Late Penalty Robs City of a win

Last updated : 17 November 2013 By CNS at Valley Parade

BRADFORD CITY 3-3 COVENTRY CITY 

City: Murphy, Adams, Webster, J. Clarke, Christie, Thomas, Fleck, Baker, Moussa (Phillips 84), Wilson, L. Clarke. Subs: Burge (GK), Haynes, Garner, Barton, Daniels, Loza. 

Bradford City: McLaughlin (GK), Darby, Meredith, Reid (Da Vita 84), Hanson, Thompson (Yeates 67), Jones (C), Wells, Bates (Connell 82), McArdle, Doyle. Subs: Ripley (GK), Kennedy, Taylor, Folan..

HT BCAFC 2-3 CCFC  FT BCAFC 3-3 CCFC ATT 14,322

Goals Andy Webster 2,Leon Clarke 6, Nahki Wells 16,27 & 94 pen, Callum Wilson 42 

Referee K.Friend. Booked Jones, Thomas, Adams, Wilson

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Coventry City had a win snatched from them in a 3-3 draw at Bradford City.

On a cold, damp Sunday morning, the 717 members of the Sky Blue Army set off for Yorkshire, where City were unbeaten in league matches played in November since 1973, City supporters travelled from the likes of Newcastle and Kent to Valley Parade to see Steven Pressley name a team which had John Fleck back in place of Adam Barton.

 City who have lost only twice in 18 league games following an FA Cup First Round tie, playing in sky blue, attacked the double tiered Kop end stand and won a free kick inside the opening minute. When the kick by Carl Baker was taken, there was Andy Webster to score after only 64 seconds. 

Just over five minutes later and the City support were going mad when Callum Wilson burst through. McLaughlin came out and blocked and the ball fell for Leon Clarke to fire into the empty net. 

Wilson used his pace again and lost his marker and got in a shot, which deflected off the post for a corner.

The Bantams came back with Murphy making a great save from Hanson but the 16th minute danger was not dealt with and Nahki Wells was allowed space inside the area to fire low past Murphy who had not cleared along with Jordan Clarke.

 In this end to end game which probably made great viewing for those who packed out pubs and clubs plus a lounge at the Ricoh Arena, Carl Baker got in a curler which McLaughlin pushed round for a corner and Blair Adams went down and although the City fans appealed for a penalty, nothing was given.

City won two successive corners in the 25th minute but a free kick to the Bantams and some poor defending stood saw what was left of the City defence stand and watch Nahki Wells, who is expected to be attracting attention from Premier League clubs when the January transfer window re-opens, to slip the past Murphy and make it 2-2 much to the delight of the home fans and their annoying drummer.

 

Having got back into the game, the Bantams were now having the slight upper hand. They were not having the luck and were denied a 37th minute penalty following a Jordan Clarke shove which led to a break from Callum Wilson who fired not far wide at the other end.

Gary Jones rifled wide before Mr Friend spot a 40th minute shove on the edge of the area for a Bradford free kick which became a corner and then another. 

City broke. The ball went up the other end in the 42nd minute to Callum Wilson and from an acute angle, well it looked it from the upper tier of the away end, City's leading scorer lashed the ball into the net.

McLaughlin caught a Baker free kick and Bradford won a corner as the half ended.

Attacking where the City fans were, Cyrus Christie was first to show in the second half curling wide. 

Franck Moussa then got in on the act winning a corner with a low drive. That fell for Leon Clarke whose deflected shot won another.

In the 55th minute, Wells hit the bar with a free kick. Wilson burst up the other end but fired over. Both sides won corners with two coming for the Sky Blues on the hour mark.

A hard working Sky Blue team, with every player giving their all, continued to look for another goal and Leon Clarke was not too far from getting on the end of a Wilson ball in the left in the 72nd minute.

A header from Hanson went over at the other end before Wilson got a bang on the head after getting in a 78th minute header at McLaughlin.

Bradford used all their substitutes and Aaron Phillips, came on for Franck Moussa, who never seems to finish a match under Steven Pressley.

In the dying seconds, City conceded a penalty when Mr Friend spotted a Jordan Clarke handball and Nahki Wells completed his hat-trick to see City only take a point, which was their 4000th in the Football League.