A Bradford City XI – led by Martin Drury and made up of both first-team players short of game-time and under-18s - was narrowly beaten 2-1 in a friendly by a Huddersfield Town Academy XI yesterday.
In blustery conditions at City’s Woodhouse Grove training base, it was the hosts who led in the first half only to be pegged back before the interval and edged out in the second period - as new Bantams boss Gary Bowyer looked on.
In a tight, evenly contested game with few chances, it was City who took the lead 18 minutes in.
Luca Colville found space out wide and fashioned a pin-point cross, which was tapped home by George Miller from close range.
But the Bantams’ lead didn’t last long - and just six minutes later the visitors were level.
Kit Elliott beat Paudie O’Connor to a long ball and, after standing up the Bradford skipper for the day, fed Aaron Rowe and fired the ball high into the roof of the net to level matters.
City could have regained the lead with five minutes of the first half remaining, had Miller managed to beat the Huddersfield goalkeeper.
The second half followed a similar, uneventful pattern to the first.
However - after 64 minutes - the young Terriers were in front for the first time.
Captain Scott High laid Rowe off from a free-kick on the edge of the box and the impressive attacker struck a powerful effort, with the help of a deflection, for his and his side’s second of the afternoon.
City were still determined to rescue a draw and were presented a decent chance to equalise with two minutes on the referee’s watch.
Man-of-the-match Joe Riley burst into the box and found substitute Raeece Ellington but the second-year apprentice snatched at his effort, sending a half-volley harmlessly wide.
CITY: Ben Wilson; Jake Maltby, Paudie O’Connor (c) (Jorge Sikora 65’), Reece Staunton, Joe Riley; Jermaine Anderson (Raeece Ellington 62’), Josh Wright (Eliot Goldthorp 65’); Trialist, Luca Colville, Omari Patrick (Jeremie Milambo 83’); George Miller (Kielen Adams 62’). Subs (not used): George Sykes-Kenworthy.
GOALS: Miller (18’).
TOWN: Jacob Chapman; Jaheim Headley, Jake Barrett (Mustapha Olagunju 33’), Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Ben Jackson; Scott High (c), Hamza Kaid (Kian Harratt 64’), Josh Austerfield (Taylor Annakin 81’); Micah Obiero (Sam Sharrock-Peplow, 64’), Kit Elliott, Aaron Rowe. Subs (not used): Harrison Davison Hale.
GOALS: Rowe (24’, 64’).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Joe Riley