BRADFORD CITY AFC

The recalled Marc McNulty opened the scoring for City in the first period but Southend midfielder Anthony Wordsworth ensured a share of the spoils for the visitors with a close range header after the break.

Southend started the contest the brighter, with Simon Cox in particular going close after firing narrowly wide from angle inside the box following Wordsworth's quick free-kick.

Haris Vuckic fired inches wide of the target with a free-kick from the edge of the area just before half hour mark though, and that seemed to spark City into life.

The Bantams suddenly found themselves on top, Mark Marshall having a goal chalked out for offside and Josh Cullen firing narrowly past the post with a drive from just outside the area.

Stuart McCall's men had the breakthrough just under ten minutes before the interval when McNulty took advantage of a slip from Adam Thompson to race onto a Vuckic through ball and finish confidently past Mark Oxley.

McNulty nearly added a second just two minutes later but his shot from inside the box was deflected inches over the bar.

After starting the first period brightly, Southend looked sharp again straight after the restart.

Ranger had already warmed the hands of Colin Doyle with a shot early on in the second period before Wordsworth pounced to level things up minutes later.

Ben Coker's cross into the box was flicked on former Bantam Will Atkinson and Wordsworth was on hand to head home from close range to equalise for the Shrimpers.

Ranger, Wordsworth and Jason Demetriou all forced Doyle into saves later in the half while Cox also fired narrowly wide of the 'keeper's near post with a chance of his own.

In the middle of that period Vuckic did threaten for City but his shot from a tight angle was smothered by Oxley after Marshall's cross had fallen into the Slovenian's path.

McCall introduced James Hanson, Jordy Hiwula and Filipe Morais during stages in the second period in an attempt to improve City's chances in the game.

The Bantams did look more of a force as they pushed for a late winner with time running out but Southend actually came the closest to troubling the scorers again in the remaining minutes.

Ranger headed wide from a decent position with only two minutes of normal time left on the clock following Wordsworth's inviting free-kick delivery into the box.

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

88min: SUB - Southend bring on Marc-Antoine Fortune for Ranger.

88min: Ranger sends a free header wide of Doyle's far post after Wordsworth's resulting curled free-kick into the box had found him lurking from close range.

87min: YELLOW CARD - Knight-Percival is booked for blocking off McGlashan as the Southend winger looked to burst clear Southend's left flank.

85min: YELLOW CARD - Wordsworth is booked for bringing down Morais over by City's right flank as the Portuguese winger looked to turn away from him. Morais' cross into the box from the resulting free-kick finds the head of Hanson but his effort lacks the necessary power and Oxley is able to easily gather.

84min: Hiwula is played in behind Southend's back-line but as the striker moves towards goal from wide, his attempted ball across the six yard box from the byline is blocked behind and into the side-netting by Thompson.

84min: Knight-Percival tries to keep the ball in play following Law's floated free-kick into the area but his side-footed effort goes comfortably wide of Oxley's near post.

81min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Filipe Morais for Vuckic.

81min: SUB - Southend bring on David Mooney for Cox.

78min: Marshall has a good opportunity to run one-on-one at Demetriou and get a shot away inside the box. The winger looks to turn away from the right back deep inside the area but his touch is loose and ball runs through to Oxley.

77min: Demetriou crosses towards the far post and Ranger is crucially headed away by Darby only as far as Cox inside the area. Cox eventually turns into shooting space but his low strike goes wide of Doyle's near post.

72min: With men in the box waiting for a cross, Wordsworth tries his luck from distance direct from a free-kick and Doyle has to reach up and tip over.

71min: SUB - The Bantams bring on James Hanson and Jordy Hiwula for Cullen and McNulty respectively.

70min: Demetriou surges forward on the counter-attack from his own half deep into City territory before firing in a low left-footed from outside the area that Doyle has to dive down low to his left to cling onto.

68min: SUB - Southend bring on Jermaine McGlashan for McLaughlin. 

68min: YELLOW CARD - Cullen is booked for barging over Atkinson from behind as he tried to win possession midway into City's half.

67min: Marshall's cross into the box eventually drops at the feet of Vuckic but he is forced wide and his eventual shot from a tight angle is blocked by Oxley. City keep the attack alive but Cullen's shot from outside the area seconds later is blocked in the box by a Southend player.

58min: McLaughlin's cross into the box is headed for goal by Ranger but Doyle reaches up to cling onto the ball.

48min: Ranger moves into shooting space just inside the area but his shot is pushed away by Doyle. The ball breaks out to Leonard after a Southend cross is half-cleared few seconds later but his shot on the bounce from outside the area flies wide.

46min: The Bantams restart the match.

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

45min: A ball into the box from the visitors is headed on by McLaughlin but the ball bounces just in front of the lurking Cox and out for a goal-kick.

41min: Wordsworth curls narrowly wide of Doyle's near post with an effort direct from a free-kick just outside the box.

39min: City play the resulting corner short, with Law eventually lofting the ball over towards the far post after twisting and turning into space over by the byline. Romain Vincelot can't quite connect clearly with the ball, however, his left-foot half volley from roughly eight yards out bouncing harmlessly wide.

38min: City go close again! Vuckic bursts forward on the attack, leaving him a run towards Southend's box with only two visiting defenders for company. As the loanee attacker gets to the edge of the box, he tries play the on-rushing Law through on goal but his forward pass is blocked out. The loose ball drops at the feet of McNulty just inside the area, his first effort is blocked out before his second shot is deflected narrowly over the bar.

33min: Following a bright run forward from Law, McNulty eventually tees up Josh Cullen for a shooting chance just outside the area and the midfielder curls an effort mere inches wide of goal.

30min: After playing a one-two with Marc McNulty, Law fires for goal from the edge of the box but his angled drive, although powerfully struck, flashes comfortably wide of Mark Oxley's far post.

29min: GOAL!.....No! Mark Marshall has the ball in the net after finishing expertly from Law's low pull back but City's number four had already been flagged for offside before crossing the ball.

28min: So close from Vuckic! The Slovenian curls the ball for goal via a free-kick from the edge of the area, half of the crowd think it's in, but the effort goes narrowly wide of the post!

24min: Demetriou's driven cross-come-shot from outside the area low into the six yard box is held by Doyle.

20min: As City line up for a free-kick outside the area, Wordsworth's plays a quick pass into the box, finding the run of Cox. The striker fires low across goal from an angle; the effort narrowly flashing past Doyle's far post.

11min: Wordsworth's short corner out to Stephen McLaughlin presents the Southend midfielder with enough time for a shot on goal. McLaughlin's shot on the turn is blocked out as far as Leonard just outside the box; his own shot for goal seconds later is deflected behind for a corner.

8min: Anthony Wordsworth's quick free-kick into the box towards the direction of Simon Cox is headed narrowly past Doyle's near post by a stretching Stephen Darby. The Bantams survive the resulting corner when Cox is penalised for hand-ball inside the area.

5min: Ryan Leonard's driven shot into the box lands at the feet of Ranger deep inside the area. The striker only has Colin Doyle to beat but he is correctly flagged offside before he can fire for goal.

4min: Law's corner delivery is flicked on via a glancing header by Rory McArdle but Matthew Kilgallon over by the far post narrowly misses out on connecting as the ball goes for a goal kick.

2min: Nathaniel Knight-Percival's slicked clearance from Nile Ranger's header into the box loops up in the air. Anthony Wordsworth flicks a hanging ball down into Jason Demetriou's path but the right back's driven shot for goal is blocked by the frame Nicky Law.

0min: Southend kick off the match. The Bantams will attack towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:

Doyle, Darby, McArdle, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Marshall, Vincelot, Cullen, Law, Vuckic, McNulty

Subs: Sattelmaier, N Clarke, Dieng, Hanson, B Clarke, Hiwula, Morais

Hanson for Cullen (71), Hiwula for McNulty (71), Morais for Vuckic (81)

Cullen (68), Knight-Percival (87)

SOUTHEND UNITED LINE UP:

Oxley, Demetriou, Thompson, Ferdinand, Coker, McLaughlin, Atkinson, Leonard, Atkinson, Cox, Ranger

Subs: Smith, White, Mooney, Fortune, King, McGlashan, Inniss

Southend United substitutions:
McGlashan for McLaughlin (68), Mooney for Cox (81), Fortune for Ranger (88)

Southend United cautions:
Wordsworth (85)