REPORT: Bradford City impress to claim Wednesday scalp

THOSE who traditionally stay away from the Football League Trophy haven’t missed much.

Stuart McCall steered the Bantams to the quarter-finals six seasons ago where they lost an off-on trip to Oxford on January deadline day.

But otherwise, it has been a competition where City rarely trouble the scorers.

Going into tonight’s Yorkshire derby, they had won just three of the last 14 Trophy outings - and all those were in penalty shoot-outs. The last triumph in 90 minutes was nearly five years ago against Manchester City under-21s.

Not anymore, though. Those who weren't at Valley Parade dipped out on a treat for once.

Mark Hughes, like managers before him, has signalled the club’s intentions to give it a serious go this time around. Financially, it is a prize worth pursuing whatever the lack of interest in the stands.

And the first £10,000 winning bonus was richly deserved as City kicked off their group in style - and gave their manager plenty of food for thought with a lively display.

Jake Young led those pushing claims for more involvement come Saturday with two well-taken goals and there were several others determined to catch the eye.

Mark Hughes shakes hands with Darren Moore, who got a big cheer from the fans

Timi Odusina made his belated bow in claret and amber as one of seven changes from Saturday. He delivered a very polished debut.

Luke Hendrie and Matty Foulds also saw their first competitive action of the season in a completely new back four. Yann Songo’o got his first start at centre half.

It felt like an away game at first with the 3,355-strong travelling support making up over half of the record 6,092 crowd.

That was the most Valley Parade had seen in a competition where the attendance had only twice topped 5,000 in previous years. Three seasons ago, City had played in front of audiences of just 868 and 761.

Wednesday made the early running and Odusina wasted no time showing his defensive qualities with a perfectly-timed challenge to nick the ball off Michael Smith in the box as the striker shaped to shoot.

City, aggrieved at the non-penalty calls at the weekend, were screaming in vain again when Levi Sutton went down in a scramble from a corner. Ref Sam Barrott remained unmoved by the protests.

Harry Chapman, one of the four starters from Crewe, picked out Songo’o lurking at the far post but his header flew straight at Cameron Dawson.

Then Richie Smallwood curled a free-kick over the bar after Young was tripped by the corner of the box.

Kian Harratt celebrates his first goal in City colours to make it 3-1

Vadaine Oliver, still looking for that first City goal, saw Sutton’s useful cross pinched off his head by David Agbontohoma six yards out.

But City’s growing belief was rewarded on 36 minutes as Young controlled Hendrie’s cross-field pass, cut inside two challenges and drilled a well-placed effort into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

The celebrations were short-lived as Wednesday instantly won a penalty as Songo’o caught Callum Paterson in some penalty-box pinball as he tried to clear.

The contact looked softer than the one City had seen turned away but Michael Smith levelled from the spot.

Oliver then headed wide as City continued to enjoy facing another away side that had come to play rather than fill bodies behind the ball.

Harry Lewis stood strong as Paterson bustled his way through to start the second half before Sutton latched onto Hendrie’s pass and fired into the side-netting.

Young’s growing confidence was evident as he held off Jack Hunt to line up another shot from distance that curled into the empty Kop.

Play was briefly stopped after the assistant referee fell to the ground near the corner flag and needed treatment before he could carry on.

Hughes earned a cheer for some showboating skills on the touchline before making his first switch as Lee Angol replaced Smalllwood.

Kian Harratt came on for Oliver as Young switched to the right side of centre forward Angol - and struck his second goal on 75 minutes.

Wednesday never dealt with a Harratt cross and Hendrie fed Young to take a touch and then toe-poke past Dawson.

And City made sure of the win seven minutes from time. Songo’o’s glorious long pass picked out Chapman who fed Harratt to wriggle his way through blue and white shirts in the box before slotting home his first City goal.

“We can see you sneaking out” taunted the main stand as a number of the travelling fans made for the exits. City, on this evidence, could be staying in the Trophy for the long haul for once.

CITY: Lewis 7, Hendrie 7, Songo’o 8, Odusina 8, Foulds 6, East 6, Smallwood 6 (Angol 65min), Sutton 6, Chapman 6, Young 8, Oliver 6 (Harratt 72min). Subs (not used): Halliday, Ridehalgh, Platt, Cook, Doyle.

SHEFF WED: Dawson 6, Iorfa 6 (Galvin 46min, 6), Agbontohoma 6 (McGuinness 46min, 6), James 6, J Hunt 6 (Glover 82min), Vaulks 5, A Hunt 6, Brown 6, Mighten, Paterson 7, Smith 6 (Wilks 46min, 5). Subs(not used): Stockdale, L Cook.

CITY MAN OF THE MATCH: Jake Young.