BRADFORD CITY AFC

Saturday 9 November 2013
F.A Cup with Budweiser First Round
Rotherham United 3 (Agard 12, 71, Revell 62)
Bradford City 0
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at New York Stadium

Attendance: 7,667 (2,138 visitors)
Pictures kindly provided by Claire Epton

Rotherham United ended City's interest in this season's F.A Cup after only one match with a comprehensive victory over the Bantams in their first round encounter.

A double from Millers top-scorer Kieran Agard - one in each half - plus an effort from giant Rotherham forward Alex Revell secured a comfortable passage through into the second round for Steve Evans' side.

Sadly for City, the scoreline didn't flatter their hosts as the South Yorkshire side extended their winning run over the Bantams to five straight games.

Agard gave Rotherham the lead of the tie after only 12 minutes when he poked home from close range after Revell had headed down a Michael O'Connor cross into his path.

With the Bantams struggling to get a foothold in the game, Jon McLaughlin twice came to their rescue within the space of a minute later in the half by producing two great saves.

McLaughlin's first major intervention saw the Bantams 'keeper repel Matt Tubbs with a smart save low to his right after the Rotherham striker had got in behind City's defences.

McLaughlin's next save barely 60 seconds later was even better when he flung out a hand and made a great reaction save to push away Revell's header from almost point blank range.

Nahki Wells did enjoy a rare sight of goal for City just past the half hour mark after being teed up by Kyel Reid but Bermudian's effort from inside the area was tipped around the post by Adam Collin.

Despite Rotherham undoubtedly being on top for the first period of the cup encounter, City managed to make it to the interval only one goal behind - but not without one last scare.

A weak attempted back-pass from Nathan Doyle three minutes before the break gave Revell a clear run on McLaughlin's goal.

To the 'keeper's credit, however, he was out quickly and managed to take advantage of a slightly over-hit touch from Revell to pounce on the ball as the striker tried to round him.

After receiving some stern words from Bantams boss Phil Parkinson during half time, City did come out with more purpose for the second period.

Just as they looked to be getting on some sort of even footing in the match though, Rotherham doubled their advantage.

From a wide free-kick just past the hour mark, Revell stole in to ram home O'Connor's delivery into the box to leave the home side firmly in the driving seat.

The tie was then effectively put to bed nine minutes later when Agard rose to head O'Connor's cross into the box past McLaughlin's grasp and into the top corner.

Although City were heading out of the F.A Cup, the 2,000+ visiting supporters were given something to cheer about eight minutes from the end when young striker Oliver McBurnie came off the bench to replace Wells.

For McBurnie, who has netted 17 goals in 10 league and cup games for the youth team already this season, it was his debut for City at senior level.

---

FT: Rotherham United 3 Bradford City 0
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the tie.
89min: SUB - Rotherham bring on Michael Tidser for Pringle.
88min: Yeates' low strike for goal from a direct free-kick around 25 yards out takes a nick off the Rotherham wall before bouncing a yard or so wide of Collin's goal.
87min: Hanson gets his head on a Yeates delivery from a wide free-kick but his effort deflects narrowly wide of Collin's far post.
85min: SUB - Rotherham bring on Richard Brindley for Bradley.
82min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Oliver McBurnie for Wells.
76min: SUB - Rotherham bring on Rob Milsom for O'Connor.
75min: A Reid cross eventually drops down into the path of the lurking Yeates but the attacker side-foot for goal around fourteen yards out bounces up off the turf and into Collin's grasp.
74min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Jason Kennedy for Doyle.
71min: GOAL - Rotherham United 3 Bradford City 0 - The Millers leave City with it all to do in the last twenty minutes or so of this match when Agard grabs his second of the afternoon. The attacker rises to send a looping header into the far corner following O'Connor's cross into the box, placing Rotherham three goals up in the process.
66min: Yeates fires for goal from outside the area but his rising shot sails a yard or so over.
63min: With Tubbs lurking by the far post, Darby is in the perfect place to turn the ball away a low and dangerous centre across the six yard box by Revell.
63min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Mark Yeates for De Vita.
62min: GOAL - Rotherham United 2 Bradford City 0 - The Millers double their lead when Revell swoops to turn home O'Connor's low inswinging free-kick delivery into the area that followed McArdle's foul.
61min: YELLOW CARD - McArdle is booked bundling Tubbs over as the striker looked to burst into the area from a wide position.
60min: Tubbs takes aim from a few yards outside the area but his rising angled drive sails well wide of its intended target.
47min: Hanson's header forward from a big McLaughlin kick up field sees Wells in behind Rotherham's defence. With the ball sliding off the water surface, Wells is about able to knock the ball past Collin but cannot prevent it running out for a goal-kick.
46min: Rotherham restart the tie.
HT: Rotherham United 1 Bradford City 0
45+1min: YELLOW CARD - Arnason is booked for catching De Vita from behind with a tackle around the halfway line.
45min: There will be a minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
42min: Nathan Doyle's poor attempted back-pass presents Revell with a clean run on City's goal. After driving into the City box, Revell tries to round McLaughlin but the Bantams shot-stopper shows great reactions to grasp hold of the ball off the toes of the striker.
38min: YELLOW CARD - Bradley is booked for blocking off Reid after the winger had knocked the ball past Rotherham's right back just inside City's own half of the pitch.
34min: Pringle lets rip with a low strike from around 25 yards out after picking up a loose ball but his strike across goal whistles a couple of yards wide of McLaughlin's far post.
33min: Collin makes a great save low to his right to deny Nahki Wells. Following some bright wing play from Kyel Reid, the Bantams' number seven picks out Wells with a low cross into the box but the Bermudian's first time strike with his left foot from around ten yards out is pushed around the post by Collin.
22min: McLaughlin produces an absolutely stunning save to deny Revell following Ben Pringle's cross into the box. Revell connects powerfully with the cross to head the ball towards goal from roughly the edge of the six yard box but McLaughlin flings out his right hand to deny the big Rotherham striker with a brilliant stop.
21min: Raffaele De Vita feeds off a header down in the area from Hanson but the Italian's first time strike from around ten yards out isn't sweetly struck and straight at Collin.
21min: O'Connor's forward pass flicks off the body of Rory McArdle to see Tubbs through with a sight on McLaughlin's goal. With the recovering Stephen Darby trying to pressure the Rotherham striker, Tubbs strikes for goal but his low drive from just inside the area is kept out by the right arm of McLaughlin before Darby can clear the loose ball with a kick clear.
17min: O'Connor fires for goal with a looping half-volley after City half-clear a long Arnason throw into the box but the midfielder's effort from outside the area is straight at McLaughlin.
16min: Kari Arnason heads Joe Skarz's free-kick from deep down into the area but Mark Bradley's first time effort from around fourteen yards out lacks the power to beat McLaughlin, who gathers with relative ease.
15min: Matt Tubbs tries his luck with an effort from just outside the area but his strike with the outside of his right foot sails comfortably wide of McLaughlin's goal.
13min: GOAL!!....No! City have the ball in the net when Adam Collin spills a cross from James Meredith but the effort is correctly disallowed for a clear nudge on the Rotherham 'keeper by James Hanson.
12min: GOAL - Rotherham United 1 Bradford City 0 - The Millers take the lead of the tie through Kieran Agard. Agard draws first blood for Rotherham when he latches onto a headed knock-down from Alex Revell following O'Connor's hanging cross to turn the ball home from just outside the six yard box.
6min: Michael O'Connor tries his luck from around 25 yards out but his effort skips off the wet surface before bouncing a good few yards wide of Jon McLaughlin's goal.
0min: With roughly over 2,000 City fans behind one of the goals cheering on their side, the Bantams get the tie underway at a wet and murky New York Stadium.
3:00pm: Before kick off, there is a minute's silence to mark this Remembrance weekend.

ROTHERHAM UNITED LINE UP
Collin, Bradley, Skarz, Morgan, Arnason, Agard, O'Connor, Frecklington, Pringle, Tubbs, Revell

Subs: Shearer, Brindley, Davis, Mills, Milsom, Tidser, Nardiello

Rotherham United cautions:
Bradley (38), Arnason (45+1)

Rotherham United changes:
Milsom for O'Connor (76), Brindley for Bradley (85), Tidser for Pringle (89)

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, Bates, Meredith, De Vita, Jones, Doyle, Reid, Wells, Hanson

Subs: Ripley, Kennedy, Thompson, Yeates, Taylor, McHugh, McBurnie

Bradford City changes:
Yeates for De Vita (63), Kennedy for Doyle (74), McBurnie for Wells (82)

Bradford City cautions:
McArdle (61)