In a thrilling match at the University of Bradford Stadium, Mark Hughes’ Bantams managed to secure a well-deserved 1-1 draw against Hull City, a Sky Bet Championship side.
The game kicked off with the Bantams taking control of the proceedings, dominating the opening 20 minutes. A fantastic set-piece delivery by Ryan East found the head of Ash Taylor, who expertly directed the ball across the goal for Daniel Oyegoke. The Brentford loanee seemed destined to give City the lead, but an impressive save from Hull City’s goalkeeper, Matt Ingram, denied the chance.
Despite City’s early efforts, it was the away side that broke the deadlock halfway through the first half. Liam Delap’s perfectly placed cross was met by Regan Slater inside the area, and he calmly slotted the ball home, granting the Tigers a lead.
Both teams continued to push for goals throughout the remainder of the first half. Hull City came closest through a Jean-Michaël Seri free-kick, which narrowly missed the target, flying just over Harry Lewis’ crossbar.
As the second half commenced, the away side displayed excellent ball control and nearly extended their lead through Ozan Tufan, who forced a smart save from City’s goalkeeper, Harry Lewis.
Hull City kept the pressure on, testing the Bantams’ defence. Delap’s well-struck shot was saved by Lewis’ feet, keeping the Tigers in the lead. However, after making several changes, the fresh legs brought more opportunities for the Bantams, with Bobby Pointon’s effort fizzing into the ground but ultimately being saved by Ingram.
The Championship side came dangerously close to doubling their lead, but Lewis’ outstanding goalkeeping skills denied them. He rushed out to block Delap’s shot and then managed to put off Tufan, whose effort hit the side-netting.
With the clock ticking down, the Bantams continued to attack, coming close to equalising thanks to some skilful play from Pointon down the left flank. Unfortunately, his well-placed cross into the six-yard box found no one in claret and amber to capitalise on the opportunity.
In the dying minutes of the match, the Bantams persisted, and their efforts paid off with a late equaliser. Richie Smallwood’s precise free-kick into the area saw Derbyshire’s header force the Tigers’ goalkeeper to spill the ball, leaving Sam Stubbs in the perfect position to tap it into an empty net and ensure the match ended in a draw.
Mark Hughes’ Bantams put up a commendable performance against the strong Hull City side, and the late goal demonstrated their determination to fight until the very end. The University of Bradford Stadium witnessed an exhilarating contest, leaving both sets of fans with much to cheer about as the spoils were shared.
