Middlesbrough Res 3, Bradford City Res 0 - The choice of half-time record showed that someone had a wicked sense of humour at wet and windy Billingham last night.

"Land of Make Believe" belted out from the speakers in the small stand which offered the only cover from the elements at the Northern League ground.

Beni Carbone must have wondered what world he had been thrown into as he reluctantly joined his team-mates to take on Middlesbrough reserves.

The Italian, now back from Derby and playing his first game in a Bantams shirt since October, suggested with his body language he would have rather been anywhere than this miserable corner of the north-east.

And he admitted afterwards: "It is hard to play with the same passion in these surroundings as when there are 20,000 people at Valley Parade."

Carbone was given an hour by new reserve boss Mark Prudhoe, but, apart from a few neat touches early on, he never threatened to make an impact in front of watching manager Nicky Law.

The City boss left before the end, clearly unimpressed with what he had seen from arguably the most experienced second string the club had ever put out. With the likes of Stuart McCall, whose workrate and commitment put several team-mates to shame, Wayne Jacobs, Carbone, Gareth Whalley, Jamie Lawrence and Andy Tod, the starting line-up boasted an incredible 2,309 league appearances.

Yet they finished well beaten and managed only one genuine scoring attempt - a header from a Whalley corner by rookie centre-half Robert Morgan.

Boro had a few familiar faces and one spearheading their attack was more familiar to Bantam eyes than most. And Dean Windass showed his old club a thing or two about mucking in on a mucky night.

He played a minute longer than his former strike partner Carbone but in productivity terms they were streets apart and Windass got his rewards with a thumping header for the opening goal after 29 minutes.

Andy Lee's arrival for Carbone provided a little spark for City but after Tod had wasted a good opening with a dreadful first touch, they fell further behind after 74 minutes to a 25-yard drive from Craig Dove.

A minute later Andy Campbell was allowed to slip in behind the defence and cross low for sub Anthony Ormerod to bundle in.

It could have been more embarrassing for the Bantams in the closing stages as Campbell twice missed when through and set up Liam Smith to drive inches over.

On the plus side, Whalley negotiated his first game since his groin trouble although he looks well short of a first-team return. But for Carbone, it was a real shock to the system. He had never heard of Billingham before last night - and he won't want to again.

CITY RES: Vaughan, Brodie (Bentham 70), Jacobs, McCall (Forrest 78), Morgan, Bower, Juanjo, Lawrence, Tod, Carbone (Lee 60), Whalley. Subs (not used): McGahey, Worsnop.