Bradford City 1 Harrogate Town 3: Sulphurites secure victory at third time of asking

Having drawn with Rochdale then lost to Exeter City after getting themselves into identical positions in their two previous outings, Simon Weaver’s men made no mistake at Valley Parade on Tuesday evening.

The Bantams edged in front when Luke Hendrie’s long throw-in from the right was headed out of the Harrogate box, but dropped for Matty Foulds to unleash a first-time daisy-cutter which beat the dive of Mark Oxley.

With the volume suddenly cranked up, City pressed forwards in search of a second, and Oxley blocked with his chest from Alex Gilliead.

Town created their first clear chance of the evening on 35 minutes when George Thomson swung over a cross that Ryan Fallowfield just needed to apply a finishing touch to at the far post, but failed to connect with.

Harrogate would however level matters in the fifth minute of time added on, Lewis Page delivering a right-wing corner to the near post, where Warren Burrell glanced home a header.

The visitors should have taken the lead just a minute after the resumption, Luke Armstrong getting in behind before pulling back for Jack Muldoon, who sliced wide.

But, with 62 minutes on the clock, Page did find the net, curling a 23-yard free-kick over the Bradford wall and beyond the despairing dive of Bass.

City looked certain to level matters on 70 minutes when a cross from the right found Gilliead unmarked six yards out, but Oxley saved superbly, then denied the same player again soon afterwards.

Mark Trueman’s Bantams were put out of their misery in the final seconds of normal time when substitute Brahima Diarra played Jack Diamond in behind to beat Bass one-on-one.

Bradford City: Bass; O’Connor, Songo’o, Foulds (Cousin-Dawson 63); Hendrie, Daly (Cooke 70), Sutton, Watt, Gilliead; Cook, Elliott (Robinson 11). Unused substitutes: O’Donnell, Kelleher, Evans, Lavery.

Harrogate Town: Oxley; Burrell, Smith, Sheron; Fallowfield (Legge 89), Falkingham, Thomson, Page; Diamond; Armstrong (Beck 79), Muldoon (Diarra 82). Unused substitutes: Cracknell, Kerry, Austerfield.

Referee: J Bell (South Yorkshire).