Forrest fells Ipswich

The Bantams claimed their fifth win in seven games - and a notable first double of the season - with two goals in six second-half minutes after Ipswich had Hermann Hreidarsson sent off for punching Simon Francis.

It was City's third win on the bounce at home and fifth in seven.

But Nicky Law's pre-match plans were hit by suspensions for top scorer Andy Gray and Peter Atherton and Jamie Lawrence's fractured jaw.

Lewis Emanuel made a surprisingly early return from his hamstring injury while up front there was an opportunity for Keighley teenager Forrest, whose previous first-team experience was the Worthington Cup tie at Wrexham in September.

The bench had an even more youthful look about it. On-loan Danish keeper Stefan Magnusson was the oldest sub at 22 - the rest were Andy Lee and teenagers Craig Fishlock, Kevin Sanasy and Danny Ekoku, the nephew of Bulls chief executive Abi.

The crowd included one illustrious visitor, Newcastle boss Sir Bobby Robson, who took the chance of his side's postponement to catch up with old friends from Ipswich.

Only Sheffield United had better current form than Ipswich, who were unbeaten in eight to push to the brink of the play-offs.

But City won an immediate free-kick for handball. Claus Jorgensen flicked on Wayne Jacobs' kick into the path of Simon Francis whose volley was gathered low by keeper Andy Marshall.

Aidan Davison was called into action at the other end within a couple of minutes to deny Fabian Wilnis.

Forrest's first touch after seven minutes was a promising one as he found Francis with a neat cross-ball. Unfortunately the compliment could not be returned as the cross was charged down.

But it was a lively little spell for the home side and Ashley Ward looped a header over from a Gus Unlenbeek cross.

The quality was up and down but it needed a fine tackle by Mark Bower to stop Marcus Bent after 15 minutes. Tommy Miller's pass picked out Bent in the City box but Bower, recalled in Atherton's place, timed his lunge well and cleared the danger.

A low cross by Chris Makin nearly caused a problem as Ipswich started to turn the screw. Bower turned behind another ball in from Wilnis and from the corner Ipswich went close to taking the lead.

Magilton's kick was met by Thomas Gaardsoe whose header appeared to loop off a City shirt as it headed goalwards. But Uhlenbeek was on the far post to block and then whack it away.

Uhlenbeek had Marshall scrambling with a deep cross but the keeper did well to punch the ball off the head of the predatory Ward before Michael Standing lashed over from 25 yards.

Francis was a lively competitor in Law's inexperienced bunch but it was Forrest who had the chance to be a hero after 29 minutes. Emanuel's cross landed in his lap inside the Ipswich penalty area but the rookie striker's touch was minimal.

The City back four had coped well so far although there was little entertainment on offer for either set of fans who, not surprisingly, had fallen quiet given the lack of action.

But City nearly paid the price for standing off Pablo Counago who found his way past Bower and Molenaar before Standing got back with an important touch to his goalkeeper.

Then out of nothing Ipswich came within a whisker of a goal five minutes before the break. There seemed little danger from Holland's cross-field pass but Bent had peeled away to the left of the goal and from the edge of the area struck a fierce effort which clipped the outside of the post.

Counago, Ipswich's leading scorer with 14, had the ball in the net right on the interval but the flag was up for offside.

There was still time for City to win their first corner. Standing took it but Bent won the heading duel with Robert Molenaar in the middle.

Bent went down in the City box after a clip by Molenaar but referee Clive Wilkes was unimpressed with the striker's fall. Joe Royle was not amused on the touchline.

HT: City 0, Ipswich 0

Ipswich made a change for the second half as Darren Bent came on for Wilnis to inject some extra pace.

Holland fouled Emanuel to the left of the Ipswich box within the first half minute. Standing's free-kick was nicked away by Marcus Bent but Bower kept it in play with an athletic overhead kick from the byline.

It landed to Forrest who must have thought he had scored his first senior goal as he knocked it goalwards - only for Hreidarsson to knock it off the line. Jorgensen, City's scoring sensation of the moment, let rip with a 20-yarder but Marshall had everything behind it.

It was a very positive start from the Bantams who had spent much of the first period on the back foot.

And Ipswich were down to ten men after 50 minutes when Hreidarsson was sent off after appearing to punch Francis. The City youngster laid off a pass and ran for the return but was checked illegally by the defender.

As Francis stood there dazed, referee Wilkes had no doubt and flashed the red card at the Icelander.

Ward held up a high ball from Uhlenbeek for Standing to run on to but the midfielder's attempted lob failed to come off.

Royle brought on his other Darren as Counago was replaced by Ambrose, Ipswich's scorer when the two sides met at Portman Road in August.

Again Forrest threatened to break his duck a minute later. Jacobs provided the ammunition from the left, Ward got a half flick on it and the ball fell for the 18-year-old who put it the wrong side of the post from close in.

City were on top and a corner by Standing was nodded into the danger zone by Francis. Bower looped a header over Marshall but as City prepared to celebrate, Marcus Bent hooked it off the line.

Forrest made another decent run to meet a zipping low ball by Emanuel but the prod was gathered by Marshall at his near post.

But City's pressure deservedly paid off with a goal after 62 minutes. And no prizes for guessing who scored it.

Emanuel began the move on the left wing and found Forrest by the byline. He did well to pull it back and there was JORGENSEN to lash the ball home from ten yards.

Amazingly it was the fifth successive league match in which the Dane had scored - and was no more than City deserved on their second-half display.

Gaardsoe hauled down Francis as he broke dangerously and was rightly yellow-carded.

And City increased their lead after 68 minutes with a well-earned debut goal for Forrest.

Jacobs delivered another precise cross, Bower knocked it into the six-yard box and there was FORREST on his own to make it fifth time lucky as he buried the ball past Marshall.

Darren Bent thought he had pulled one back in the 77th minute but smacked the bar with a volley over Davison.

City refused to be rattled and Ward outstripped Gaardsoe but toe-poked a lob too high with Marshall caught in no man's land. Before the goal kick was taken, Martijn Reuser came on for Magilton.

Jorgensen thought he had a second with six minutes to go but his low drive hit the side-netting. And Francis forced a fine block by Marshall as the game went into added time.