Middlesbrough Reserves 3

Bradford City Reserves 1

Andy Myers lasted just two minutes of his comeback at the Riverside last night before Bradford City's injury hoodoo struck again.

The defender, back after five weeks out with a torn hamstring, was forced to make an early exit from the FA Premier Reserve League match at Middlesbrough.

Myers was chasing a ball towards the byline with Boro's Cameroon striker Joseph-Desire Job when he pulled up clutching his leg.

Myers said: "I felt this jabbing pain and I knew something obviously wasn't right.

"I thought about staying on and trying to run it off but all that would have done was made things worse than they already were.

"It's really annoying because I thought everything was going smoothly. But this proves that my body isn't yet ready to come back fully."

Assistant manager Stuart McCall admitted: "It's just what we didn't want and you have to feel sorry for Andy. At least it's not the hamstring, it's something at the top of his backside.

"He had done everything right before the game, warmed up extensively and done a few sprints. But then in the match situation that happened. It's a major disappointment for everyone.

"As soon as he did it we had to take him off."

On the plus side, veteran striker Dean Saunders stayed on for just over an hour in his first outing since pre-season.

Saunders, who last kicked a ball in a friendly at Guiseley, was obviously rusty but warmed to the task as the game wore on.

He sent trademark drives just over the bar from both feet and also drilled another chance straight at Boro goalkeeper Marlon Beresford.

McCall said: "Deano did really well and would have been happy to have stayed on a little bit longer.

"But we didn't want to risk tiredness setting in and the chance of pulling another muscle.

"Hopefully it's the first step on the road back."

Losing Myers so early shook the Bantams against an experienced Boro team.

Aidan Davison did well to keep out Job and Alun Armstrong before Boro took the lead in the 37th minute as Job eluded Scott Bolton before feeding Andy Campbell to dance round the keeper.

Within two minutes Campbell had struck again with another assist from Job, flicking on a long ball for his strike partner to show his pace and fire home from just inside the penalty area.

Campbell should have had a hat-trick inside five minutes as Carlos Marinelli put him clear but he screwed the shot across goal and wide.

City emerged far sharper for the second half and after 53 minutes they were back in it.

Gareth Grant embarked on one of several lively runs and his low cross was met together by Ben Jones and Boro's Stuart Parnaby with the home defender credited with the key touch past a stranded Beresford.

Davison finger-tipped over a blast from Campbell before Grant thought he'd got an equaliser, only to see Beresford get the thinnest of touches to divert his fierce shot wide.

Eight minutes from time, Boro wrapped it up with a deflected drive from sub Richard Kell.

City Reserves: Davison, Tyson, Bower, Kerr, Myers (Jones 2), Bolton, Hardy, Fishlock, Saunders (Lee 65), Grant, Sharpe.