Cheltenham Town 0-1 Bradford City
Cheltenham Town crashed out of the Checkatrade Trophy after a 1-0 loss to League One side Bradford City.The game was goalless at half time following an even 45 minutes that saw both sides have chances.
After the break, despite The Robins creating plenty of opportunities and going close a few times, it was The Bantams who took the lead through Jordy Hiwula.
The result means that it’s Bradford who progress to the last eight to face Oxford United.
Mark Marshall had the first effort of the night for Bradford as he cut inside from the left and shot from range, but his powerful effort was held by Calum Kitscha.
The Bantams started the game brightly but Cheltenham grew into it, though The Robins could only carve up long-range shots from Harry Pell and Jack Barthram that went high and wide.
Neither side was grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck as we approached the half hour mark, and both went close as James Hanson headed tamely at Kitscha and Pell’s free kick curled just wide of the post.
After 38 minutes Kitscha was forced into making a fantastic double save as Marshall had the initial shot, and Daniel Devine was then kept out by the Cheltenham goalkeeper’s feet.
Just before the break The Robins went close again when the ball bounced out to Barthram, but the wingback’s powerful shot was deflected inches wide and it stayed goalless as the half time whistle was blown.
After the interval it was Cheltenham who made the stronger start and thought they’d taken the lead when Diego De Girolamo put the ball in the net after an almighty scramble in the box, but it was ruled out after the referee adjudged there to be a foul in the build-up.
Just two minutes later it took a fantastic save from Rouven Sattelmaier to keep out Billy Waters’ shot, and then Danny Wright went extremely close with a curling effort that just about went over from the resulting corner.
However, despite The Robins being the much better side in the second half, it was Bradford who took the lead when Hiwula tapped in from close range on 64 minutes.
Just under 10 minutes later Cheltenham almost hit back when a fantastic run from Emmanuel Onariase saw the ball fall to Waters, but his shot clipped the crossbar and went over.
Cheltenham Town: C Kitscha, E Onariase, D O’Shaughnessy, W Boyle, J Barthram (J Dayton, 72), J Cranston, H Pell (C), J Rowe, B Waters (J Munns, 85), D Wright, D De Girolamo (D Holman, 72).
Unused Subs: L Clayton, A Downes, M Bower, K Storer.
Bradford City: R Sattelmaier, S Darby, R Vincelot (C) (J Cullen, 45), M Marshall (B Clarke, 68), T Dieng, J Hanson (N Knight-Percival, 77), J Hiwula, R McArdle, D Devine, M Kilgallon, T McMahon.
Unused Subs: C Doyle, J Meredith, N Law.
Attendance: 1081 (92)