City’s under-18s secured their opening win of the 2019/20 campaign on Friday with a 2-0 triumph at EFL Youth Alliance North East Division leaders Doncaster Rovers.
The affair proved a tale of two halves, with the Bantams dominating the opening period and their hosts fighting back in the second.
However, Mark Trueman’s men stood firm to hold their own and end Doncaster’s unbeaten start to the season.
The hosts went close to opening the scoring in the first few minutes when City goalkeeper Tom Donaghy had to be alert to keep out Jack Watson’s effort.
However, this seemed to spur the young on Bantams and, five minutes later, they took the lead.
Eliot Goldthorp’s long-range drive took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed stopper Ben Bottomley to hand the midfielder his second goal in as many league games.
Rovers emerged from the interval with more attacking intent, pushing hard for an equaliser.
Junior Smith rattled the crossbar with a powerful header before Watson again went close, as City were pushed further back into their own half.
But the Bantams regained control of the game and - following a strong end to the encounter - wrapped up the points in stoppage time.
Connor Shanks intercepted a miscalculated Doncaster pass and kept his cool when one-on-one to land the decisive blow.
Trueman’s side left south Yorkshire with all three points, with the result seeing them climb to sixth in the league.
CITY: Tom Donaghy; Hayden Smethurst ©, Reece Staunton, Jorge Sikora, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Dan Francis; Eliot Goldhthorp, Kian Scales, Connor Morris; Connor Shanks, Charlie Wood. Subs (not used): Oliver Norman, Olivier Sukiennicki, Harvey Ormerod.
GOALS: Eliot Goldthorp (7’), Connor Shanks (90+2’).
DONCASTER: Ben Bottomley; Lewis Cunningham, Ben Blythe ©, Nathan Dimou, Elliott Walker; Will McGowan, Lirak Hasani, Liam Ravenhill, Luca Nelson (Max Jemson 80’); Jack Watson, Junior Smith (Josh Clemitson 60’). Subs (not used): Kian Johnson.
GOALS: None.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Reece Staunton.