Bradford City 2 Burton Albion 3: City battle and keep Wembley just within sight

Having accounted for Arsenal and Aston Villa en route to a historic major cup final appearance, Bradford now face arguably their biggest challenge at the Pirelli Stadium on Sunday.

If that 63rd game of a marathon campaign is not to be their last, they need to overcome a one-goal deficit against a Burton Albion team that boasted the best home record in League Two.

Bradford have history on their side. Seventeen years ago they overturned a two-goal deficit in an away leg at Blackpool to book a place at Wembley for a play-off final they went on to win.

Burton, though, would argue they have the measure of Phil Parkinson’s side, having rattled their hosts with three goals in a 21-minute spell in the first half that would have finished off weaker teams.

Yet Parkinson’s men are a resilient bunch, and with Nahki Wells’s penalty sandwiched in between Burton’s second and third goals, and a thunderbolt from Garry Thompson in the second half, they at least retain hope of a 64th fixture and a return trip to Wembley. At least they do not have to be concerned about Burton’s three strikes on their turf having extra significance as away goals are not taken into account.

City’s fans among the 14,657 inside Valley Parade filtered into the chill Spring evening at least heartened by a rousing second-half display.

But they will have been disappointed by the way their side failed to shackle Burton’s Congolese connection of Calvin Zola and Jacques Maghoma, who traumatised Bradford in the air and on the ground in the first half.

After a nervy opening in which a bobbly pitch only heightened the anxiety in both sides, the game burst into life on 22 minutes.

Maghoma, who was a threat on the wing and when running through the middle, whipped in a tantalising cross that Zola, having drifted to the back post, met with a powerful header that flew beyond the outstretched reach of Jon McLaughlin and into the corner.

Seven minutes later, Zola did it all by himself to strengthen Burton’s grip on the tie. Collecting a long pass from a seemingly offside position, he stared down Rory McArdle before bending a right-footed shot around McLaughlin and into the same corner.

A slick move from a buoyant Burton almost resulted in a third goal shortly afterwards.

Zola was again involved, feeding Robbie Weir 30 yards out. His first-time pass found his central midfield partner John McGrath, whose first touch took him clear of the defence, but he shot straight at McLaughlin.

Bradford were reeling, only to be handed a lifeline on 37 minutes. A well-worked move down the left saw James Hanson and Will Atkinson set up Rory McArdle just inside the area.

When the defender swung a leg at the ball and missed, it fell to Thompson whose goalbound shot was ‘saved’ by Albion defender Damien McCrory. Referee James Adcock pointed to the spot and Wells stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty.

But just as quickly as a desperate situation had been alleviated, Burton went back up the other end and reasserted their authority.

This time the goal came from the right, Alex MacDonald collecting a long ball and cutting it back for the incoming Weir to sweep home from 12 yards.

Zola threatened again at the start of the second half, the towering striker racing in to meet MacDonald’s lofted cross with a header that he planted wide.

Parkinson made a double substitution shortly before the hour, putting Kyel Reid on for Atkinson and Nathan Doyle for Ricky Ravenhill.

Bradford, by this stage, were already playing at a high level of urgency. They had a golden opportunity on 64 minutes when Wells found himself in space bearing down on goal, but his first touch allowed Burton goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson to surge off his line and clear. When that clearance landed at the feet of Thompson, he could only direct the ball wide of an upright.

Stephen Darby, having been given a torrid time by Maghoma, showed attacking intent of his own when he outstripped McCrory on the right and pulled the ball back for Wells, whose shot was deflected wide. From the corner, Wells kicked at fresh air as the ball found him unmarked at the far post.

Bradford were able to commit so many forward because Burton manager Gary Rowett had removed Zola from the action, depriving the Brewers’ under-pressure defenders of an outlet ball, and the visitors of their most dangerous player.

Having upped the ante, Bradford were rewarded with a second 16 minutes from time.

Thompson cut in from the left and unleashed an unstoppable shot past Tomlinson to make it 3-2.

Once again, though, Burton’s response was swift. Maghoma again tormented Darby and crossed for MacDonald, but this time the bar prevented Rowett’s men re-establishing their two-goal lead.

Still Bradford poured forward, James Meredith latching onto Reid’s weighted pass in the first of six stoppage-time minutes to cut the ball back for Hanson, who like many of his team-mates before him, mis-timed his shot and fluffed it wide.

Bradford City: McLaughlin; Darby, Nelson, McArdle, Meredith; Thompson, Ravenhill (Doyle 57), Jones, Atkinson (Reid 57); Wells (Connell 89), Hanson. Unused substitutes: Duke, Gray, McHugh, Hines.

Burton Albion: Tomlinson; O’Connor, Holness, Sharps, McCrory; Diamond, MacDonald (Drury 89), Maghoma, McGrath, Weir; Zola (Kee 68). Unused substitutes: Lyness, Webster, Phillips, Paterson, Symes.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).