Peterborough United 2 Bradford City 1: Bantams’ McArdle out of Millers derby game

The Sheffield-born stopper, who started his career at Sheffield Wednesday before moving on to Rochdale and Aberdeen, received a second-half booking against Peterborough which proved to be his fifth yellow card of the campaign.

The foul on Posh striker Lee Tomlin rules the 26-year-old out of the much-anticipated Boxing Day clash with Steve Evans’s Millers at Valley Parade on Thursday.

“Suspensions and injuries happen, especially at this time of year, and we will have to deal with it,” said City manager Phil Parkinson.

“Whoever comes in now will have to step up to the plate, like Andy (Gray) did today (at Peterborough United).

“I am a bit disappointed on the McArdle booking though.

“I went to see the referee before the match and asked if he could ref the game with some understanding and common sense because players from both sides were coming into the game on three and four bookings.

“Rory has got the ball for the tackle that got him his booking. It was also his first real tackle of that nature in the game, so I felt to get a booking was harsh.”

Impressive strikes from home duo Kgosi Ntlhe and Britt Assombalonga gave Posh the half-time lead at London Road.

Substitutes Kyel Reid and Andy Gray combined to give City a lifeline, but it was not enough to salavage a point for the visitors.

Parkinson added: “First half was difficult as we were against the elements. Their first goal is something you can do very little about when the lad hits it from that far out.

“The second goal, however, I felt we could have defended better against, so we gave ourselves an uphill task. The wind has definitely played a part in the game.”

Peterborough: Olejnik, Little, Bostwick, Brisley, Ntlhe, Anderson (Payne 77), McCann, Tomlin, Newell (Ephraim 66), Assombalonga, Jeffers (Swanson 77). Unused substitutes: Day, Mendez-Laing, Knight-Percival, Barnett.

Bradford: McLaughlin, McArdle, Taylor (Reid 46), Bates (Connell 88), Darby, Doyle, Yeates, Jones, Meredith, Thompson (Gray 46), Wells. Unused substitutes: Oliver, Kennedy, Ripley, McHugh.

Referee: M Russell (Hertfordshire).

Man of the match: Kyel Reid.