CITY 2 DONCASTER 3

THE League Cup will always owe a huge debt of gratitude to City.

The miracles performed by the Bantams in 2012/13 breathed new life into a competition that had been completely diminished by managerial indifference and fan disinterest.

Suddenly everyone could dream again that it was possible, however ridiculously unlikely, to “do a Bradford” and go all the way to Wembley.

Unfortunately, City have barely got out the starting blocks since that unforgettable run.

Barring the thrilling comeback against Leeds three years ago, there has been nothing for anyone to get excited about.

And last night went unfortunately true to the recent formbook with a fourth first-round exit out of five.

Stuart McCall had hoped to earn a potential money-spinner when the bigger boys come into the hat tomorrow night.

But that was wrenched away with a late Doncaster winner after City were forced to play the final half hour with ten men following Romain Vincelot’s red card.

The skipper’s absence for the next three games will be the biggest disappointment for McCall – and means City will have to try to pull out all the stops to recruit that extra centre half they have been looking for all summer.

The Bantams boss will be hoping to have someone in place before the trip to Gillingham on Saturday.

His line-up had shown five changes from the weekend and included on-loan Brentford defender Tom Field, who was rushed in at left back to cover Adam Chicksen’s absence.

Young midfielder Dan Pybus also got his first chance. Like Omari Patrick, he had caught the eye with his pre-season displays.

Patrick stayed in after his first-day heroics alongside Dominic Poleon in attack.

Doncaster have been no strangers to League Cup exploits themselves and reached the quarter-finals in 2006.

And they drew first blood after starting much the sharper of the sides.

John Marquis, prolific in last season’s promotion, had already glanced a header wide from Danny Andrew’s corner.

Then he received a ball in the box, where Tony McMahon’s tackled propelled it towards goal. Colin Doyle blocked but it fell for Alfie May to tuck in from close range.

The atmosphere was predictably flat for the low-key occasion and it lifted only marginally as City looked to respond.

Alex Gilliead, making the first outing of his second loan spell from Newcastle, beat Andrew and the ball broke for McMahon who curled wide from an angle.

But it was Rovers who continued to ask most of the questions. Andrew’s long throw was a threat and Ben Whiteman’s swish at one broke for Marquis to thud a fierce drive straight at Doyle.

The City keeper was called into action again by May as the green shirts maintained their early grip.

The home side needed somebody to shake things up and Jake Reeves nearly did just that as he made space for a 25-yard blast that Ian Lawlor tipped over his bar. Timothee Dieng headed behind from the corner.

At last there was life – and it exploded with a spectacular leveller ten minutes before the break involving both of the front two.

Patrick had twice set up Poleon in the closing stages on Saturday only for the senior striker to be agonisingly denied.

But it proved third time lucky last night as the youngster weaved into the box and laid off to his partner.

Poleon still had it all to do but showed his pace and power to get past two defenders and blast beyond Lawlor at his near post.

It was an emphatic way to open his account on his first start – and made up for his obvious frustration at those near-misses against Blackpool.

Patrick had talked beforehand about a blossoming double act between them. The evidence was there as they celebrated ferociously in front of a deserted Bradford End.

City were now well in the game, Reeves once again dictating their play, and McMahon, Romain Vincelot and Patrick all tried their luck before the half-time whistle.

Poleon carried on from where he left off when the game resumed. Field got forward to supply him and again he brushed aside the double challenge of Niall Mason and Joe Wright before Rovers skipper Andy Butler got across in the nick of time to block.

Not to be outdone, Patrick swapped passes with Gilliead on City’s right flank and his low drive was held by Lawlor.

But City suffered a hammer blow on the hour when they were reduced to ten men.

Vincelot caught May with a late lunge on the touchline and referee Darren Drysdale went straight for his red card.

The Frenchman looked shocked to be given his marching orders – but then Drysdale has Valley Parade history after famously sending off Dean Windass in the car park.

Vincelot’s dismissal was City’s first since Steve Davies at Coventry in April 2016. They had gone through the whole of last season without one.

Doncaster’s numerical advantage almost paid off immediately as they swarmed out from a City corner. The offside flag stayed down as Tommy Rowe was played through but Doyle smothered well and newly-arrived sub Matt Kilgallon scrambled it away.

But there was no escape in the 71st minute. Rovers broke down the left, the cross in for May ended at Rodney Kongolo’s feet and he tapped in to score on his full debut after being initially foiled by Doyle.

McCall threw on Paul Taylor and Alex Jones to go for broke – and hit the jackpot. Taylor’s shot from outside the box broke into the path of his fellow sub who steered the ball beneath Lawlor from ten yards.

The ten men were giving as good as they got – but a third Doncaster goal after 87 minutes proved to be a blow too far.

A corner was cleared as far as Ben Whiteman lurking on the corner of the box and he steered a well-placed finish across the goal-mouth and inside the far post.

Five minutes of added time offered a glint of salvation but City could not find one more chance to force the extra half hour.

CITY: Doyle 6, McMahon 6, Vincelot 5, Knight-Percival 6, Field 6 (Taylor 76min), Dieng 6, Gilliead 6 (Kilgallon 64min), Reeves 7, Pybus 6, Poleon 8, Patrick 7 (Jones 78min). Subs (not used): Law, Devine, Hudson, Sattelmaier.

DONCASTER: Lawlor 6, Mason 6, Wright 6, Butler 6, Andrew 7, Garratt 6 (Beestin 67min), Kongolo 7 (Alcock 79), Rowe 6, Whiteman 7, May 7, Marquis 8. Subs (not used): Longbottom, Fielding, Fletcher, Prior, Marosi.