REPORT: Meaningless finale but Bantams exit Trophy on high

(City win 4-2 on pens)

THE audience was well over 40,000 down and there was much, much less at stake.

It was hard to believe that City were back at the same venue that rocked to Sunderland’s record third-tier crowd on Boxing Day 2018.

The scene of Jack Payne’s infamous “ghost goal” could not have looked more different as the Bantams returned for the first time since the relegation season.

City did at least sign off the Papa John’s Trophy for the year with a victory of sorts – claiming the honour of the bonus point for winning the penalty shoot-out.

Not that there was much to play for other than personal pride. Both teams knew their fate before a ball was kicked.

City, courtesy of those three-goal losses at Valley Parade to Lincoln and Manchester United under-21s, were already out. While Sunderland’s two previous wins ensured their place in the knock-out stages with the final group game to spare.

But a win is a win, whatever it’s worth, and will do no harm for collective confidence ahead of Saturday’s test at League Two’s form side Port Vale.

Derek Adams made seven changes but maintained some strength in depth. Even in surroundings that resembled a training exercise, he was keen to keep some continuity in the ranks as they kick off another hectic period.

The fixture may have been meaningless but the welcome presence of Lee Angol from the start gave it some point for the visitors.

He comfortably negotiated the first half and showed some sharp touches which bodes well for the challenges ahead.

An improving Angol will be a major boost as City prepare for a month on the motorway.

This was the first of potentially six away trips in 25 days after the FA Cup draw had thrown up an unappetising visit to either Cambridge or Northampton as the reward for negotiating next week’s long-distance replay at Exeter.

The £5,000 reward from the shared prize money will at least help off-set some of those travel costs.

Sam Hornby was back and now minus the mask he had been wearing to protect his damaged cheekbone.

In an uneventful opening 20 minutes, he saved on the floor after Elliot Embleton’s drive deflected off Fiacre Kelleher.

At the other end, Charles Vernam looped a header straight at home keeper Thorben Hoffmann from a cross by Gareth Evans – a Wembley man-of-the-match and winner against the Black Cats in this competition in 2019.

Callum Cooke, skipper for the night, hammers home his penalty

Evans was not the only one hoping to catch Adams’ eye in his first start for eight games. Kelleher was another coming back from the fringes and he stayed forward from a corner to test Hoffmann from the edge of the box.

It felt like a friendly at times but City were having more of the play past the half hour – and struck the first blow on 36 minutes.

Reece Staunton did well to keep the ball alive from a corner and drilled in a low cross that Theo Robinson diverted inside the far post for his second goal in four days.

The locals were growing tetchy and Hornby made an alert save from Leon Dajaku to preserve City’s lead as the interval was greeted with boos from the main stand.

Angol made his planned exit before the restart but Robinson threatened to ruin the home mood further with a cheeky effort from way out after spotting Hoffmann off his line.

But Sunderland levelled seven minutes in as Embleton’s long pass got Nathan Broadhead behind the Bantams backline to rifle past Hornby.

That lifted the hosts and City survived a double scare after 70 minutes thanks to a brilliant piece of defending from Staunton.

Hornby foiled Dajaku in the box, though sub Will Harris still looked odds on to nod home the rebound.

But Staunton managed to get back in the right place at the right time to save his side – and add a goalline clearance to his earlier assist in an assured individual display.

The game had become far more open and Levi Sutton, who had replaced Vernam on the hour, whistled an effort past the Sunderland post. Alex Gilliead, a sub at the same time for Robinson, then thrashed wide after being picked out by Evans.

Alex Pritchard curled a free-kick against the City bar in the first minute of stoppage time before the inevitable penalty climax.

Elliot Watt missed the first but two Hornby saves from Alex Pritchard and Lynden Gooch proved the difference as Cooke, Sutton and Kian Scales all converted. Then Evans settled matters with a thumping finish into the top corner.

CITY: Hornby 7, Threlkeld 6, Kelleher 6, Staunton 8, Foulds, Evans 7, Cooke 6, Scales 6, Vernam 7 (Sutton 61min), Robinson 7 (Gilliead 61min), Angol 7 (Watt 46min, 6). Subs (not used): Canavan, Songo’o, O’Donnell.

SUNDERLAND: Hoffmann 6, Gooch 7, Alves 6, Younger 6, Richardson 6, Sohna 6 (Winchester 73min), O’Nien, Embleton 8 (Taylor 73min), Pritchard 6, Dajaku, Broadhead 7 (Harris 57min, 6). Subs (not used): O’Brien, Wright, Dyce, Burge.

CITY MAN OF MATCH: Reece Staunton