FA Cup: Reading 3 - 0 Bradford City

Reading 3 - 0 Bradford City

Reading: Hal Robson-Kanu 6, Garath McCleary 9, Jamie Mackie 68



So this was the end of the road for Bradford City in an FA Cup campaign that has delivered some remarkable moments and certainly one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history. The Bantams though – with the BBC cameras finally in situ – were dismantled by a far superior side on the night, beaten by Reading’s freshness and vigour that prompted a pitch invasion with a place against Arsenal in the semi-finals assured.

The replay was marred by alleged racist abuse towards Garath McCleary, the Reading winger, five minutes before half-time. An individual was arrested and ejected from the Madejski Stadium, with the fourth official, Andre Marriner, reporting the incident in front of the away end to Reading’s security staff.

The result was not for the romantics, but one which Reading thoroughly deserved. Steve Clarke’s side were two goals up with merely nine minutes on the clock. From then on there was never much hope but any prospects of another City comeback were ended in the second half when Filipe Morais was shown a straight red card for a high boot. For Bradford and their chairman, Mark Lawn, the live BBC coverage has been a source of much vexation during a fine Cup run but, in the end, it was Reading who revelled in front of the cameras.

Hal Robson-Kanu, McCleary and Jamie Mackie were the men on the scoresheet but this was a complete performance from Clarke’s team, doing what Chelsea and Sunderland could not earlier this season. It is Reading’s first FA Cup semi-final in 88 years and, according to Clarke, a run that has provided some welcome relief from a difficult Championship campaign. “The Cup run this year has been a big bonus for us because the league form has been disappointing,” the Reading manager said. “To give the supporters the Cup run has been a bonus for us.

“I’m pleased for the players, it has been a difficult season for them so I’m pleased they’ve got something to enjoy. Two-nil up after 10 minutes was comfortable, from there we controlled the game very, verywell.”

A number of Bradford’s supporters were late arriving at the stadium because of travel problems, and those who missed the opening 10 minutes received a depressing welcome. Two goals down with barely time to draw breath, City endured a disastrous start to this game as they struggled to contain Reading’s energy.

The danger signs were there when Mackie surged into the penalty area in the fifth minute, and although the Reading forward was halted by a covering challenge, the resulting corner provided the opening goal. It was so simple and the Bradford manager, Phil Parkinson, will have been bitterly disappointed at the manner of his side’s lapse. McCleary delivered the corner to the near post and Robson-Kanu timed his run expertly, leaping well to outjump Stephen Darby and guide his header past Ben Williams in front of the Bantams fans.

Worse was to come three minutes later. In the ascendancy, Reading advanced in numbers. McCleary was causing all sorts of problems down the right touchline and cut back inside before attempting a shot from an angle. Andy Halliday’s lunge made contact with the shot but, instead of diverting the ball away from goal, it only served to loop the effort over Williams and into the net.

Bradford’s task became nigh-on impossible with 62 minutes gone when Mike Jones showed Morais a straight red card for a high boot on Nathaniel Chalobah. The intensity had already been rising but, when it came, the dismissal certainly shocked most inside the stadium. Chalobah, on loan from Chelsea, and Morais both had eyes for a bouncing ball in midfield but the Bradford winger’s boot caught his opponent just above the hip.

It was Chalobah who played an integral role in Reading’s third, sealing the victory in the 68th minute. The midfielder demonstrated determination to win the ball in City’s half before sliding in Mackie with a composed pass; the striker controlled well and fired low through the legs of Williams.

“We’ve got to be immensely proud about what we’ve achieved in the competition this year,” Parkinson said. “We’ve got so many great memories from this FA Cup for this season and the years to come. I just think we just came up against a team who played really well. I think the start knocked the stuffing out of us. It can deflate you.”

Bradford could not muster any late pressure but, despite a pitch invasion, some of their players still went over to their fans to mark the end of a memorable run.


By James Riach / Guardian