Bradford City AFC 4-1 U16s,
The Grainge 3G @ Woodhouse Grove School,
Thursday, 13th May, 8pm kick-off.
Amari smith scored his second in as many games for the U16s but a hat-trick in the Bradford side helped the Bantams comeback to win 4-1.
Will Sergejevs hit the bar from 30-yards just before half-time to almost restore Farsley’s lead before falling behind three minutes later.
There was a familiar face in the claret & amber colours of Bradford as former Farsley U16s’ Rakealan Jeffers’ trial was successful earlier this season.
The Celts started the game the more dangerous, Kavanagh beating his defender to a long-ball forward on 3 minutes. His first-touch at least took the high, bouncing ball away from his marker before his second chipped the ‘keeper but also the net.
Bradford were awarded a penalty on 6 minutes as Boulton was called to have pushed his attacker in the back, defending a cross from the right.
The taker went low and right but Hudson also went the same way to deny the goal.
Amari Smith gave the U16s the lead on 10 minutes.
Miguel Da Costa, spinning, beat his marker and cut inside from the right before passing left to Smith. On the edge of the box, Smith’s first-touch took him back onto his right foot, away from his marker, before finding the bottom left corner.
Bradford began to test the Celts defence on 17 minutes, a low cross from the left full-back deflected off Sergejevs and forced Hudson to push the ball round his near post.
Bradford, this time down the right, four minutes later, shot from inside the box, inches over the bar.
Bradford levelled with a powerful effort on 26 minutes.
A pass in behind the Celts’ defence was met by a forward again inside the right of the box who shot hard inside the far post.
Bradford went close again just a minute later in the same position, beating substitute Eddy down the line and shooting right-footed but over.
Another chance two minutes later from a Bradford throw-in. This led to an attacker cutting inside, past several Celts defenders before shooting left-footed just wide of the far post.
Farsley and Kavanagh returned fire again a minute after the half-hour mark, Smith finding the forward behind the defence who poked the ball goalward but is denied by the outrushing ‘keeper.
Will Sergejevs went even closer on 34 minutes as his 30-yard free-kick was drilled against the corner of the left side of the framework.
But Bradford’s 37th minute goal meant they entered the break ahead.
A low cross from the right was met at the penalty spot and flicked inside the far post for the forward’s first goal of the night.
Straight from kick-off, Farsley almost levelled.
Kavanagh, in-behind down the right on 41 minutes, cut back to the edge of the box where Sergejevs ran to meet the ball to place a first-time shot but straight at the ‘keeper.
Kavanagh’s leveller was then dissalowed two minutes later.
Kavanagh was played in-behind again, down the right again before a first-time finish hard inside the far post but the flag was raised.
Bradford instead extended their lead a minute later.
A ball cut back the edge of the box was curled inside the right-hand post for the forward’s second of the game.
Bradford’s forward’s hat-trick was complete on 53 minutes.
A short pass from ‘keeper Hudson was mis-controlled by George Boulton in his own box and the ball was intercepted. It was then cut back to the edge of the box to an initial forward who mishit his shot, for the benefit of his team-mate to his left who finished his third.
Shawnee Eddy threatened on his first game since injury, firstly on 69 minutes as his cross from his left wing was deflected off a defender, inches wide of the near post.
The resulting corner was met by Boulton who headed cleanly but straight at the ‘keeper.
Eddy’s second threatening cross, two minutes later, was aimed at Kavanagh but a defender beat the forward to the ball to clear on the edge of the box.
Bradford went close to extending the lead two minutes before full-time, a cross from the right beating everyone but a forward at the back post who placed a first-time shot just wide of the far post. The U16s return to competitive action when they begin their second post-season cup competition on the 29th May.