Hanson ensures Bantams reap their rewards with super strike

JAMES Hanson’s extra-time winner stunned League One Notts County and deservedly fired the Bantams into round two of the Capital One Cup.

League Two Bradford paraded six debutants and Phil Parkinson’s men held their own early on.

Kyel Reid threatened the Notts goal as he fizzed a drive inches over the top, but the hosts responded with Yoann Arquin forcing an agile save out of goalkeeper Matt Duke.

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Bantams’ new boy Gary Jones went close seconds after the interval when his shot flew just wide, and, as the visitors pressed, Hanson also forced goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski into a classy stop.

Three minutes into stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, the unmarked Arquin fluffed a golden chance when he shinned a rebound onto the crossbar, so the game went into extra-time and the possibility of penalties.

However, Bradford made the County striker pay for his error five minutes into extra-time when Hanson curled a shot past Bialkowski after being neatly teed up by Nahki Wells.

And no wonder manager Parkinson was delighted having seen his sign open a potential cash revenue stream if they can progress further in the competition.

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“I’m pleased because it was a really hard-working performance from the lads, we’d love to have a run in the cup,” beamed Parkinson.

“We’ve been speaking about getting our rewards from a hard pre-season – and that’s what we got.

“Fitness-wise it was a great test for us to get through 120 minutes, there were good signs there and the debutants all settled in well.

“It was a magnificent finish from James, he scored a goal like that against Wrexham with his right foot and then he’s gone and done it with his left foot today.”

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Notts County: Bialkowski; Regan, Smith (Bencherif 40), Williams, Sheehan; Judge, Bishop, Mahon (J Hughes 79), Arquin; L Hughes, Labadie (Zoko 61). Unused substitutes: Speiss, Kelly, Liddle, Boucaud.

Bradford City: Duke; Darby, Oliver, McArdle, Meredith; Thompson (Baker 74), Jones, Atkinson, Reid (Doyle 104); Hanson, Connell (Wells 61). Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Hannah, Brown, Bass.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridge).

Man of the match: Nahki Wells.

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