Bradford gain revenge for league defeat to progress in FA Cup

Posted Sunday, December 03, 2017 by PA

Bradford avenged a home league defeat by Plymouth three weeks earlier by booking their place in the FA Cup third round with a 3-1 win in the second round at Valley Parade.

Visiting goalkeeper Luke McCormick, back in the side after three months out through injury, made a superb double save in the 21st minute to keep out goal-bound shots from Alex Gilliead and then Charlie Wyke.

Jake Jervis, who scored the winning goal in Plymouth's League One victory, forced Rouven Sattelmaier into a fine diving save in the 29th minute.

However, Bradford had more of the play and broke Plymouth's resistance in the 38th minute when skipper Romain Vincelot scored with a powerful header from Tony McMahon's right-wing cross to give them a 1-0 half-time lead.

They increased their lead in the 49th minute when McMahon's corner from the left was headed into the path of Vincelot and his fierce shot was diverted into the net by defender Nat Knight-Percival.

Plymouth pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when Graham Carey fired a left-foot shot into the far corner of the net, but Bradford restored their two-goal advantage straight from the restart.

The ball was played out to Gilliead on the right and, when McCormick failed to gather his cross, leading scorer Wyke scored from close range.