FA Cup Quarter Final
Bradford City 0
Reading 0
Kick Off: 12:45pm
at the Coral Windows Stadium
Attendance: 24,321 (4,336 visitors)
The Bantams battled their way to a place in the FA Cup Semi Final draw after a hard-fought goalless encounter with Championship side Reading in their last eight tie at the Coral Windows Stadium.
In front of a modern stadium record crowd of 24,321 - three hundred more than the Sunderland attendance - Phil Parkinson's men matched their higher division opponents stride for stride in tense and keenly-contested affair.
Both sides hit the post in a tight opening period at Valley Parade. Reading's Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak struck the woodwork first when he connected with Jamie Mackie's low cross into the area.
Gary Liddle then did the same later in the half when his in-swinging cross narrowly beat the diving frame of Andrew Davies in the middle before crashing against Adam Federici's far post.
If Reading had perhaps edged the first half, City certainly enjoyed the better of the play after the restart.
A great last-ditch tackle from Reading's Stephen Kelly denied Jon Stead a clear strike on Federici's goal just after the hour mark, while James Hanson fired narrowly past the 'keeper's near post following Stead's pull-back minutes later.
Davies also threatened for Parkinson's men when he headed narrowly over following Filipe Morais' wide free-kick delivery.
Reading nearly scrambled a winner from a late Oliver Norwood free-kick but both sides now fight on in the FA Cup and will do battle at the Madejski Stadium in a quarter final replay for the right to play at Wembley Stadium next month.
FT: Bradford City 0 Reading 0
90+6min: Play eventually now continues following lengthy treatment for a bloody Pearce.
90+2min: Play has been halted following a bang to the head for Pearce following an aerial clash with Zoko.
90min: There will be four minutes added on at the end of the match.
86min: Oliver Norwood's wide free-kick from just outside the area towards the far post causes some moments of panic in the City defence. Three times Reading try to scramble the ball in but the Bantams eventually see off the danger when Yakubu is flagged for offside.
83min: SUB - Reading bring on Hope Akpan for Chalobah.
83min: SUBS - The Bantams bring on Mark Yeates and Francois Zoko for Knott and Clarke.
80min: SUB - Reading bring on Yakubu for Mackie.
76min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Andy Halliday for Morais.
75min: Morais' deep free-kick delivery from wide finds Davies inside the area and the defender powers a header narrowly over the bar!
71min: Stead's low cross into the area finds Hanson lurking but the forward's close range first time effort on the stretch is jabbed just wide of Federici's near post.
66min: SUB - Reading bring on Garath McCleary for Robson-Kanu.
65min: From the resulting corner, City play it short but Clarke fires over from just outside the box.
65min: Great defending from Stephen Kelly denies Stead a clear sight of goal! After latching onto Billy Clarke's lofted pass forward, Stead drives into the area, knocks the ball past Alex Pearce before homing in on Federici's goal. Just as the striker goes to fire for goal, however, Kelly vitally sticks out a leg to nick the ball off Stead's toes and out for a corner.
55min: Shouts for a penalty turned down for City when Stead appears to be tugged back by Hector as the striker runs to connect with Morais' near post corner delivery. Play is waved on by referee Neil Swarbrick.
48min: Nathaniel Chalobah's low drive from just outside the box rolls harmlessly past Ben Williams' far post.
46min: Hanson's teasing cross into the area eventually drops into the path of Filipe Morais over by the far post but the Portuguese winger's cross-come-shot from close range is scuffed and a combination of Jordan Obita and Federici manage to clear the danger.
46min: The Bantams restart the tie.
HT: Bradford City 0 Reading 0
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
42min: Danny Williams tries his luck from distance and the American's drive goes not too far over Ben Williams' crossbar.
37min: YELLOW CARD - McArdle is booked for bringing down Mackie just inside City's half of the pitch as the Reading attacker burst forward.
37min: Liddle's cross hits the post! The midfielder's in-swinging cross narrowly misses the diving frame of Andrew Davies in the middle before bouncing against Federici's far post.
28min: Hal Robson-Kanu's ball into the box seconds later eventually drops into the path of Danny Williams but his drive on the half-volley from outside the box is blocked by the head of Rory McArdle just inside the area.
28min: Reading hit the post! Mackie's pull-back from the byline finds Pavel Pogrebnyak inside the area and the giant Russian's shot on the turn crashed against Ben Williams' far post!
27min: Stead tries to latch onto Stephen Darby's well-placed ball into the box but the striker is closed down by Michael Hector after his initial touch and ball eventually bounces through to Federici.
25min: Danny Williams drives into the area near the byline before firing in a low effort across the six yard box that deflects towards goal and an alert Ben Williams has to clinch on at his near post.
13min: James Hanson helps James Meredith's cross into the box towards goal with a header but the ball is just in front the lurking Jon Stead and Adam Federici can gather up.
4min: Liddle is back on the pitch and play can now continue.
2min: Play is stopped briefly after Gary Liddle receives a nasty whack to the face following an aerial clash for the ball just inside City's half of the pitch.
0min: Reading kick off the tie. The Bantams will play towards the T.L Dallas Stand end in the first half.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Williams, Darby, McArdle, Davies, Meredith, Liddle, Morais, Knott, Clarke, Hanson, Stead
Subs: Pickford, Sheehan, Zoko, Yeates, MacKenzie, Routis, Halliday.
Bradford City cautions:
McArdle (37)
Bradford City changes:
Halliday for Morais (76), Yeates for Knott (83), Zoko for Clarke (83)
READING LINE UP:
Federici, Kelly, Hector, Pearce, Obita, Chalobah, Norwood, Williams, Mackie, Robson-Kanu, Pogrebnyak
Subs: Andersen, Gunter, Cox, McCleary, Akpan, Yakubu, Cooper
Reading changes:
McCleary for Robson-Kanu (66), Yakubu for Mackie (80), Akpan for Chalobah (83)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: N Swarbrick
Assistant Referee: M Mullarkey
Assistant Referee: M Perry
Fourth Official: M Jones