Aston Villa vs Bradford City - live blog (From Ledbury Reporter)

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9:39pm

Aston Villa 2, Bradford City 1 (City win 4-3 on aggregate)

Heroic City booked their place in the Capital One Cup final after surviving a late scare to run out 4-3 aggregate winners over Aston Villa.
Leading 3-1 from the first leg, Phil Parkinson’s players fell behind midway through the first half when Christian Benteke fired home a neat volley.
But James Hanson headed home a corner from Gary Jones ten minutes after the break to level the scores on the night.
Then Villa substitute Andreas Weimann fired Villa ahead in the 89th minute but City held on to book their Wembley spot, much to the delight of 6,500 travelling supporters.

9:36pm

FINAL SCORE - Villa 2 City 1 (CITY WIN 4-3 ON AGGREGATE)!!!!

9:34pm

Delph booked for lunge on Thompson

9:33pm

Darren Bent off target from a corner... still 2-1 to Villa on the night but 4-3 to City on aggregate...

9:32pm

FOUR MINUTES OF ADDED TIME!!!

9:31pm

89 mins - GOAL!! Weimann strikes for Villa... too little too late? Now 4-3 on aggregate

9:29pm

Villa fans making for the exits... still three minutes of normal time remaining...

9:28pm

87 mins - WELLS off, TURGOTT ON

9:25pm

"We can see you sneaking out" sing the City supporters to the Villa fans... still 1-1 with less than 10 minutes to go.

9:24pm

82 mins - Charles N'Zogbia booked for challenge on Nathan Doyle.

9:20pm

Less than 15 minutes stand between City and a trip to Wembley.

9:17pm

9:15pm

74 mins - Thompson strikes a shot against the crossbar!!!

9:14pm

9:13pm

70 mins - Hines OFF Thompson ON

Bennett OFF Weinmann ON

9:05pm

63 mins - Hanson heads wide from Hines' cross. Big chance gone.

9:04pm

62 mins - Darren Bent on for Barry Bannan...

9:03pm

61 mins - Zavon Hines low shot straight at Shay Given. Still 1-1...

9:01pm

59 mins - Carl McHugh makes a fine clearance at the far post.

9:01pm

Over 30 mins to go folks... can City hold on?

8:59pm

"You're getting sacked in the morning!" rings out around Villa Park. The chant is being directed at Paul Lambert by 6,500 City fans.

8:58pm

He used to work at the Co-op sing the jubilant City fans!!!

8:57pm

55 mins - Terrific header from Hanson takes City level on the night..1-1!!! 4-2 on aggregate!

8:57pm

GOAL: HANSON heads home a corner from Gary Jones at the far post!!!

8:56pm

54 mins - A rare attack for City and it bring two corners in quick succession.  

8:54pm

Light snow now beginning to fall at Villa Park... atmosphere absolutely electric... still 1-0 on the night to Villa.

8:50pm

Villa begin second half on the front foot... forcing City to dig deep already.

8:47pm

The second half has started... Villa attacking the Holte End..

8:47pm

8:32pm

HALF-TIME: Villa 1 City 0

8:31pm

Fabian Delph narrowly misses the corner flag with a wayward shot.

8:31pm

45 mins - Nahki Wells curls a brilliant left-foot shot wide from 25 yards. Still 1-0 to Villa. One min added time...

8:29pm

44 mins - Benteke fails to convert Ireland's deep cross to the far post.

8:27pm

Villa upping the tempo again as the interval approaches. Still 1-0.

8:23pm

38 mins - Ireland shot tipped over by Duke... still 1-0 to Villa.

8:18pm

32 mins - N'Zogbia shot tipped over by Duke.

8:13pm

28 mins - Villa Park has found its voice...Ireland sidefoots home but is clearly offside and no goal is given.

8:11pm

26 mins - City now looking to get a grip on the game, but Nahki Wells drags a shot wide from 20 yards.

8:09pm

23 mins - GOAL!! Benteke volleys home at the near post from Barry Bannan's cross. 1-0 to Villa.

8:07pm

22 mins - Barry Bannan booked for debating Ciaran Clark's foul on Hanson.

8:06pm

20 mins - Agbonlahor fires low straight at Duke with a left-foot shot.

8:03pm

17 mins - Darby with a strong challenge on Agbonlahor. Referee Phil Dowd waves play on.

8:02pm

16 mins - Delph runs from halfway and then fires over from 22 yards. Bantams fans chant 'City reject' at the Bradford-born midfielder.

8:01pm

16 - Benteke heads straight at Matt Duke.

8:00pm

15 mins - Agbonlahor's low cross is diverted to safety by McArdle again... still goalless.

7:56pm

10- Joe Bennett fouls Hines, free-kick to City in the right channel. Gary Jones' delivery  is headed wide by James Hanson.

7:54pm

09 - McArdle with a great clearance from Benteke's cross... still goalless but Villa on top. 

7:52pm

05 - Matthew Lowton heads over from six yards after Benteke nodded a N'Zogbia cross into his path..

7:49pm

Nathan Doyle penalised for lunging challenge on Benteke... free-kick to Villa...

7:49pm

03 - Benteke heads wide from N'Zogbia cross...

7:46pm

Awful lunge from Fabian Deplh on Zavon Hines

7:45pm

City attacking the Holte End first half.... and we are off!!! Hold onto your hats folks...

7:44pm

Phil Parkinson applauds the City fans as he emerges from the tunnel and takes his seat in the dug-out.

7:43pm

Two teams emerge from the tunnel to impressive scenes. Every Villa fans appears to be waving a claret and blue flag.

7:41pm

It feels like a lion's den here at Villa Park. Villa fans up for this one. So too are the City fans, though.

7:40pm

Atmosphere raucous to say the least. Both sets of fans making themselves heard.

7:35pm

Villa Park now filling up rapidly. The City fans still just about outsinging the home faithful. Less than 10 minutes to kick-off.

7:32pm

Villa fans being implored to wave their plastic flags....

7:30pm

Teams being read out over the Tannoy now by the stadium announcer. City's team being cheered loudly by the visiting supporters.

7:27pm

Fifteen minutes to kick-off folks. Both sides' warm-ups now nearing completion.

7:24pm

"CITY TILL I DIE!!" is the cry from the huge travelling army of Bantams supporters.

7:20pm

Villa fans waving plastic flags given out by the club. Still the City fans making all the noise...

7:18pm

Atmosphere building by the minute here... City fans in buoyant mood. Villa's famous Holte End is still sparsely populated. Less than half an hour to go now folks...

7:04pm

City's large and vocal following is making itself heard. Around 40 minutes to go before kick-off.

7:03pm

T&A photographer Tom Smith has arrived at Villa Park

6:59pm

Stan Collymore, formerly of Aston Villa and Bradford, is all smiles tonight. He is happily posing for pictures with young Villa fans here in the Main Stand.

6:58pm

City fans occupying the upper tier of the Witton Lane End and also a decent chunk of the Doug Ellis Stand. Around 6,500 fans expected from Bradford. Already making plenty of noise.

6:56pm

6:54pm

Subs: Guzan, Bent, Lichaj, Holman, Weimann, Stevens, Carruthers

6:54pm

Villa team: Given, Vlaar [c], Clark, Bennett, Lowton, Ireland, Delph, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Bannan, Benteke.

6:53pm

Subs: Ravenhill, Reid, Thompson, Connell, Nelson, Turgott, McLaughlin

6:53pm

City team: Duke, Darby, McArdle, McHugh, Good; G Jones, Doyle, Atkinson, Hines; Hanson & Wells

6:51pm

6:48pm

City fans beginning to fill up the top tier of the North Stand, traditionally known as the Witton Lane End.

6:45pm

Bitterly cold here, folks, so any City fans heading to Villa Park... wrap up warm!!

6:45pm

*** BREAKING NEWS *** City unchanged from the side which defeated Villa in the first leg a fortnight ago.

6:35pm

Phil Parkinson and his men have just completed their pre-match walkabout. Players seem relaxed; Rory McArdle happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs for fans.

6:33pm

A number of ex-City stars in the press box in Paul Jewell, Wayne Jacobs and Ian Ormondroyd. All three in demand for pre-match radio interviews.

6:24pm

Anticipation building here in the Villa Park press box. Her Majesty Press Corps well fed and watered by Villa's excellent pre-match hospitality.

6:14pm

Matthew Richardson, 29, is on board one of the coaches travelling down the M1.
He said the atmosphere is building the closer they get to Villa Park.
“The atmosphere is really positive. Everyone’s feeling confident – the score predictions people have are 1-0 with Nakhi Wells scoring, or 2-2.
“We’re confident we’re going to smash them!”

6:13pm

Matthew Richardson, 29, is on board one of the coaches travelling down the M1.
He said the atmosphere is building the closer they get to Villa Park.
“The atmosphere is really positive. Everyone’s feeling confident – the score predictions people have are 1-0 with Nakhi Wells scoring, or 2-2.
“We’re confident we’re going to smash them!”

6:11pm

6:09pm

6:08pm

Bethany Amber Dimmock, 18, who the T&A spoke to before the Arsenal Capital One Cup quarter final, is on Coach One, which left Valley Parade this afternoon.
She said: “I don't know if I'm excited or nervous! Biggest game I've been to, be lucky if tonight doesn't knock a few years off my life!”

6:07pm

6:07pm

5:50pm

Fan Chris Callaghan, 23, of Baildon, said supporters’ nerves were showing on the coach journey down to Villa Park.
Speaking to the T&A on the trip down, he said: “I expected it to be bouncing, but I think everyone’s really nervous! The guy sitting next to me looks like he’s crying!
“I think people are nervous because we’re so close to Wembley!
“I got my ticket for the second leg straight away, even before the first leg had been played. That was unbelievable, one of the best nights of my life.
“I think the atmosphere and excitement will pick up as we get closer. I can’t wait!”

5:27pm

5:14pm

A sea of claret and amber fans filtered onto a fleet of coaches at Valley Parade as their journey to Villa Park for Bantams’ Capital One Cup semi-final began this afternoon.
Hundreds of supporters, many in Bradford City shirts and scarves, spoke of their nervous anticipation as they filed onto more than 15 coaches parked up outside the ground for their trip down the M1 to the Midlands.
Fan Tom Graham, 43, travelling with his son Jack, 15, said: “I couldn’t sleep last night, I was so nervous. I think we can do it, but the first 20 minutes are so important.
“I’m sure the atmosphere travelling down will be fantastic, and even better inside the ground. I can’t wait - I just hope our next trip will be to Wembley!”

3:45pm

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3:22pm

We want to hear from travelling fans on their way to Villa Park. Send us your messages and pictures to @bradford_tanda on Twitter, or direct to us at the T&A from this link

3:18pm

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3:15pm

Win or lose, City have been superb

What the T&A had to say about City's heroes.

2:04pm

1:19pm

1:01pm

12:55pm

Aston Villa's mascot, Hercules the Lion.

But will he be laughing tonight?

12:53pm

Here's a four-minute audio interview with Phil Parkinson courtesy of Phoenix Media Ltd, based in West Yorkshire:

12:51pm

In case you're wondering just where all the action is tonight (or you're on your way and have no satnav or map!) then here you go:

12:47pm

Says it all, really, in two words:

12:46pm

12:40pm

Let's have a little reminder of that Rory McArdle header in the first leg, courtesy of YouTube user DanStarr69

12:36pm

According to our oppos on the Birmingham Mail, Villa are going out tonight "all guns blazing" and are expected to start with four strikers - are we worried?

12:29pm

12:27pm

11:50am

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11:49am

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert will be hoping Bradford have cause to regret any "disrespect" shown by one of their employees when the sides meet again in tomorrow's Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg at Villa Park.

League Two outfit Bradford will take a 3-1 advantage from the first meeting at Valley Parade into the return clash in front of a capacity 43,000 crowd.

But Lambert was not over impressed after being told City stadium announcer Paul Deo had suggested Bradford fans consider booking hotel rooms for the final at Wembley in the aftermath of their victory.

It has prompted Deo to this evening issue an apology if he has caused any offence to the Barclays Premier League club.

When initially told of Deo's comments said, Lambert said: "I never heard that. But we'll see what happens. If he said that, then maybe it's a bit disrespectful.

"You don't count your chickens. No you don't. Football's got a great habit of kicking you somewhere.

"It's disrespectful to do that. We'll see what happens after the game.

"Maybe you can understand him getting carried away, because it was their big moment.

"It was their home game. But it's disrespectful to do that to other teams."

Deo, a vicar, said: "There was absolutely no disrespect meant. It was never meant to sound like some sort of jibe, and there was no intention to be in any way smug or over confident.

"I certainly did not say 'book your hotels'. What I said was that, though it was only 'half-time' in the semi-final tie and it was far from over, Bradford fans 'could be forgiven for having a look at hotel rooms in London'.

"It was all simply part of the feeling of that amazing sense of almost unbelievable celebration - little Bradford City actually have the chance to play at Wembley in a major final!

"It was certainly not intended to be in any way disrespectful to Aston Villa, to Paul Lambert, or to Villa's staff, players or fans. If it came over that way, then I can only apologise. But there was certainly nothing like that deliberately intended.

"As a club we have not been in this situation before. We were excited and what I said I said totally in that 'moment of celebration' context."

Lambert admits the defeat against the Bantams was the low point of the campaign, but he has urged his players to seize the opportunity to play at Wembley as the chance may never arise again.

He said: "Chelsea (the 8-0 defeat) was really low obviously because of the beating.

"But I think because of what happened and who we were playing - and that's no disrespect to Bradford - that was really, really low.

"There is the possibility of getting to Wembley and, the thing is, you might never get there again.

"In football you just don't know what's around the corner. You have to grab this chance because you just don't know when this could happen again.

"The best players make sure that they grab the chance. In football you can't have any regrets because you'll look back over your career and think 'I should have' and 'if only'.

"The ones who actually succeed are the ones who do it and seize the chances."

Lambert expects his players to be determined to make amends for the "hurt" they felt after the first leg setback.

He said: "I don't think you can use the word revenge. But the players were hurt by what happened.

"They know they've got the chance to rectify it and get through. It could be a fantastic night.

"Bradford will know themselves that two goals is easily retrievable, easily.

"The whole thing changes now. They've got the lead they got. But I've got a feeling with the way the stadium will be and the way we're going at the moment, then it'll be a different game.

"We're playing at our home ground, we have to use that advantage."

11:45am

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11:39am

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson has put all talk of a new contract on hold as he plots a route past Aston Villa in the return leg of tonight's Capital One Cup semi-final, and a fairytale trip to Wembley.

Parkinson, 45, out of contract at Valley Parade in the summer, is also mapping an escape path out of npower League Two, but all talk of promotion, at Villa Park tonight at least, will also be placed on the backburner.

The Bantams, who will defend a 3-1 first-leg lead, stand on the threshold of another historic victory, being as they are just one game away from becoming the first club in the bottom tier of English football to reach Wembley in a major cup final.

Since Parkinson's side embarked on the greatest giantkilling run in modern times, including famous victories over Wigan, Arsenal and Villa, his future has remained unresolved, but the former Colchester, Hull and Charlton boss and Bradford's joint chairman Mark Lawn are not unduly concerned.

"We're currently in negotiations," Lawn told Press Association Sport. "We want to keep Phil here and will pay him as much as we possibly can.

"We're a fourth-tier club and can't pay him mega-bucks. We won't be getting ourselves in financial trouble and going the same way this club went before.

"I've stated before on many occasions, I won't ever take Bradford City into administration."