UNLIKE a famous semi-final night in the second city just over 12 years earlier, Bradford City did not find a route to Wembley on Tuesday.

That aforesaid occasion back in January 2013 saw the Bantams secure a magnificent 4-3 aggregate success over Aston Villa amid wild scenes of celebration following the second leg of their League Cup semi at a stunned Villa Park.

Across the city at St Andrew’s, Bradford were edged out 2-1 by Birmingham, overwhelming favourites to win not just the EFL Trophy they were competing in but also the League One title following some eye-watering recruitment.

City had the consolation of pushing Blues all the way in front of a bumper crowd of 27,066.

Bradford City's Graham Alexander before the Vertu Trophy Semi Final match at St. Andrew's. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

placeholder image — Bradford City's Graham Alexander before the Vertu Trophy Semi Final match at St. Andrew's. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

A late goal from Lyndon Dykes gave Blues a relieving victory at a citadel where only the Premier League duo of Newcastle United and Fulham have won in regulation time so far in 2024-25.

Elimination for the Bantams, but plenty of kudos all the same.

Manager Graham Alexander said: "Obviously, we are disappointed we didn’t go through. But there’s an understanding of how we played and represented ourselves.

“We are not sitting here kidding ourselves we are going to win every game. But there’s a way of holding yourself and performing.

Birmingham City's Lyndon Dykes scores their side's second goal of the game during the Vertu Trophy semi final match at St. Andrew's against Bradford City. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

"The performance never guarantees a win, but it gives you the most (best) chance of winning and that’s what we gave ourselves, certainly in the second half.

"But we don’t want to be the unlucky loser or have the ‘pat-on-the-back, see you later’ tag. We want to be serious competitors and on the right end of result.

"But we understand things can go against us and we held ourselves in great esteem and respect with our game. Everyone that isn’t to do with Bradford would have looked at our game and given us respect as well.”