Saturday 11 November 2017
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 0
Plymouth Argyle 1 (Jervis 35)
Kick Off: 3.00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Attendance: 20,227 (770 visitors)
The Bantams suffered a hugely frustrating afternoon as a stubborn Plymouth Argyle side did just about enough to grind out an unlikely away victory at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
Stuart McCall's men dominated the game from virtually start to finish against the Pilgrims but they were unable to break down the visitors' packed defensive ranks.
Plymouth's winning goal came ten minutes from the break when Lionel Ainsworth's low cross into the six yard box was slid home from close range by Jake Jervis.
Looking for a way back into the game, McCall's men hit the crossbar late on in the first period through a thunderous strike from distance by Paul Taylor.
City also hit the woodwork in the second period when Jake Reeves' looping half-volley from just outside the box crashed against the bar.
The Bantams had the opportunity to set up a grand-stand finish with just over ten minutes before the end of normal time but Tony McMahon saw a penalty saved by Plymouth 'keeper Remi Matthews.
FT: Bradford City 0 Plymouth Argyle 1
90+2min: Doyle comes up for a late free-kick. He stays up in attack as City keep the pressure on even though Plymouth defend the initial delivery. Plymouth eventually see out the danger, however, when the ball is scramble wide.
90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
89min: Grant fires wide with an angled drive outside the area.
87min: McMahon's long ball into the box is headed out as far as Robinson, who fires wide with a first-time shot from just outside the box.
83min: SUB - Plymouth bring on Nathan Blissett for Fox.
82min: YELLOW CARD - Gary Sawyer is booked for taking too long to take a throw-in inside Plymouth's half of the pitch.
78min: PENALTY....SAVED! McMahon fires towards Matthews' right-hand corner but the 'keeper guesses correctly and pushes the shot away!
77min: PENALTY FOR THE BANTAMS - Referee Mr Carl Boyeson awards a spot-kick when Vincelot is pulled back as he looks to get on the end of Law's curling cross into the box.
73min: Gilliead sprints clear of Taylor-Sinclair downs City's right flank, his cross into the box is headed goalwards by Taylor but the effort is held by Matthews.
71min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Dominic Poleon for Jones.
71min: McMahon heads over following Matthew Kilgallon's lofted cross towards the far post.
65min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Alex Gilliead for Reeves.64min: Grant's low centre into the box eventually drops into the path of Toumani Diagouraga but the midfielder smashes over with a rash first time effort.
63min: SUB - Plymouth bring on Antoni Sarcevic for Ainsworth.
63min: Grant heads over from Ainsworth's cross into the middle.
59min: Jones gets himself into space inside the area but he slices a left-footed shot horribly wide from a fairly tight angle.
57min: So close from Reeves! Robinson's pass in-field to Reeves gives the midfielder a shooting chance and his effort on the half-volley from just outside the box crashes against the bar!
56min: Fox's low drive from outside the box is gathered up by Doyle at the second attempt.
55min: Taylor tries another shoot at goal but his effort from outside the box flashes wide Matthews' near post.
53min: Taylor's hanging cross from the byline eventually drops into the path of McMahon but the right back slices his effort into the crowd behind the goal as the ball bounces up awkwardly at him.
51min: Taylor-Sinclair turns away from Vincelot but his rising drive from outside the box on his weaker right foot sails comfortably over.
49min: Taylor goes for goal but his low drive from outside the box is dragged wide of Matthews' near post.
46min: Plymouth kick off the second period.
HT SUB - The Bantams bring on Tyrell Robinson for Tom Field before the restart.
HT: Bradford City 0 Plymouth Argyle 1
45+2min: Wyke is first to McMahon's delivery from the resulting corner but he cannot get a clean connection on the ball and his header bounces through to Matthews.
45+2min: Taylor takes aim from some distance out and an alert Matthews has to get his fingertips onto the stunning strike to tip it onto the top of his crossbar. That would have been some goal!
45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.
40min: Taylor's curling effort from just inside the box is tipped over by Matthews.
39min: YELLOW CARD - Jervis is booked for kicking the ball away following the award of a throw-in inside City's half of the pitch.
35min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Plymouth Argyle 1 - The Pilgrims take the lead ten minutes before the break when Jake Jervis converts from close range following Lionel Ainsworth's low centre into the six yard box. The last touch for the goal appeared as it may have actually come off Nathaniel Knight-Percival but Jervis is credited with the strike. It has to be said that goal has come completely against the run of play after a dominant opening to the game by the Bantams.
33min: YELLOW CARD - Ryan Edwards is booked for Plymouth for barging into the back of Wyke with a high challenge over on City's left wing.
32min: Vincelot heads over in the middle from the resulting wide free-kick into the box from McMahon.
31min: YELLOW CARD - Taylor-Sinclair is booked for a late challenge on McMahon over by City's right flank.
27min: McMahon's curling effort direct from a free-kick outside the area is gathered up first time by Matthews by his near post.
24min: Wyke again! This time the striker shoots for goal from the edge of the box and the low angled drive whistles narrowly past the far post.
24min: Wyke is denied by Sonny Bradley. Nicky Law stands up a cross into the middle for an unmarked Wyke but the striker's goal-bound header is blocked out by the Plymouth defender.
22min: Aaron Taylor-Sinclair whips the ball into the City box at pace and a sliding David Fox narrowly misses out on connecting with the cross in the middle.
19min: Jake Reeves plays a nice one-two with Charlie Wyke but the bobbles away from him at the vital moment inside the box as he goes to shoot and the chance is gone.
13min: Taylor fizzes over a dangerous delivery into the six yard box but the effort is gathered up at the near post by Plymouth 'keeper Remi Matthews.
10min: Tony McMahon floats a corner delivery out to the waiting Taylor outside the box but the attacker slices a half-volley comfortable wide of goal as he is closed down.
2min: Paul Taylor's cross into the box is laid off by Alex Jones into the path of Romain Vincelot, who is lurking just outside the box. Vincelot prods for goal but the effort deflects past the post for a City corner.
0min: The Bantams kick off the match. City will attack the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.
2:56pm: City skipper Romain Vincelot and Plymouth captain Gary Sawyers both lay special poppy wreaths by the centre circle before the Northern Commercials Stadium falls silent for a minute to honour Armistice Day.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Doyle, McMahon, Kilgallon, Knight-Percival, Field, Law, Vincelot, Reeves, Taylor, Wyke, Jones
Subs: Sattelmaier, Thompson, Poleon, Gilliead, Hendrie, Gibson, Robinson
Bradford City substitutions:
Robinson for Field (46), Gilliead for Reeves (65), Poleon for Jones (71)
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE LINE UP:
Matthews, Sawyer, Bradley, Edwards, Taylor-Sinclair, Fox, Songo'o, Ainsworth, Diagouraga, Grant, Jervis
Subs: Cooper, Miller, Sarcevic, Lameiras, Blissett, Wylde, Fletcher
Plymouth Argyle substitutions:
Sarcevic for Ainsworth (63), Blissett for Fox (83)
Plymouth Argyle cautions:
Taylor-Sinclair (31), Edwards (33), Jervis (39), Sawyer (82)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Carl Boyeson
Assistant Referee: Paul Hobday
Assistant Referee: Alf Greenwood
Fourth Official: Darren Drysdale