Saturday 30 December 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 3 (Wyke 2, McCartan 55, Dieng 59)
Oxford United 2 (Carroll 50, Obika 75)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance: 19,691 (404 visitors)
The Bantams ended the calendar year of 2017 with a deserved victory over Oxford United at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
Playing some delightful and eye-catching football at times, City were able to claim the points thanks to goals from Charlie Wyke, Shay McCartan and Timothee Dieng.
Stuart McCall's men took the lead of the game as early as the second minute when Wyke fired in on the rebound after McCartan's header from a corner had been saved by Oxford 'keeper Simon Eastwood.
Thereafter, McCall's side could have been out of sight by half time.
City created chance after chance in the remainder of the opening half, with Wyke hitting the top of the bar and also forcing Eastwood into a good save following a great flowing move.
McCartan, Matthew Kilgallon and Paul Taylor, on more than one occasion, all kept Eastwood busy with further efforts on goal, while Dieng saw a shot cleared off the line by James Henry.
After City's domination of the first half, Oxford stunned the vast majority of those inside the Northern Commercials Stadium by levelling things up early after the restart when Canice Carroll headed home from a Ricardinho corner.
The Bantams were in no mood to let their hard work go to waste, however, and they found themselves back in front just five minutes later.
McCartan netted his second goal of the season with a superb curling effort from outside the box.
City had a third just four minutes later when Dieng headed in from close range following Tyrell Robinson's cross into the box.
Oxford did manage to pull a goal back fifteen minutes from the end when Jon Obika fired home from inside the box, but City weren't to be denied.
The only downside on an afternoon that saw City return to winning ways following two previous defeats was the injury time dismissal of Wyke.
The striker was given a straight red card for a lunge on Carroll, meaning he is now sent to miss the Bantams' next three matches.
FT: Bradford City 3 Oxford United 2
90+7min: YELLOW CARD - Mousinho is giving a yellow card for complaining to the near-side linesman about a decision.
90+3min: RED CARD - Wyke is given a red card! The striker is dismissed for a lunging tackle on Carroll midway into City's half of the pitch.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of match.
85min: Patrick's low left-footed drive from just outside the box is easy for Eastwood.
84min: Eastwood has to make the save after Ricardinho diverted the ball towards his own goal while under press from Wyke following Robinson's low centre into the six yard box.
78min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Omari Patrick for Taylor.
75min: GOAL - Bradford City 3 Oxford United 2 - Obika pulls a goal back when he fires in from deep inside the box following Henry's pull-back from the byline.
74min: SUB - Oxford bring on Jack Payne for van Kessel.
73min: SUB - Oxford bring on Agon Mehmeti for Thomas.
72min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Alex Gilliead for McCartan.
69min: A shot on the turn from van Kessel just outside the box is held by Sattelmaier.
68min: A promising Oxford attack ends with Sattelmaier diving on a driven ball into the six yard box by van Kessel.
67min: Ryan Ledson's mis-hit shot from just outside the box arrives at Obika in the area but striker can only divert a header wide.
63min: Taylor's angled drive from the edge of the box bounces wide.
59min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 3 Oxford United 1 - City double their lead through Dieng! Robinson bursts past Henry before standing up a cross into the middle for Dieng to head home!
55min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 2 Oxford United 1 - McCartan fires City back in front! The Northern Irish international finds the far corner with a brilliant curling effort from outside the area!
53min: Sattelmaier has to sprint clear outside his area to narrowly beat Henry to Knight-Percival's attempted back-pass.
50min: GOAL - Bradford City 1 Oxford United 1 - After dominating the first half, City find themselves pegged back towards the start of the second period. Carroll finds the corner with a powerful header from a Ricardinho corner delivery.
48min: Taylor takes a shot for goal from outside the box following a short City free-kick but the effort goes wide of Eastwood's near post.
46min: Oxford restart the match.
HT: Bradford City 1 Oxford United 0
45+2min: Taylor bursts forward towards Oxford's penalty area before letting fly with a drive from just outside the box that Eastwood tips over.
45+1min: Henry's drive from outside the box deflects off Robinson and narrowly past the post.
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first period.
45min: The ball is played into the unmarked Wes Thomas inside City's penalty area but Sattelmaier is out quickly to make the important block. That was a crucial save from the shot-stopper there.
39min: Robinson's cross to the far post is headed down into the mix by Wyke but Dieng's shot for goal is blocked behind by the frame of Martin.
38min: Taylor's drive from the edge of the box is pushed out by Eastwood, with Wyke unable to control the loose ball on the rebound as it bounces away from him.
36min: A defensive error from Oxford presents McCartan with a shooting chance and the striker's drive from the edge of the area is pushed away by Eastwood.
34min: Josh Ruffels' powerful drive from outside the box is held first time by Sattelmaier.
32min: City are keeping the pressure on, with Law seeing a rising drive from the edge of the box tipped over by Eastwood.
32min: What a goal that would have been! Superb inter-play between the likes of Wyke, McCartan and Law eventually sees City engineer a shooting chance. Wyke is on the end of the move but his strike from inside the box is saved by the legs of Eastwood.
29min: From the resulting Taylor corner, Matthew Kilgallon connects sweetly with the delivery but his volley is repelled via the sharp reflexes of Eastwood.
28min: Off the line! Some sustained City pressure sees McCartan finds Dieng in a good position inside the box. Dieng's low drive for goal beats Eastwood's dive but Henry is in the right place behind him to kick clear on the line. Seconds later, Robinson is found in shooting space deep inside the box as City keep the pressure on, but his shot is deflected past the near post by Eastwood.
26min: Carroll's curling cross from the right with his left foot ends up going towards goal and Sattelmaier has to back-pedal to cling onto the ball to stop it from going over the line.
23min: Dieng's forward pass finds Taylor just outside the box and the attacker's strike for goal has to be pushed behind by Eastwood.
19min: YELLOW CARD - Canice Carroll is booked for bringing down Wyke as the striker looked to move into space down City's left flank.
18min: Off the top of the bar! Robinson's cross into the area finds Wyke and the striker's powerful header bounces off the top of Eastwood's crossbar!
16min: Robinson's cross into the box from the left eventually finds its way out to Luke Hendrie over on the far side. Hendrie goes for goal with a first-time from just outside the box and the drive deflects not too far wide of Eastwood's far post.
13min: McCartan lays the ball back to Timothee Dieng from Law's pass in-field but the Frenchman's drive from outside the box sails over.
11min: Van Kessel's low bobbling strike from outside the box is held by Rouven Sattelmaier.
10min: SUB - Oxford midfielder Joe Rothwell limps off, with the visitors replacing him with James Henry.
8min: Decent chance for Oxford. Gino van Kessel slips the ball into Obika inside the area and the striker fires a low angled drive just past the far post.
7min: Nicky Law's ball into Wyke gives the striker a sight of goal but he shoots with his weaker left foot while seemingly unbalanced and the effort rolls through to Eastwood.
6min: Ricardinho's testing cross into the box is prodded wide of the far post by the stretching Jon Obika.
4min: Tyrell Robinson bursts forward deep into Oxford territory after winning the ball on the halfway line. The youngster, starting at left back today, eventually shoots for goal but the low effort is dragged comfortably wide.
2min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Oxford United 0 - The Bantams take an early lead through Charlie Wyke! From the resulting corner from Paul Taylor, McCartan sees a header for goal repelled by Simon Eastwood but Wyke is hand to smash in the rebound!
2min: Shay McCartan goes down in the box under the challenge of Aaron Martin but referee Mr Eddie Ilderton believes the Oxford defender got a touch on the ball, however, and only awards a corner.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match. They will attack towards the Kop Stand in the first half.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Sattelmaier, Hendrie, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Robinson, Vincelot, Dieng, Law, McCartan, Taylor, Wyke
Subs: Raeder, Thompson, Field, Hanson, Gilliead, Gibson, Patrick
Bradford City substitutions:
Gilliead for McCartan (72), Patrick for Taylor (78)
OXFORD UNITED LINE UP:
Eastwood, Carroll, Mousinho, Martin, Ricardinho, van Kessel, Ledson, Rothwell, Ruffels, Thomas, Obika
Subs: Shearer, Tiendalli, Williamson, Payne, Henry, Mowatt, Mehmeti
Oxford United substitutions:
Henry for Rothwell (10), Mehmeti for Thomas (73), Payne for van Kessel (74)
Oxford United cautions:
Carroll (19)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Eddie Ilderton
Assistant Referee: Anthony Moore
Assistant Referee: Gareth Mellor
Fourth Official: Ross Joyce