Checkatrade Trophy: Turnout remains low but Bradford City and Doncaster Rovers prevail

A crowd of only 1,865 tuned out to watch their second Group C match against Bury at Valley Parade although this was 421 than saw their first group match – a 1-0 win over Stoke under-23s.

However, those that did make the effort saw City continue the good form that has seen them make an unbeaten start in League One with a 2-1 victory with a team that contained only four players from Saturday’s starting line-up at Chesterfield.

Bradford took charge of the match with two goals in four minutes in the first half.

Haris Vuckic put them ahead after 31 minutes with his first goal since joining the Bantams on loan from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

Jordy Hiwula played him in behind the visitors’ defence and he scored with a left-footed drive into the far corner.

Four minutes later, Vuckic returned the favour as Hiwula raced on to his through pass before former beating former Bradford goalkeeper Ben Williams with a low right-footed shot.

Tom Walker pulled a goal back for Bury in the 68th minute after cutting in from the left and City survived some anxious moments before sealing their victory.

Doncaster Rovers required a penalty shoot-out to get the better of Derby County’s Under-23 side at the Keepmoat Stadium having finished 90 minutes at 2-2 after a latse leveller from the Rams.

On-loan James Wilson opened the scoring for the visitors in the eighth minute and that was how it stayed until eight minutes after the break when Liam Mandeville slotted home in front of a paltry crowd of 1,515.

The hosts then got themselves ahead when William Longbottom struck and it looked as if the night was going to belong to Darren Ferguson’s men in normal time until Andreas Weimann popped up to force a shoot-out.

But that was to be the final cheer for the visitors’ few fans as they went down 4-2 in the subsequent drama of penalties.

Middlesbrough’s youngsters came unstuck when they went down 2-1 at Cambridge United.

Striker Uche Ikpeazu broke the ddeadlock for the home side in the 12th minute, only for Boro’s Mark Tavernier levelled in the 34th minute.

The only goal in the second hald came the way of the home side, though, a Matt Elsdon own goal in the 55th minute.