Saturday 13 January 2018
Sky Bet League One
Bradford City 1 (Taylor 90+2)
Northampton Town 2 (O'Toole 43, Long 62)
Kick Off: 3:00pm
at the Northern Commercials Stadium
A late fight-back from Stuart McCall's Bantams couldn't prevent City from falling to defeat at the hands of Northampton Town.
A goal in each half for Northampton from John-Joe O'Toole and Chris Long gave the Cobblers the advantage going into the closing stages at the Northern Commercials Stadium.
City kept going, however, with Nathaniel Knight-Percival and Timothee Dieng denied during a penalty area scramble and Dominic Poleon hitting the bar soon after.
The Bantams, who saw a first half Matthew Kilgallon effort disallowed for offside, did pull a goal back thanks to a long range effort from Paul Taylor in injury time but McCall's men couldn't find a leveller in the short time remaining.
FT: Bradford City 1 Northampton Town 2
90+2min: GOAL!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Northampton Town 2 - Taylor pulls one back in injury time thanks to a fine strike from distance after a quickly taken free-kick.
90+1min: YELLOW CARD - Shay Facey is booked for taking too long over a Northampton throw-in.
90min: There will be five minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
88min: SUB - Northampton bring on Hildeberto Pereira for O'Toole.
87min: YELLOW CARD - Taylor is booked bringing down O'Toole as the pair contested the ball midway into Northampton's half of the pitch.
86min: SUB - Northampton bring on Alex Revell for Long.
85min: YELLOW CARD - Foley is booked for delaying the taking of a City free-kick inside their own half of the pitch.
84min: Poleon hits the bar! Knight-Percival heads on from a ball forward towards the area and Poleon crashes a fierce striker against the woodwork!
83min: So close for the Bantams! Poleon, Dieng and Knight-Percival all time to scramble the ball home but some important blocks from
82min: YELLOW CARD - Grimes is booked for a late tackle on Dieng midway into Northampton's half of the pitch.
76min: SUB - Northampton bring on Daniel Powell for Hoskins.
74min: After good work from Long, Hoskins fires for goal from the edge of the box but the shot goes high and wide.
73min: Law's low cross finds Timothee Dieng in space inside the box. Dieng fires for goal from a good position inside the area but the goal-bound shot is blocked by Ash Taylor. Good sight of goal for City and Dieng there.
72min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Dominic Poleon for McCartan.
69min: Taylor drives a shot forwards but Vincelot isn't able to get a proper foot on the ball in the box and the effort dribbles out for goal kick.
66min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Callum Guy for Hanson.
62min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Northampton Town 2 - The Cobblers double their lead when Long beats Raeder by his near post with a low angled drive from inside the box.
61min: Alex Gilliead's cross into the box eventually drops into the path of Knight-Percival but his hooked shot for goal on the half-volley drops wide.
56min: Play is soon back under way again as O'Toole resumes action.
56min: Play is halted briefly to allow O'Toole to receive treatment following a bang to the head.
55min: Taylor goes for goal from outside the box but the effort flashes past O'Donnell's near post.
51min: As City try to clear their lines, Foley connects with a half-volley on the turn but the rising effort from the edge of the box sails some distance over.
46min: The Bantams restart the match. City seem to have moved Nathaniel Knight-Percival up into attack, with Vincelot moving back to central defence. Nicky Law switching to centre midfield and Taylor now occupying the left wing position.
HT: Bradford City 0 Northampton Town 1
45+1min: Vincelot sends a bicycle kick over the bar following McCartan's clipped cross into the middle from the byline.
45min: There will one minute of time added on at the end of the first period.
43min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Northampton Town 1 - The Cobblers take the lead shortly before the break when John-Joe O'Toole nips in to head home from close range following Grimes' corner delivery into the box.
41min: Taylor's flighted cross towards the far post from a corner delivery is met by Romain Vincelot and the skipper's volley for goal has to be tipped over by O'Donnell.
39min: Hoskins' angled drive from the edge of the box is held onto by a watchful Raeder.
38min: GOAL!!!!!!!....NO! Matthew Kilgallon has the ball in the net but it is disallowed for offside! O'Donnell is unable to hang onto the ball after Taylor had sent a fizzing drive for goal direct from a free-kick. Kilgallon steals in to fire home the rebound from close range but his celebrations are cut short by the linesman's flag.
27min: YELLOW CARD - Sam Hoskins is booked for dragging back Robinson just inside City's half of the pitch as the left back looked to burst forward into Northampton territory.
19min: Paul Taylor goes for goal with a low angled drive from just inside the box but the effort rolls into the side-netting by Richard O'Donnell's near post.
12min: Shay McCartan does brilliantly over on City's right flank, twisting and turning away from Jordan Turnbull, before fizzing the ball dangerously across the Northampton's six yard box. Robinson is close by but he can't quite get a touch on the ball as it flashes out for throw-in over by the far side.
10min: Chris Long beats Tyrell Robinson to a loose ball inside City's penalty area but his snap-shot from an angle flashes some distance over.
8min: Sam Foley beats Jacob Hanson to Shay Facey's hanging ball into the box but his downward header lacks power and is straight at Raeder.
6min: Ash Taylor's hooked effort for goal from a Matt Grimes corner lands on the roof of Lukas Raeder's net.
0min: Northampton Town kick off the match. City will attack towards the Kop Stand in the first period.
BRADFORD CITY LINE UP:
Raeder, Hanson, Kilgallon, Knight-Percival, Robinson, Gilliead, Dieng, Vincelot, Law, Taylor, McCartan
Subs: Sattelmaier, Reeves, Poleon, Guy, Pybus, Devine, Gibson
Bradford City substitutions:
Guy for Hanson (66), Poleon for McCartan (72)
Bradford City cautions:
Taylor (87)
NORTHAMPTON TOWN LINE UP:
O'Donnell, Facey, Taylor, Turnbull, Poole, O'Toole, Crooks, Hoskins, Grimes, Foley, Long
Subs: Cornell, Moloney, Buchanan, Revell, Powell, McWilliams, Pereira
Northampton Town substitutions:
Powell for Hoskins (76), Revell for Long (86), Pereira for O'Toole (88)
Northampton Town cautions:
Hoskins (27), Grimes (82), Foley (85), Facey (90+1)
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Craig Hicks
Assistant Referee: Craig Taylor
Assistant Referee: Paul Newhouse
Fourth Official: Richard Bartlett