BRADFORD CITY AFC

Saturday 1 February 2014
Sky Bet League 1
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 (McDonald 45+4, Dicko 57)
Bradford City 0
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at Molineux

Attendance: 19,498
Pictures kindly provided by Thomas Gadd

A goal in each half by Wolves was enough to see off City despite a resilient display from the Bantams' ten men.

After seeing Nathan Doyle sent off for two bookings in eight minutes, Phil Parkinson's depleted side looked set to make it to the interval unscathed until Kevin McDonald curled home from outside the area on the very stroke of half-time.

A combination of an unfortunate Stephen Darby and Nouha Dicko then connected with a teasing Bakary Sako centre to slide the ball in just before the hour mark to net Wolves' second.

Although Parkinson's side struggled to make an impact on a talented Wolves outfit due to their numerical disadvantage, they did hit the woodwork twice - once through Adam Reach in the first half and then via Darby in the second period.

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FT: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Bradford City 0
90+1min: Dicko's low shot from an angle inside the area is held by McLaughlin by his near post.
90min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
79min: Henry fizzes the ball across the six yard box but a lurking Clarke in the middle narrowly fails to connect.
77min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Jordan Graham for Thompson.
69min: Clarke heads over from inside the area following Henry's clipping cross from the byline.
67min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Oliver McBurnie for Gray.
65min: CHANCE - Clarke threats to score when he clips the ball over the body of McLaughlin as the 'keeper dives at his feet after the Wolves striker had been played in behind City's defence. A recovering Darby chases down the ball as it bounces towards goal, however, and just about stops it on the line before Bates smashes clear.
63min: YELLOW CARD - Clarke is booked for trying to halt a break forward by City just inside their own half.
62min: Clarke's looping header from Ricketts' far post cross drops onto the roof of McLaughlin's net.
60min: SUB - James Henry comes on for Sako for Wolves.
58min: YELLOW CARD - Sako is booked for a late sliding tackle on Thompson just inside Wolves' half.
57min: GOAL - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Bradford City 0 - Wolves double their lead when Sako's low centre is converted in the middle by a combination of the unfortunate Darby and Dicko. The pair both slide in to contest the ball as it beats McLaughlin and trickles over the line despite the best efforts of McHugh and McArdle.
55min: McDonald's curling cross into the box is met by a stretching Clarke in the middle but his effort on the volley trickles across goal and eventually out for a goal-kick.
53min: CHANCE - Stephen Darby hits the post! After being played into a pocket of space just inside Wolves' penalty box by Thompson, Darby lets rips with a fierce drive that crashes against McCarey's near post.
49min: Reach tries his luck from distance direct from a free-kick but the effort sails well, well of goal and into the stand behind.
46min: The Bantams restart the game.
HT: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Bradford City 0
45+4min: GOAL - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Bradford City 0 - The hosts take the lead right on the very stroke of half time when McDonald curls a low effort into the bottom corner thanks to a strike from just outside the area.
45+3min: Sam Ricketts tries to turn away from Reach over on Wolves' right flank but his eventual low left-footed drive is comfortably held by McLaughlin at his near post.
41min: Sako twists and turns Thompson before firing in a fierce drive from inside the area that McLaughlin pushes around his near post.
37min: City were temporarily down to nine-men for a minute or so with Thompson off the pitch receiving treatment for a knock but the right winger is now back on the field of play.
34min: CHANCE - Adam Reach hits the bar! The on-loan winger is found in the box following a run down the left wing and low cross from Bates into his feet. Reach fires in a venomous rising strike from an angle that crashes against McCarey's bar before bouncing away.
32min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Chris Atkinson for Mclean to allow City to move to a 4-4-1 formation following Doyle's dismissal.
28min: YELLOW CARD = RED CARD - Doyle is given his marching orders for a second bookable offence after flying into a late tackle on McDonald just inside City's half.
26min: Dicko's low shot on the turn takes a slight deflection off the boot of McHugh before flashing narrowly wide of McLaughlin's goal.
24min: Gary Jones' rising drive from distance sails a good yard or so over Aaron McCarey's bar.
24min: Michael Jacobs' teasing in-swinging cross into the area is headed straight at McLaughlin by Richard Stearman.
23min: A teasing ball through from Bakary Sako threatens to play Clarke in behind City's defence and clear on goal but a brave sliding tackle from Matthew Bates sees the ball deflected out for a Wolves corner.
20min: YELLOW CARD - Nathan Doyle is booked for hauling back Dicko as Wolves looked to spring forward on the attack just in front of the Bantams' dug-out.
8min: Kevin McDonald's cross is headed down by Clarke into the path of his strike partner Nouha Dicko but the forward's flick for goal from close range is blocked by McLaughlin as the 'keeper comes out to close the angle.
4min: After industrious work from Aaron Mclean, the ball sits up invitingly for Garry Thompson on the very edge of Wolves' penalty area but the attacker's first time drive is scuffed well wide of goal.
2min: Leon Clarke charges down an attempted Rory McArdle clearance to find himself in with a run on Jon McLaughlin's goal. With only McLaughlin in front of him, the Wolves striker moves into City's penalty area but his left-footed shoot is blocked by a diving Carl McHugh.
0min: Wolves kick off the match.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS LINE UP
McCarey, Ricketts, Batth, Stearman, Golbourne, Jacobs, Price, McDonald, Sako, Clarke, Dicko

Subs: Flatt, Doherty, Elokobi, Henry, Evans, McAlinden, Ebanks-Landell

Wolverhampton Wanderers changes:
Henry for Sako (60)

Wolverhampton Wanderers cautions
Sako (58), Clarke (63)


BRADFORD CITY LINE UP
McLaughlin, Darby, McArdle, McHugh, Bates, Thompson, Jones, Doyle, Reach, Gray, Mclean

Subs: Jameson, Taylor, Graham, McBurnie, Atkinson, Stockdill, Pollard

Bradford City changes:
Atkinson for Mclean (32), McBurnie for Gray (67), Graham for Thompson (77)

Bradford City cautions:
Doyle (20, 28)

Bradford City dismissals:
Doyle (28)



MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: S Duncan
Assistant Referee: I Crouch
Assistant Referee: R Ellis
Fourth Official: S Hooper