City are in the hat for tomorrow's second-round draw after seeing off Chester for the second time in four days.

Peter Thorne's first goal for the club proved enough, though Stuart McCall's side had to play for more than a half with ten men after Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu was sent off just before the break.

City missed a great chance through Eddie Johnson midway through the first half but they were celebrating after 27 minutes. Paul Evans crossed from the right and Thorne directed a perfect header past Chester keeper John Danby.

It was Thorne's first goal since scoring for Norwich at Rotherham in September last year.

But City were grateful for Donovan Ricketts who was back to his best with three big saves to deny Mark Hughes twice and Nathan Lowndes.

Tempers reached boiling point when Ndumbu-Nsungu, already on a booking, was shown a second yellow card after a challenge on Laurence Wilson.

He did not appear to make contact with the Chester left back and Stuart McCall came on to the pitch to protest but referee Graham Salisbury had no doubts.

It made for a tough second half for the Bantams but they defended resolutely and once again made sure that Chester left West Yorkshire empty-handed.

Ironically, Ndumbu-Nsungu was the only change from the midweek success after Sheffield United refused permission for City to play Nicky Law.

CITY: Ricketts; Williams, Wetherall, Clarke, Heckingbottom; Daley, Evans, Johnson, Nix; Ndumbu-Nsungu, Thorne. Subs: Bower, Conlon, Rhodes, Phelan, Saynor.