Friday 20 May 2016
Sky Bet League 1 Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg
Millwall 1 (Gregory 34)
Bradford City 1 (Proctor 44)
Kick Off: 7.45pm
at The Den
Millwall win 4-2 on aggregate
Attendance: 16,309
The Bantams were unable to extend their season for one final game after Phil Parkinson's men drew 1-1 at Millwall in their Sky Bet League 1 Play-Off semi-final second leg, leading to a 4-2 aggregate victory for the Lions.
Needing to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg, City fell behind in Friday's return encounter when Lee Gregory netted from just inside the box ten minutes from the break.
The Bantams fought back into the contest just before the interval, however, when Jamie Proctor fired home at the second attempt following Kyel Reid's low cross into the box.
Proctor could have scored again in first half injury time when he was played in behind Millwall's defence by Billy Clarke but a recovering Mark Beevers did enough to stop the striker having a clear strike on Jordan Archer's goal.
With Tom Thorpe coming on for the injured Josh Cullen at half time, City tried to push for a way back into the contest.
The Bantams dominated possession in the second period but they found it difficult to break down Millwall's defences.
City felt they could have had a penalty midway into the half when Thorpe went down under Beevers' challenge but referee Mr Tim Robinson seemed to suggest he believed the Millwall defender had got a touch on the ball.
The Bantams played the last twenty minutes or so with only three at the back as they looked for the goals they needed to force extra time, but they were unable to deny Millwall a trip to Wembley and a place in the final against Barnsley a week on Sunday.
FT: Millwall 1 Bradford City 1
90+5min: Unfortunately play is halted once again as another small group of Millwall supporters enter the field. Thankfully, the fans are removed rather quickly afterwards.
90+3min: Play is halted briefly as five Millwall supporters enter the pitch. The incident passes by quickly, however, as the fans are removed from the field of play.
90+2min: SUB - Millwall bring on Tony Craig for Webster.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
89min: SUB - Millwall bring on Shaun Williams for Gregory.
88min: YELLOW CARD - Reid is booked for clipping the heels of Thompson as the young central midfielder looked to burst forward into City territory.
86min: YELLOW CARD - Ferguson is cautioned for doing exactly the same thing following the award of a free-kick for a foul on Evans midway into Millwall's half of the pitch.
86min: YELLOW CARD - Taylor is booked kicking the ball away after City are given a free-kick inside their own half.
85min: YELLOW CARD - McArdle is booked for dissent for giving a foul away against Morison as the pair challenged for an aerial ball just inside Millwall's half of the pitch.
79min: YELLOW CARD - Evans is booked for a lunging tackle on Thompson midway into Millwall's half of the pitch.
78min: Ferguson's corner delivery makes its way through to Taylor just inside the area but the winger's first time prod for goal rises high into the stand.
74min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Steven Davies for Nathan Clarke. Needing two goals to keep this semi alive - City are having to go for it now.
73min: City's bench appeal for a penalty as Thorpe goes down in the box under Webster's challenge as the Bantams substitution is picked out a well-timed pass from Evans. The Bantams make their feelings known after the tackle but referee Mr Robinson appeared to indicate he felt Webster got a touch on the ball with his challenge.
67min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Paul Anderson for McMahon.
54min: Byron Webster attacks Taylor's corner delivery with real purpose but his thumping header flashes across goal and wide of Williams' goal.
52min: Morison's cushioned ball into the box tries to pick out Gregory but McArdle gets his head on the cross. A lurking Jimmy Abdou latches onto the loose ball just inside the box but his first time volley sails well over Williams' goal and into the stand behind.
47min: McArdle and Proctor try to keep the pressure on as the ball bounces around deep inside Millwall's penalty area following a Nathan Clarke long throw-in but a free-kick in favour of the hosts is eventually awarded.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT SUB - The Bantams bring on Tom Thorpe for Josh Cullen, who sadly appeared to be limping off as the two sides went down the tunnel for half time.
HT: Millwall 1 Bradford City 1
45+1min: Billy Clarke plays Proctor in behind Millwall's defence to leave the striker with a run at Archer's goal just outside the box. Now in the area, Proctor looks to get a shot away but a recovering Mark Beevers does just enough to deny him. Proctor eventually tries to play the ball across goal to Reid but Carlos Edwards is well-positioned to make a blocked tackle. Seconds later, Evans finds Proctor in space just inside the box with a neat pass but his shot is blocked as he is crowded out.
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
44min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Millwall 1 Bradford City 1 - The Bantams draw level on the night through Proctor! Following a driving run from Reid, the winger crosses low for Proctor, who sees his first shot saved by Archer before putting the rebound high into the roof of the net.
39min: Morison heads wide via Taylor's delivery from the resulting corner.
39min: Williams is forced to tip over following Joe Martin's effort on goal direct from a free-kick roughly 25 yards out.
34min: GOAL - Millwall 1 Bradford City 0 - Gregory fires Millwall into the lead on the night to extend their overall lead to three goals in the tie. Following great hold up play from Morison, the striker plays the ball across to Gregory and the former FC Halifax forward calmly slots past Williams from just inside the box.
33min: Nathan Clarke heads wide from McMahon's corner delivery.
23min: McArdle beats Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer to Nathan Clarke's long throw-in the box but his flicked header on isn't picked up by a team-mate and the ball eventually rolls out for a goal-kick.
16min: Gregory leads a dangerous break as Millwall counter-attack from a City free-kick deep in the hosts' half. Gregory finds Ben Thompson in space but the midfielder's shot from just inside the Bantams area is put behind for a corner thanks to a superb block from Josh Cullen.
14min: There is a brief break in play as Chris Taylor receives treatment following a tangle with Kyel Reid as the Bantams winger tried to burst down Millwall's left flank. Taylor is soon able to continue as play restarts once again.
11min: The home fans scream for a penalty for Millwall when Jimmy Abdou goes down in the box under a challenge. Despite Millwall's protests though, referee Tim Robinson allows play to continue.
5min: Lee Evans' free-kick from wide is aimed towards the far post but a watchful Morison heads behind for a corner to stop Tony McMahon from trying to steal in from close range.
1min: Steve Morison tries to play Lee Gregory in with a sight of goal following a cushioned pass forward but Ben Williams is out quickly to clear just in time with his legs. The sliding clearance bounces off a nearby Rory McArdle and then away. Shane Ferguson picks the ball up over by the far side but his flighted cross towards Morison is over-hit and City eventually win a throw-in over by the opposite touchline.
0min: Millwall kick off the match.
MILLWALL LINE UP:
Archer, Edwards, Webster, Beevers, Martin, Taylor, Abdou, Thompson, Ferguson, Morison, Gregory
Subs: Forde, Craig, Williams, Upson, Onyedinma, Nelson, O'Brien
Millwall substitutions:
Williams for Gregory (89), Craig for Webster (90+2)
Millwall cautions:
Taylor (86), Ferguson (86)
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Williams, Darby, McArdle, N Clarke, Meredith, McMahon, Cullen, Evans, Reid, B Clarke, Proctor
Subs: Cracknell, Marshall, Morris, Burke, Thorpe, Davies, Anderson
Bradford City substitutions:
Thorpe for Cullen (46), Anderson for McMahon (67), Davies for N Clarke (74)
Bradford City cautions:
Evans (79), McArdle (85), Reid (88)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: T Robinson
Assistant Referee: G Hilton
Assistant Referee: M Russell
Fourth Official: J Adcock