Bantams hold nerve in penalty thriller to deny Town

City’s passage to the Northern Area quarter-finals last night was secured by a penalty shoot-out victory, Nialle Rodney converting the decisive kick amid huge tension after Antony Kay and Tommy Miller had missed for Town.

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson said: “I am really proud of them all. I would have said the same even if we had lost on penalties.

“We went into the game as underdogs and I said to the players before kick-off, ‘We will all have to go above and beyond the call of duty’. They did just that.

“I am particularly pleased for Nialle (who has been out with an ankle injury). In fact, I haven’t seen much of him since I came to the club.

“I nearly didn’t want to put him on the bench so for him to play as long as he did is a tremendous credit to him. It should get his Bradford City career up and running.”

Victory may have been by the slimmest of margins but there can be little doubt that the tremendous endeavour put in by Bradford deserved reward.

The shoot-out drama was entirely in keeping with the 90 minutes that had preceded City’s dramatic triumph from the spot as the 10,489 crowd were treated to a derby classic.

In terms of possession and territorial supremacy, Huddersfield were in control for long periods and created numerous promising openings.

Despite that, City showed tremendous mettle and a never-say-die attitude that belied their lowly status in League Two and fully deserved to end normal time on level terms.

Parkinson’s side could, in fact, consider themselves unlucky not to have won the tie, especially considering the chances they created, while fewer in number, were often of a more clear-cut nature.

This was certainly the case in a scoreless first half with City wasting a glorious opportunity on 33 minutes.

Mark Stewart was the guilty party, failing to meet Flynn’s inviting cross with sufficient power to trouble Colgan despite being unmarked just eight yards out.

Huddersfield may not have managed to fashion an opening quite as clear-cut during the opening 45 minutes, thanks in the main to some dogged defending from the visitors.

But they did go close to breaking the deadlock on a number of occasions, most notably in stoppage time when Lee Novak bundled the ball into the net only for the linesman to rule that the striker had been offside.

The official may have got the decision right but, even so, it was a clear warning that any slackening of effort from City would be punished by their hosts.

It was one that was heeded, the League Two side going ahead in the 55th minute courtesy of a few seconds Antony Kay will want to forget.

First, the Terriers substitute horribly misjudged a sliding tackle on Luke O’Brien to earn himself a booking.

Then, from the resulting free-kick by Chris Mitchell, Kay could only divert the ball into his own net under heavy pressure.

Within seven minutes, Town were level courtesy of a cool finish from the spot by Miller after Guy Branston had been adjudged to have fouled Peter Clarke.

Logic suggested that would be the prelude to Huddersfield assuming control and smoothing their passage into the next round.

Instead, it was the Bantams who responded in impressive fashion to regain the lead just three minutes later.

Again, expert delivery from the flank – this time a Robbie Threlfall corner – undid the Terriers defence as Luke Oliver rose to power an unstoppable header past Nick Colgan.

Town badly needed some inspiration and it came in the form of captain Clarke, who showed tremendous poise and skill to smash a half-volley past Duke after the visitors had failed to clear a corner.

Nineteen minutes remained but the two sides could not be separated, meaning the Galpharm Stadium hosted its second penalty shoot-out of 2011.

Town memorably triumphed on that occasion against Bournemouth last May to book a place in the League One play-off final.

City, however, also went into the showdown with confidence, having beaten Port Vale, Notts County and Wednesday via shoot-outs in this competition over the past 13 months.

It was confidence that proved well placed with only Flynn, normally so reliable from 12 yards, missing out of the Bantams’ five takers to ensure it was more derby day delight for the 2,498 visiting fans who had made the short trip from Valley Parade.