Bradford City Reserves 3, Everton Reserves 2: Wayne Jacobs was on the spot as City Reserves went second in the northern section of the FA Premier Reserve League with a 3-2 win over Everton at Valley Parade last night.

Central defender Adam Farley brought down Gareth Grant and up stepped left back Jacobs to score the winner from the spot 14 minutes from the end. The penalty earned City their fourth win in a row in their first match since Christmas.

Some of the many visiting managers and scouts had not taken their seats when Everton's Danish under-21 international Peter Degn saw his 20-yard shot crash against the post in the first minute.

Degn was involved again as Everton completed their whirlwind start by going in front after three minutes. The Dane tried a shot from the edge of the box and American international striker Joe-Max Moore, who scored Everton's last-minute equaliser in the Premiership against Spurs at Goodison Park on Saturday, diverted the ball into the net.

But City hit back well and, after Andrew Patterson saw goalkeeper Steve Simonsen block his close-range shot after 12 minutes, Lee Sharpe equalised a minute later with a classy piece of finishing.

The ball was played down the left to put Sharpe in the clear and he coolly slotted it past the advancing keeper into the far corner of the net.

City then took the lead after 22 minutes following a similar move. This time teenager Gareth Grant was played through down the left and he cut in before firing past Simonsen, the keeper getting a hand to the ball but failing to prevent it from going into the net.

Both sides had chances in the second half as the high level of entertainment continued unabated.

Everton's pressure was rewarded after 70 minutes when Ashley Westwood brought down Jevons as he raced into the box and Jamie Milligan levelled the scores at 2-2 from the spot.

City then stormed forward in search of a winner and John Dreyer, who played well in a midfield role, nearly scored after 74 minutes. Stephen Wright, watched by his former Rangers boss, Everton manager Walter Smith, delivered a superb low cross from the right and Dreyer saw his shot blocked on the line by the keeper before Sharpe fired into the side netting.

Two minutes later Sharpe, who showed some of his best form, played Grant through, and although the youngster took the ball too wide to get in a shot he was fouled and Jacobs scored from the spot.

The impressive Sharpe then forced Simonsen to make two fine saves in the last ten minutes as City finished strongly.

Bradford City: Davison, Wright, Jacobs, Dreyer, Westwood, Bower, Patterson (Kerr 67min), Whalley, Rankin, Grant, Sharpe. Subs (not used): Worsnop, Whiteley, Fishlock, Jones.

Everton: Simonsen, Regan, Ball, Ward, Farley (McLeod 83min), Gemmil, Degn, Jevons, Moore, Cadamatteri, Milligan. Subs (not used): Osman, Delany, Southern, Howarth.

DAVID MARKHAM

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