoppage time but miskicked from
eight yards out.
At least City are still in there fighting, even if the odds are against them.
Attendance: 14,657
===========================
When the dust settled - match report
You beauty! Parkinson hails Bradford City wonder goal
12:19am Friday 3rd May 2013
By Simon Parker
Phil Parkinson thanked Garry Thompson for the wonder strike that stopped City's promotion bid from coming off the rails.
Burton's 3-2 win at Valley Parade last night makes them firm favourites to reach League Two's play-off final at Wembley on May 18.
But Thompson's second-half blast to reduce the deficit has given the Bantams something to pin their hopes on in Sunday's return leg.
Parkinson said: "It was a tremendous goal that keeps the tie alive.
"After the way we played in the first half, I'm pleased to be going there just one goal down. The onus was on us and we didn't deal with it well.
"But the tables are turned on Sunday and we are still in this game. My focus is that we produce a far better performance."
City conceded all three Burton goals before the break with two from Calvin Zola – one from a clear offside position – and another by midfielder
Robbie Weir after Nahki Wells had hit back with a penalty.
Parkinson admitted: "Burton have got some good attacking players and you've got to give them a lot of credit. But defensively we were really
poor.
"We've got some good defenders but we didn't work as a unit. It was as if we'd gone out there to show everybody we were a good team and then
forgot to do the basics.
"In any game, your back four needs to be strong to give you any chance and we were too open in the first half.
"But I thought we responded really well in the second half. We got the goal back, had other chances and it's all to play for."
Kyel Reid came on for the last 33 minutes – his first involvement since suffering a groin strain in the league win over the Brewers. The winger
added an edge to City's attack and is now pushing for a start at the Pirelli Stadium.
Parkinson said: "Kyel hadn't even trained with us and did some work with the fitness coach and the physio.
"I decided to let him do the warm-up and put him on the bench, otherwise it was just a couple of the younger players.
"I planned to use him for ten minutes but as it happened we needed him for longer than that.
"He hasn't had any reaction and he will be fine. But he needs a couple of good days' training to put himself in the picture."
Burton chief Gary Rowett refused to get carried away with the win, despite his side boasting the strongest home record in the Football League.
He said: "I'd rather have a lead to lose than be chasing the game. We're in control to a certain degree but the tie is so evenly poised.
"If Bradford score after five minutes at our place then they've got the impetus. I certainly don't think we can sit back at home and try to
defend.
"People expected us to come to Bradford and be very defensive and sit back. But I think our game-plan worked terrifically well.
"I didn't feel the crowd was particularly intimidating. It was loud and raucous and a wonderful atmosphere but if you're intimidated by it as a
player, then you're in the wrong game."
===========================
Links
Good photos
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2318555/Bradford-2-Burton-3-Bantams-dream-Wembley-return-hit-Zola-double.html
===========================
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22328159
Second Leg Sunday May 5th, 12noon
Npower League Two
Venue: Pirelli Stadium
Date: Sunday, 5 May
Kick-off: 12:00 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live & BBC local radio
Striker Calvin Zola, who scored twice in Burton's 3-2 first-leg win at Bradford, should be fit, despite being withdrawn early on Thursday.
Billy Kee, Matt Paterson or Michael Symes could come in to play alongside Zola, while Lee Bell is suspended.
Bradford defender Andrew Davies returns from a one-match ban, although boss Phil Parkinson could stick with Rory McArdle and Michael Nelson at the back.
Winger Kyel Reid (groin) will be monitored ahead of Sunday's second leg.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Burton take a one-goal advantage into this second leg after a 3-2 win at Valley Parade on Thursday. A six-minute double from Calvin Zola in the first half hour, and a Robbie Weir goal also in the first half, comprised the Brewers scorers. A Nahki Wells penalty and a Garry Thompson effort were the replies for Bradford.
• This is their fifth meeting this season and each side has won two of the previous four.
• Bradford have never won at the Pirelli Stadium (drawn two, lost two).
• The winner of this tie will play either Northampton or Cheltenham in the final at Wembley on Saturday, 18 May for a place in League One next season.
Burton Albion
• Burton have won four of their last five in all competitions and are chasing a fourth successive victory at home.
• Gary Rowett's side concluded the regular season in fourth spot, two points shy of automatic promotion and their highest finish in their fourth season in the Football League.
• This is their first experience of the Football League play-offs, but they did face Cambridge United in the Conference Premier semi-finals in May 2008 and lost 4-3 on aggregate.
• The club finishing immediately outside the automatic places in the fourth tier has been the most successful in the play-offs, being promoted 13 times.
Bradford City
• Phil Parkinson's Bradford will have to become the ninth club to overcome a first-leg deficit in the play-offs at this level, if they are to qualify for a second visit to Wembley this season.
• The Capital One League Cup runners-up are hoping to emulate Crewe last season, who became the fifth club to gain promotion through this route at this level, having concluded the regular season on the bottom rung of the play-off qualifying places.
• This is the Bantams' third play-off campaign and the first since 1996, when they beat Notts County 2-0 at Wembley to gain promotion to the second tier.
===========================
Read this article online
http://texasbantam.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/46810838356/
The "Social media Corner"
http://paper.li/f-1315926867
http://www.bradfordcity.tv/
===========================
Injuries, Suspensions
===========================
Match Media & Stats
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10397191.Live_blog__Bantams_v_Burton/
Pictures
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/sport_bantams_pics2012/
(The T&A picture link will dfault to the last match for which pictures are available)
"Last Match" Highlights on Bantams Player
http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/player/LastMatch/0,,10266~1612005~36,00.html
BBC highlights (uk only)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22325707
Pulse audio
http://www.pulse.co.uk/on-air/pulse-sport/
Match Highlights
Post match
Match stats
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=234#teamTabs=results
http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/gamecast?gameId=365009&action=stats&lang=EN&wjb=
Bradford: McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Nelson, Meredith, Thompson, Jones, Ravenhill (Doyle 57), Atkinson (Reid 57), Wells (Connell 89), Hanson. Subs Not Used: Duke, Gray, McHugh, Hines.
Goals: Wells 38 pen, Thompson 74.
Burton Albion: Tomlinson, O'Connor, Holness, Sharps, McCrory, Diamond, MacDonald (Drury 89), McGrath, Weir, Maghoma, Zola (Kee 67). Subs Not Used: Lyness, Webster, Phillips, Paterson, Symes.
Booked: Holness, Tomlinson, MacDonald.
Goals: Zola 22, 28, Weir 44.
Att: 14,657
Ref: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).
===========================
Final whistle - match report
Thompson gives Bradford City hope for return leg
10:48pm Thursday 2nd May 2013
By Simon Parker
City 2, Burton 3
City have it all to do on Sunday to prevent their promotion dream from falling at the hurdle before Wembley.
Burton boast the best home record in the entire Football League with 17 wins and only three defeats – but the Bantams must breach the fortress.
Brewers boss Gary Rowett had promised to "throw the kitchen sink" at City and they certainly did that, although Garry Thompson prevented home
hopes from going completely down the plughole with an explosive second-half strike.
That at least gives them a fighting chance for the second leg. And they can take comfort from history and a certain visit to Blackpool...
The 14,657 crowd was a record for a fourth-tier semi-final first leg and 400 more than the attendance for City's last Valley Parade play-off when
they lost to Sam Allardyce's Tangerines in 1996.
Kyel Reid was not risked from the start after his groin injury, with Phil Parkinson preferring Will Atkinson in left midfield. Otherwise, the
City team was as expected, with all those given a breather at Cheltenham coming straight back.
Burton, a 14-1 outside shot for promotion before the season began, had never won at Valley Parade – and lost on their last visit just 12 days
earlier.
But having finished fourth, their highest position since joining the league in 2009, the Brewers returned to West Yorkshire full of confidence.
Parkinson had called for a wall of noise to bombard the Brewers and the home fans did not disappoint. The decibels shot up as City forced three
corners in a breathless opening ten minutes.
The pace was predictably frenetic and there was little shape to the early exchanges. Nerves were on show and both sides were reluctant to put
their foot on the ball and take a touch.
But the stalemate was broken midway through the half – with Burton drawing first blood. Jacques Maghoma whipped in a dangerous cross from the
left wing and Calvin Zola headed firmly beyond Jon McLaughlin.
The Congolese targetman had been kept very quiet in the recent league meeting but made his mark when it mattered most.
The goal briefly knocked the stuffing out of a previously-vibrant Valley Parade and Maghoma's dancing feet threatened to cause more problems.
Rory McArdle headed over from Gary Jones's free-kick before the night took a further turn to the worse for City. Again it was Zola who caused the
damage, holding off McArdle to cut inside from the left before rifling a cross-shot into the far corner of the net.
City could argue that the striker was clearly offside when he brought down Zander Diamond's long ball but that only added to their agony.
Suddenly City were staring down the barrel – and the tie could have been put beyond them by a Burton third as Zola and Robbie Weir exchanged neat
passes to put John McGrath through on goal.
McGrath, the godfather of Ricky Ravenhill's daughter, could have delivered the telling hit but McLaughlin made a crucial block by spreading his
body.
That save proved even more critical as City grabbed a much-needed foothold in the contest eight minutes before the break.
James Hanson knocked an inviting ball into the box, McArdle swung and missed but Garry Thompson was right behind him for a shot that was
smothered illegally by the hands of Damien McCrory.
It was almost a goalkeeping dive by the left back, who could well have been sent off. But referee James Adcock ruled the penalty was sufficient
punishment and decided not to produce a card of either colour.
Parkinson could not bare to watch as Nahki Wells stepped up to take it. But the top scorer had only missed once this season – in the FA Cup
shoot-out against Northampton – and confidently sent keeper Stuart Tomlinson the wrong way.
It was game on as things warmed up on the pitch and off it, where Steve Parkin and Rowett exchanged a few heated "pleasantries" in front of the
dugout.
But Rowett had the last laugh before the break as Burton regained their two-goal advantage. Again City's defence was opened up too easily as
James Meredith was caught ball-watching.
He allowed Alex MacDonald to slip in behind him and pull back a low cross which midfielder Robbie Weir swept home.
City's success had been built on a solid base from the back but that was noticeable by its absence in a shaky 45 minutes which left them with it
all to do.
Reid's appearance for a warm-up jog along the touchline raised spirits and Parkinson did not wait long to unleash the winger. He came on for
Atkinson after 57 minutes in a double switch which also saw Nathan Doyle replace Ravenhill.
City finally mustered a hint of a comeback as Wells was foiled by Tomlinson and Thompson drilled the rebound across goal.
At least Zola could not inflict any more damage as he made way for Billy Kee. City were still looking for any way back as Doyle drove high and
wide.
Wells had an effort smuggled behind and missed the ball completely from close range as the corner dropped in his favour. It was that sort of
game.
City needed a moment of magic from someone – and Thompson provided it with an absolute bolt from the blue with 16 minutes to go.
There looked no danger for Burton when the winger picked up possession wide on the right. But he lined up his sights before unleashing a
trademark thunderbolt that took a slight deflection off Jones and zipped over Tomlinson into the roof of the net.
That flicked the switch once more as Valley Parade burst back into life and Tomlinson almost stumbled into his own goal taking a Wells curler
above his head.
But there were still problems at the other end where the elusive Maghoma, the best player on the pitch, found MacDonald for a fierce snap-shot
that clipped the top of the bar.
Tomlinson was booked for time-wasting and there was another card for MacDonald as he scythed down Reid.
Nelson nodded over from a Jones set-piece and Hanson should have done a lot better with a Meredith low cross in stoppage time but miskicked from
eight yards out.
At least City are still in there fighting, even if the odds are against them.
Attendance: 14,657
===========================
When the dust settled - match report
You beauty! Parkinson hails Bradford City wonder goal
12:19am Friday 3rd May 2013
By Simon Parker
Phil Parkinson thanked Garry Thompson for the wonder strike that stopped City's promotion bid from coming off the rails.
Burton's 3-2 win at Valley Parade last night makes them firm favourites to reach League Two's play-off final at Wembley on May 18.
But Thompson's second-half blast to reduce the deficit has given the Bantams something to pin their hopes on in Sunday's return leg.
Parkinson said: "It was a tremendous goal that keeps the tie alive.
"After the way we played in the first half, I'm pleased to be going there just one goal down. The onus was on us and we didn't deal with it well.
"But the tables are turned on Sunday and we are still in this game. My focus is that we produce a far better performance."
City conceded all three Burton goals before the break with two from Calvin Zola – one from a clear offside position – and another by midfielder
Robbie Weir after Nahki Wells had hit back with a penalty.
Parkinson admitted: "Burton have got some good attacking players and you've got to give them a lot of credit. But defensively we were really
poor.
"We've got some good defenders but we didn't work as a unit. It was as if we'd gone out there to show everybody we were a good team and then
forgot to do the basics.
"In any game, your back four needs to be strong to give you any chance and we were too open in the first half.
"But I thought we responded really well in the second half. We got the goal back, had other chances and it's all to play for."
Kyel Reid came on for the last 33 minutes – his first involvement since suffering a groin strain in the league win over the Brewers. The winger
added an edge to City's attack and is now pushing for a start at the Pirelli Stadium.
Parkinson said: "Kyel hadn't even trained with us and did some work with the fitness coach and the physio.
"I decided to let him do the warm-up and put him on the bench, otherwise it was just a couple of the younger players.
"I planned to use him for ten minutes but as it happened we needed him for longer than that.
"He hasn't had any reaction and he will be fine. But he needs a couple of good days' training to put himself in the picture."
Burton chief Gary Rowett refused to get carried away with the win, despite his side boasting the strongest home record in the Football League.
He said: "I'd rather have a lead to lose than be chasing the game. We're in control to a certain degree but the tie is so evenly poised.
"If Bradford score after five minutes at our place then they've got the impetus. I certainly don't think we can sit back at home and try to
defend.
"People expected us to come to Bradford and be very defensive and sit back. But I think our game-plan worked terrifically well.
"I didn't feel the crowd was particularly intimidating. It was loud and raucous and a wonderful atmosphere but if you're intimidated by it as a
player, then you're in the wrong game."
===========================
Links
Good photos
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2318555/Bradford-2-Burton-3-Bantams-dream-Wembley-return-hit-Zola-double.html
===========================
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22328159
Second Leg Sunday May 5th, 12noon
Npower League Two
Venue: Pirelli Stadium
Date: Sunday, 5 May
Kick-off: 12:00 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live & BBC local radio
Striker Calvin Zola, who scored twice in Burton's 3-2 first-leg win at Bradford, should be fit, despite being withdrawn early on Thursday.
Billy Kee, Matt Paterson or Michael Symes could come in to play alongside Zola, while Lee Bell is suspended.
Bradford defender Andrew Davies returns from a one-match ban, although boss Phil Parkinson could stick with Rory McArdle and Michael Nelson at the back.
Winger Kyel Reid (groin) will be monitored ahead of Sunday's second leg.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Burton take a one-goal advantage into this second leg after a 3-2 win at Valley Parade on Thursday. A six-minute double from Calvin Zola in the first half hour, and a Robbie Weir goal also in the first half, comprised the Brewers scorers. A Nahki Wells penalty and a Garry Thompson effort were the replies for Bradford.
• This is their fifth meeting this season and each side has won two of the previous four.
• Bradford have never won at the Pirelli Stadium (drawn two, lost two).
• The winner of this tie will play either Northampton or Cheltenham in the final at Wembley on Saturday, 18 May for a place in League One next season.
Burton Albion
• Burton have won four of their last five in all competitions and are chasing a fourth successive victory at home.
• Gary Rowett's side concluded the regular season in fourth spot, two points shy of automatic promotion and their highest finish in their fourth season in the Football League.
• This is their first experience of the Football League play-offs, but they did face Cambridge United in the Conference Premier semi-finals in May 2008 and lost 4-3 on aggregate.
• The club finishing immediately outside the automatic places in the fourth tier has been the most successful in the play-offs, being promoted 13 times.
Bradford City
• Phil Parkinson's Bradford will have to become the ninth club to overcome a first-leg deficit in the play-offs at this level, if they are to qualify for a second visit to Wembley this season.
• The Capital One League Cup runners-up are hoping to emulate Crewe last season, who became the fifth club to gain promotion through this route at this level, having concluded the regular season on the bottom rung of the play-off qualifying places.
• This is the Bantams' third play-off campaign and the first since 1996, when they beat Notts County 2-0 at Wembley to gain promotion to the second tier.
===========================
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