BRADFORD CITY AFC

Harriott's low drive from a wide position seven minutes in squirmed under the body of Brad Jones to hand the hosts the lead with their first meaningful attack of the game.

James Hanson could have given City the lead instead just a minute earlier but he fired wide from close range when Colchester goalkeeper Jamie Jones had got a hand onto a Lee Evans cross.

With little still to choose between the two as the game wore on, Sordell crucially doubled Colchester's advantage with a neat finish just past the half hour mark from Owen Garvan's clever pass.

City's efforts to get back in the match could have been helped shortly after the break when U's left back Matthew Briggs appeared to kick out at the recalled Steven Davies following a foul from the attacker.

Much to the bemusement of the Bantams bench, however, both Briggs and Davies were given a booking piece.

The Bantams continually tried to look for a way back into the match as time wore on but the nearest they came to registering a goal was through a ninetieth-minute drive from Tony McMahon that hit the bar.  

90+3min: Marshall tries his luck from distance but the effort flies wide of Jones' goal.

90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.

90min: McMahon hits the bar! Evans' corner delivery is cleared out as far as the lurking midfielder and his rising drive from just outside the area crashes against Colchester's bar!

83min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Luke James for Knott.

80min: SUB - Colchester bring on Chris Porter for George Moncur.

76min: A Evans corner is punched away by Jones in the Colchester goal but it then appears to possibly hit Frankie Kent in the arm. City appeal for a penalty but nothing is given.

71min: SUB - Mark Marshall comes on for Davies.

71min: Tom Eastman heads narrowly wide of Jones' far post with a downward header from Harriott's resulting corner.

70min: Sordell turns inside the area from a wide position before testing Jones with a low angled drive which the City shot-stopper does well to tip around his near post.

68min: Harriott runs at Darby on Colchester's left wing before firing in a fizzing cross which is held by Jones at his near post.

62min: Tony McMahon fires a direct free-kick from roughly 25 yards out narrowly wide of goal.

52min: Sordell fires for goal from just outside the box but the effort is straight into the mid-drift of Jones.

49min: YELLOW CARDS - Steven Davies and Briggs are both booked for a coming together after the Bantams attacker had bundled over the Colchester left back around the halfway line. Briggs is perhaps be lucky to have stayed on the pitch, however, after appearing to kick out at Davies following the initial foul.

46min: Evans takes aim from just outside the area but his rising drive is sliced wide of goal.

46min: Colchester restart the game.

45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.

43min: Sordell tries to catch Jones off his line with a drive from roughly the halfway line but the effort drops a yard or so over the bar.

42min: Matthew Briggs' low drive from distance is saved with relative ease by Jones.

42min: Harriott runs at Darby before cutting inside onto his right foot and firing in a low drive from just inside the box which lacks the power and direction to overly trouble Jones.

24min: Sordell turns into shooting space on the edge of the area before seeing his shot for goal deflected up and over the bar off Reece Burke.

15min: Latching onto a loose pass from Billy Knott, Massey tries to play Marvin Sordell clean through on goal but Jones is off his line quickly and just able to gather the ball first.

13min: Gavin Massey tries his luck from distance but his ambitious effort sails comfortably wide of the target.

9min: Devante Cole bursts his way into the area before picking out Evans with a cut-back from the byline. Evans shoots for goal from deep inside the area but his effort is blocked.

6min: Good chance for the Bantams! Jamie Jones manages to get a hand on Evans' driven low cross into the six yard box but the ball still drops to James Hanson, who taps just wide of Colchester's far post.

2min: Lee Evans' long throw-in into the box is helped on by Billy Knott but the midfielder's flick across the six yard box is just out of the reach of Devante Cole as the ball goes out for a goal-kick.

0min: The Bantams kick off the match.

COLCHESTER UNITED LINE UP:

Jones, Olufemi, Kent, Eastman, Briggs, Edwards, Garvan, Massey, Moncur, Harriott, Sordell

Subs: Parish, Elokobi, Gilbey, Porter, Bonne, Sembie-Ferris, Harney

Porter for Moncur (80)

Colchester United cautions:
Briggs (49)

Jones, Darby, Burke, Routis, Meredith, McMahon, Evans, Knott, Davies, Cole, Hanson

Subs: Williams, N Clarke, Marshall, Liddle, Leigh, Mottley-Henry, James

Marshall for Davies (71), James for Knott (83)

Davies (49)