Darlington 0

Bradford City 1

Gareth Whalley scored a rare goal with his right foot as Bradford City took a one-goal advantage into Monday's Worthington Cup second round second leg at Valley Parade.

Whalley fired home during first half stoppage time from Lee Sharpe's cross to complete the best move of the match.

City deserved their 1-0 first leg win on a wet night at Feethams, but they were pressed all the way by Third Division Darlington who had spirit and skill in abundance.

Their victory was marred, however, when they picked up two more injuries to join a growing list.

Midfielder David Hopkin was carried off with what looked like a bad ankle injury, the victim of a nasty tackle by Martin Gray after 27 minutes which left the Darlington midfield player lucky to escape with a booking.

With four minutes remaining, left back Ian Nolan suffered a hamstring injury to add to manager Chris Hutchings' problems.

Assistant manager Stuart McCall, who began the match on the bench, replaced Hopkin and his experience was invaluable as City were stretched at times against a side determined to upset their Premiership visitors.

City went into the match with dire warnings about the consequences of not approaching the game in the correct manner and the dangers of under-estimating their lower-division opponents.

Fortunately, they heeded those warnings, and a good thing too. For although they were the classier side in terms of skill and passing ability on a greasy surface, anything less than 100 per cent commitment against Darlington would have left them in big trouble.

It was easy to see why the Quakers beat First Division strugglers Nottingham Forest in the first round, but City made sure there was no uspet last night as they came through a testing match in a professional manner.

For all their pressure and possession, Darlington created fewer chances than City and Bantams striker Ashley Ward could have had a hat-trick but for fine saves by goalkeeper Andy Collett.

Darlington's main threat in the first half came from long range free kicks from former Newcastle midfield player Stuart Elliott, one of the goalscoring heroes of their Forest win, but it was left back Paul Heckingbottom who almost scored twice in three minutes.

First he forced his way through the middle of City's defence as he exchanged passes with Paul Campbell only to be denied by Matt Clarke.

The City goalkeeper did equally well to turn his free kick over the crossbar two minutes later.

Then City struck a crucial blow at the end of the first half with the only goal of the match following a move that had Premiership class written all over it.

Dean Windass began it in his own half, and when Dan Petrescu sent Lee Sharpe away down the left the winger found unmarked Whalley who scored.

Stung by the blow, Darlington threw everything they could at City in the second half.

Most of their pressure, though, came from high crosses, free kicks and corners rather than created chances. Although there were anxious moments during a frantic second half, City's defence managed to cope.

Darlington were so desperate to equalise that they left gaps in defence which City did their best to exploit on the break through Ward, Petrescu and Sharpe.

Petrescu and Sharpe were particuarly effective down the flanks and twice Collett was called upon to keep out close range headers from Ward as he met crosses from City's two wide midfield players.