A fine, warm evening greeted the Bradford players upon their first visit to the Keepmoat Stadium for this first Round tie against the holders of the Johnstones Paint Trophy. Both sides turned out much changed sides. The Rovers made six changes to Saturday's line-up giving Steve Roberts and Paul Green their first starts of the season, with Lewis Guy, Paul Heffernan, Martin Woods and Sean McDaid also starting. Bradford City made eight changes from last Saturdays starting line-up, one of which entailed 18 year old Ben Saynor being called up for his first team debut because both senior goalkeepers were injured. The Rovers defended the South Stand end in the first half.
The visitors set the ball rolling but it was the Rovers who were the first to show in attack when Guy was brought down on the edge of the Bradford penalty area after 3 minutes. Green put a low free kick past the post. Two minutes on and Taylforth was put away down the Bradford left, cut in and from the angle of the penalty area fired wide of the far post. An even few minutes followed before the Rovers forced four successive corners either side of the quarter hour mark. The fourth one was headed into the net by McCAMMON from Gareth Roberts cross following the short corner. The Bantams hit back by winning their first corner but it was cleared. Minutes later and from a Rovers free kick on their left, Steve Roberts got in a header that Saynor saved. On 24 minutes, the Rovers increased their lead when Heffernan, inside the Bradford penalty area played a ball through to the right for GUY to run on to and from an angle fired across the keeper into the far corner of the net. The Rovers were now playing some good football but it was Bradford who had the next clear chance on 28 minutes when Colbeck took a pass from the right and with a clear sight of goal from the edge of the penalty area Colbeck fired straight at Sullivan, who effected the save. The Rovers were well in the ascendancy now and ten minutes from the break Guy, on the right, put the ball to Woods, on the left, who skewed his shot into the middle. Heffernan collected the ball and hit a tremendous drive that hit the underside of the bar and bounced away. Minutes later and Heffernan shot wide from 25 yards followed by McCammon heading down a long clearance out of the Rovers defence for Guy to drift past his marker and hammer in a fierce drive that Saynor parried away brilliantly. On 41 minutes, Heffernan was played in clear on goal and shot past the keeper as he came out. The ball hit the left hand post and bounced away to the right where McCAMMON was first to it to scramble it into the net as he slipped on the turf. Two minutes later and a neat 1-2 in the Bradford penalty area between Heffernan and McDaid saw the latter drive on goal but again Saynor beat it out with a flying save. The Rovers continued to push on to the break and a final effort from Heffernan from 20 yards was wide.
Bradford made all three substitutions at the beginning of the second half whilst the Rovers changed their keeper. The home team carried on where they left off in the first half by winning a corner but this was cleared. Five minutes in and a low cross from the right by O'Connor took out the keeper but Clarke was there to clear the ball as McCammon and Heffernan closed in. Minutes later, three successive corners brought no reward for the Rovers. On the hour Woods fired over from 30 yards but a minute later the visitors gained a corner. Nothing came from it but Bradford continued on the attack for a couple of minutes. Then, on 64 minutes, another Rovers attack led to Heffernan having his shot blocked but the ball broke to WOODS in the centre of goal 20 yards out. A terrific left foot drive made it four to the Rovers. The visitors were still game and forced a corner from which Joynes headed wide. Dyer shot wide for the Rovers before Bradford launched an attack that won them a free kick about 25 yards out in the 70th minute. NIX took the kick and a great low drive into the left bottom corner was out of reach for Smith. Back came the Rovers. A corner caused mayhem before Dyer fired high and wide then McDaid had a shot from 25 yards saved and a corner was forced following a free kick on the right. After 78 minutes goal number 5 duly arrived when Guy swung over a great cross from the right into the six yards box where HARBAN, in trying to clear, only succeeded in slicing into his own net. Keeping up the pressure, Woods hit the top of the bar from 30 yards and Dyer had a shot blocked. Bradford continued to try and cut the deficit and only a great tackle by Hird on Thorne in the 86th minute stopped them. The match ran to it's allotted time and the Rovers emerged the victors by 5 goals to one after a terrific footballing display.
Teams - ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Steve Roberts, Gareth Roberts; Lewis Guy, Paul Green, Martin Woods, Sean McDaid; Paul Heffernan, Mark McCammon.
Subs used - Ben Smith for Sullivan 46 mins; Bruce Dyer for McCammon 57 mins; Sam Hird for O'Connor 57 mins.
Subs not used - James Hayter, Richie Wellens
Cautions - McDaid
Bradford City - Ben Saynor; Thomas Harban, Paul Heckingbottom, Craig Bentham, Simon Ainge, Matthew Clarke, Joe Colbeck, Scott Phelan, Barry Conlon, Kyle Nix, Sean Taylforth.
Subs used - Peter Thorne for Conlon 46 mins; Luke O'Brien for Colbeck 46 mins; Nathan Joynes for Ainge 46 mins;
Subs not used - Tom Penford, Luke Morgan
Cautions - Conlon, Phelan, Nix
