BRADFORD CITY AFC

Backed by nearly 4,400 vocal away supporters, Stuart McCall's men more than held their own in a high-tempo and physical encounter that ended goalless.

With former Bantams boss Phil Parkinson in their dug-out, Bolton arguably edged the opening period but City looked the more likely scorers after the break.

Bolton skipper Jay Spearing warmed Colin Doyle's hands with a strike from just outside the box in the first minute, while Sammy Ameobi saw an effort deflected behind from deep inside the box later in the half.

Josh Cullen looked for a brief period like he would have to come off in the first half after taking a whack on his knee following a couple of robust challenges but he was able continue for the rest of the game.

After the break, City looked a greater force going forward, with Marc McNulty forcing a mistake from Dean Moxey as he attempted to head back to Mark Howard minutes into the half. 

McNulty nipped in to intercept the ball but he wasn't quite able to get his shot away from inside the box, however, thanks to commendable recovery work from Lewis Buxton.

Bolton winger James Henry fired narrowly over from the edge of the box just past the hour mark but City were still looking the more positive on the ball as the half progressed.

Substitute Jordy Hiwula forced Howard into a save after the impressive James Meredith had found him in space. Timothee Dieng then curled straight at Howard after good play from Mark Marshall later in the half.

Less than a minute before Dieng's opening though, Bolton replacement Zach Clough fired a whisker past the far post with a rising drive from just outside the box.

With time running out, Marshall thought he'd won City a penalty when he tumbled in the box trying to squeeze through the bodies of Buxton and Chris Taylor but match referee Mark Heywood saw differently, booking the winger for a dive.

McCall's men looked to snatch all three points in injury time but Nicky Law headed straight at Howard and Hiwula glanced a header wide from a Marshall cross.

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90+3min: Marshall's cross into the box is sent comfortably wide of Howard's far post via a glancing header from Hiwula.

90+2min: Meredith's cross into the middle finds Nicky Law in space but his header from just inside the area lacks the power and pace to trouble Howard, who gathers with relative ease.

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

89min: Proctor and Chris Taylor work forward Howard's big kick forward but Darby is able to get his body in the way and stop Clough getting onto the ball as it bounces through to Doyle.

87min: Following Knight-Percival's back-pass, Doyle gots to kick up field but his kick is charged down by Proctor and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

85min: YELLOW CARD - Marshall is booked for diving after going down inside the area after taking to squeeze through the bodies of Lewis Buxton and Chris Taylor.

83min: Proctor gets in behind down City's right flank before hooking the ball across the six yard box, Knight-Percival is in the right position though to head clear.

82min: Billy Clarke lines one up from just outside the box but his shot for goal has the sting taken out of it by a diving Dave Wheater and Howard is gather the loose ball easily inside his own area.

80min: SUB - Bolton bring on Chris Taylor for Henry.

75min: Marshall is found in space by a Hiwula pass out to the far left hand corner of Bolton's penalty area. Marshall cuts inside onto his right foot before eventually playing the ball across to Dieng, who sees a curling shot go straight at Howard.

75min: The ball drops into the path of Clough just outside the box after hold up play from Proctor and the substitute attacker fires in a rising drive that goes a whisker past Doyle's far post.

74min: A deflected Marshall cross drops kindly into the path of Billy Clarke just inside the area but the ball bounces up onto his left arm as he looks to control and he is penalised for handball.

72min: YELLOW CARD - Henry is booked for blocking off Meredith as he looked to get on the end of a forward pass down the left flank midway into City territory.

70min: SUB - Bolton bring on Zach Clough for Ameobi.

69min: SUB - Bolton bring on former City loanee Tom Thorpe for Liam Trotter.

67min: After cutting out Proctor's ball across the pitch, James Meredith plays the ball into Hiwula, who has the time and space to turn and run towards Bolton's penalty area. Now in the box, Hiwula shoots for goal but his low drive is gathered up Howard at the second attempt.

63min: Proctor's low cross into the middle from just outside the area finds the run of Henry and the winger's left-footed drive from the edge of the box rises just over Doyle's crossbar.

62min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Jordy Hiwula for McNulty.

60min: YELLOW CARD - Proctor is booked for clipping Knight-Percival as the defender looking the bring the ball out of defence.

54min: Proctor and Ameobi lead a dangerous counter-attack from a City short corner but diligent defending from Stephen Darby eventually sees out the danger for the Bantams as he wins a foul off Ameobi.

49min: Billy Clarke's hooked ball over the top has Moxey in some trouble with McNulty lurking behind him. Moxey attempts to head back to Howard but McNulty is able to nip in and wrestle possession before the ball gets back to the Bolton 'keeper. Now in the area, McNulty tries to work himself into a shooting position but a recovering Lewis Buxton is able to hold him off just enough. McNulty eventually tries to knock the ball back to a supporting Billy Clarke but Bolton can finally clear their lines.

47min: Romain Vincelot is down after appearing to take a knock to his left foot. The Frenchman is eventually able to get to his feet, however, and play continues without him needing treatment from City physio Chris Royston.

46min: Bolton restart the match. City will attack towards a sold-out away end in the second period.

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

41min: Bright wing play from Marshall eventually see City's number seven release Cullen into space down the left flank. Cullen looks to pick out a team-mate in the middle but his looping ball across goal is caught by Howard at full stretch. At the other end a short time afterwards, Doyle is able to gather up by his near post after Knight-Percival had got a touch on a Proctor cross.

40min: Dean Moxey whips over an inviting ball into the six yard box but Doyle is on hand to gather up the cross before any Bolton player can look to attack.

37min: YELLOW CARD - Josh Vela is booked for Bolton for late challenge on Cullen just inside the hosts' half of the pitch.

35min: The ball breaks out to Marshall just outside the area but his low left-footed effort is straight at Mark Howard.

31min: Timothee Dieng fires high and wide of the far post after striking for goal from just outside the box.

28min: Proctor's downward header goes wide of the far post from Henry's corner.

27min: A bit of a scramble ensues in the City penalty area after Henry plays Proctor into space in the box. A couple of City defenders eventually manage to block Proctor's route to goal but the striker is still able to tee up Ameobi, who sees his shot deflected behind for a corner.

26min: It seems for a short way like Cullen might have to go off as the midfielder goes down again, clearly still struggling from the whack he took from the Spearing challenge. Daniel Devine appears to get himself ready to come on but Cullen toughs it out and carries on.

24min: YELLOW CARD - Spearing is booked for a late tackle on Cullen midway into City's half of the pitch that leaves the Bantams midfielder in some discomfort. After a brief spot of treatment though, Cullen is able to carry on.

20min: Henry's corner delivery into the middle is knocked down into the mix via the head of Proctor but Knight-Percival is on hand to clear the danger out of the box.

5min: As City look to build an attack, Mark Marshall appears to be muscled off the ball by Dean Moxey just inside the area. The large away contingent appeal for a penalty but referee Mark Heywood allows play to continue.

1min: From the resulting James Henry corner, Proctor heads narrowly over.

1min: Bolton threaten early on through skipper Jay Spearing. After turning away from Josh Cullen, Spearing drives to the edge of the box before firing in a shot that is pushed away by Colin Doyle. Sammy Ameobi keeps the pressure on by crossing the ball back into the box and a watchful Nathaniel Knight-Percival has to head behind to deny a lurking Jamie Proctor from pouncing from close range.

0min: Bolton kick off.

BOLTON WANDERERS LINE UP:

Howard, Buxton, Beevers, Wheater, Moxey, Spearing, Trotter, Vela, Henry, Ameobi, Proctor

Subs: Alnwick, C Taylor, Clough, Osede, A Taylor, Wilson, Thorpe

Thorpe for Trotter (69), Clough for Ameobi (70), C Taylor for Henry (80)

Spearing (24), Vela (37), Proctor (60), Henry (72)

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:

Doyle, Darby, Vincelot, Knight-Percival, Meredith, Marshall, Dieng, Cullen, Law, McNulty, B Clarke

Subs: Sattelmaier, Hiwula, Vuckic, Morais, McArdle, Devine, Kilgallon

Hiwula for McNulty (62)

Marshall (85)