BRADFORD CITY AFC

City were leading with four minutes of normal time to go through a close range James Meredith header midway through the second half but Rovers substitute Charlie Colkett was on hand to net after an unfortunate slip from Romain Vincelot.

Making his City debut, sub Haris Vuckic nearly scored a dramatic last-grasp winner for the Bantams in the eighth minute of injury time but his header was clawed away off the line by Rovers 'keeper Kelle Roos.

The lengthy over-time at the end of the game was due in part to a stoppage of over three minutes in the second period after a low-flying drone was spotting above the pitch at the Northern Commercials Stadium.

With James Hanson back in City's starting line up, the Bantams tried early on to force the issue against their recently-promoted visitors but they were unable to find a clear breakthrough to begin with.

Just after the half hour mark, Billy Clarke fired narrowly over with an ambitious effort from distance before Mark Marshall and the Irish attacker both saw efforts blocked inside the area a minute or so later.

Influential Rovers striker Matty Taylor could have given the hosts the lead just before the break when a parried Billy Bodin shot fell into his path just yards out but he somehow bundled the ball past the post.

Hanson then threatened twice in quick succession from Marshall crosses but the half ended goalless.

Attacking towards the Kop in the second period, City came out of the blocks quickly following the break, dominating the ball, but their efforts to find an opening goal were halted briefly when play was suspended twenty minutes into the half due to the drone.

When play restarted though, it took City only four more minutes to find the breakthrough. Marshall's driven cross into the middle deflected up off Tom Lockyer and the ball fell nicely into the path of Meredith to head home from roughly six yards out.

City were on top at this stage and looking the more likely to trouble the scorers but they were dealt a blow in the game with time running out when Colkett swooped to fire Rovers level.

Lee Brown's cross into the middle looked simple enough for Vincelot to deal with but the Frenchman appeared to slip as he went to head clear, allowing Ellis Harrison to tee up Colkett, who beat Colin Doyle at his near post with a powerful drive.

Rovers perhaps sensed an unlikely victory at this stage, and Doyle had to tip over Peter Hartley's header from a Chris Lines free-kick a couple of minutes later.

The Bantams regained their composure, however, and went on the attack in the extended injury time period. 

With one of the last attacks of the game, Stuart McCall's men looked to have engineered one final moment of glory when Stephen Darby's cross was headed back into the mix by Meredith but Vuckic's own header was somehow repelled by a fantastic save on the line from Roos.

90+8min: City denied deep into stoppage time! From Darby's cross, Meredith heads back into mix towards his waiting team-mates. Vuckic is there for a header of his own from close range but Roos somehow claws the effort away from by the goal-line!

90+1min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Marc McNulty for Law.

90min: There will be eight minutes of time added on at the end of the match, mainly due to the stoppage earlier in the half.

88min: Hartley's glancing header from an in-swinging Lines free-kick delivery into the box is tipped over the bar by Doyle at full stretch.

86min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Bristol Rovers 1 - The visitors equalise through Colkett. Lee Brown's cross into the box looks set to be mopped up by Romain Vincelot but the Frenchman appears to slip at the vital moment, allowing Harrison to nip in. The ball is played back to Colkett and the substitute lashes the ball past Doyle by his near post.

84min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Filipe Morais for Marshall.

82min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Haris Vuckic for Billy Clarke.

78min: SUBS - Rovers bring on Charlie Colkett and Chris Lines for Bodin and Boateng.

76min: Law goes for goal with a curler from just outside the box but the effort deflects off Hanson and past Roos' far post for a goal kick.

71min: Stephen Darby cross from the byline on the over-lap and Hanson's header from roughly seven yards out hits the top of Roos' net.

70min: Marshall fires over with a shot from distance.

69min: Play now resumes with a Marshall free-kick into the box which Rovers eventually clear.

65min: SUB - Bristol Rovers bring on Luke James for Moore just ahead of the scheduled restart of this match.

65min: Play is temporarily suspended here at the Northern Commercials Stadium after a drone is spotted flying above the pitch.

63min: YELLOW CARD - Meredith has to take a booking after pulling down Moore as the winger threaten to speed past him on a potentially dangerous Rovers counter-attack in City's half.

60min: Neat passing from City results in a shot from Marshall from just outside the box that Roos spills behind for a corner.

59min: YELLOW CARD - Sinclair is booked during a break in play for an earlier foul on Clarke during a City attack that referee Mr Haines allowed to continue.

57min: Taylor's shot from distance is held at the second attempt by Doyle.

55min: Harrison tees the ball back for Sinclair but the midfielder's drive from outside the box rolls harmlessly wide of Doyle's goal.

54min: Hartley's mis-control from a Rovers throw-in back to him allows Hanson to get on the ball inside the box. Initially it looked like Hanson might have a run on goal but Hartley is able to recover his ground, forcing the striker to tee Billy Clarke instead. Clarke shoots for goal from the edge of the box but the low effort is held by Roos.

51min: YELLOW CARD - Harrison is booked for pulling back Marshall as the winger moved forward into Rovers' half of the pitch.

46min: The Bantams restart the game.

45+2min: YELLOW CARD - Dieng is booked for bringing down Leadbitter just inside Rovers' half as the full back looked to burst forward into space.

45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first period.

44min: Hanson threatens twice in quick succession! From Marshall's first cross into the box, Hanson fires for goal on the half-volley but the effort is pushed out by Roos before Hartley kicks the loose ball away. Marshall crosses again seconds later and Hanson this time heads over the bar.

42min: Rovers come within inches of taking the lead! Bodin fires for goal from the edge of the box after winning the ball deep in City territory. Doyle pushes the effort out but only as far as Taylor, who is positioned barely yards from goal. The leading Rovers marksman looks set to bundle home from close range despite pressure from a nearby Knight-Percival but he appears to loose his footing at the key moment and the ball rolls just past the post.

39min: YELLOW CARD - Byron Moore becomes Rovers' third booking of the first half when he is cautioned for kicking the ball away after being flagged offside.

38min: From another Hanson flick-on, Clarke takes aim from just outside the box before curling narrowly over the bar with a left-foot shot.

37min: YELLOW CARD - Taylor is booked for cynically bundling over Meredith as the left back looked to burst forward clear into space and into Rovers territory after winning the ball.

36min: Clarke is back on the pitch and play can continue once again.

34min: Clarke, who appeared to have took a whack during his earlier effort for goal a minute or so ago, is down again now receiving treatment from physio Chris Royston.

33min: City go close again through Marshall and then Clarke! From Hanson's flick on, Marshall appears to get goal-side of Lockyer as he runs into the box. As Lockyer looks to recover his ground, Marshall tries to get a shot in but his connection unfortunately isn't clean. Clarke has an effort for goal himself on the rebound but the shot is blocked from inside the box by Hartley.

32min: What a hit from Billy Clarke! So close! Clarke tries his luck from all of 30 yards out, hitting a bouncing ball towards goal and the effort sails not too far over Roos' bar with the 'keeper at full stretch.

31min: YELLOW CARD - After initially letting play continue, referee Andy Haines correctly decides to book Hartley during the next break in play after centre half had hauled back Billy Clarke around the halfway line as City look to spring forward on a counter-attack

22min: Billy Bodin's cross towards the far post is knocked back into the middle by Byron Moore. Matty Taylor is there in position to turn and shoot forwards but Dieng is able to head clear. Seconds later, Bodin goes for goal himself from outside the box but his low effort rounds harmlessly wide of Colin Doyle's near post.

22min: Daniel Leadbitter's cross into the six-yard box looks inviting for Ellis Harrison but a watchful Stephen Darby is able to crucially beat him to the threatening delivery to head behind for a corner.

21min: Nathaniel Knight-Percival attacks Nicky Law's corner delivery into the box but the defender can't quite get a connection on the cross and Roos is able to watch the ball bounces harmlessly well wide of his far post.

19min: James Meredith sends over an inviting cross from the left but the ball is just over the head of the lurking Hanson and Roos is able to gather.

15min: City have a free-kick in a decent position roughly twenty-five yards from goal but Billy Clarke's low effort from Josh Cullen's lay-off is straight into the wall and Rovers can clear.

12min: Stuart Sinclair attempts to find the far top corner from just outside the box but the midfielder's curler flies high and wide of its intended target.

11min: Timothee Dieng is down received a spot of treatment after appearing land awkwardly following an aerial tangle with Hiram Boateng. Dieng is soon able to continue, however, as play is restarted.

3min: Nicky Law tries to play James Hanson in with a sight of goal just inside Rovers' penalty area but a combination of Tom Lockyer and Peter Hartley are able to shepherd the ball back to their 'keeper Kelle Roos.

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

BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:

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

Subs: Sattelmaier, Hiwula, McNulty, Vuckic, Morais, Kilgallon, McMahon

Vuckic for B Clarke (82), Morais for Marshall (84), McNulty for Law (90+1)

Bradford City cautions:
Dieng (45+2), Meredith (63)

BRISTOL ROVERS LINE UP:

Roos, Leadbitter, Lockyer, Hartley, Brown, Moore, Sinclair, Boateng, Bodin, Harrison, Taylor

Subs: Mildenhall, Lines, Clarke, Easter, James, Gaffney, Colkett

James for Moore (69), Colkett for Bodin (78), Lines for Boateng (78)

Hartley (31), Taylor (37), Moore (39), Harrison (51), Sinclair (59)