Aldershot Town 1 Bradford City 0: Charles's stunning goal enough to sink City

THE Recreation Ground proved an unhappy hunting ground yet again for Peter Taylor.

Bradford City's new manager Taylor lost here in charge of Wycombe last season and Stevenage the one before.

Aldershot captain and centre-back Anthony Charles scored the decisive goal, on 54 minutes, flashing a superb left-footed shot low into the corner from Scott Donnelly's cross.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Defences had dominated a low-key first half in which Bradford were marginally more threatening with captain Simon Ramsden's inswinging corners their best weapon.

From one Matthew Clarke forced a scrambled save from Stephen Henderson; from another Mark McCammon hooked wide from James Hanson's knock-down.

City were a trifle fortunate in first half stoppage time, however, when the referee waved away strong Aldershot appeals for a penalty after Clarke's clumsy challenge on Danny Hylton.

After Charles's goal, Taylor changed his system twice to try to find a way back into the game but to no avail.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Aldershot looked more likely to score again,with Hylton forcing a fine save from Glennon and Damian Spencer ballooning a rebound over the bar.

But Bradford did have two excellent late openings. First Robbie Threlfall dragged a shot just wide and then, in stoppage time, Lee Bullock blasted a glorious chance over the bar.

Aldershot Town: Henderson; Herd, Winfield (Blackburn 22), Charles, Sandell; Hudson (Jackson 84), Bozanic, Donnelly, Harding, Straker (Spencer 78); Hylton. Unused substitutes: Jaimez-Ruiz, Soares, Chalmers, Riza.

Bradford City: Glennon; Ramsden, Williams, Clarke, Threlfall; Evans (Grant 74), Bullock, Flynn, O'Brien (Daley 58); Hanson, McCammon (O'Leary 58). Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Bateson, Boulding, Thorne.

Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent).