Richard Sutcliffe reports on the action from last night's trophy presentation match: Bradford City 9, John Hendrie XI 6.
PETER BEAGRIE grabbed a 20-minute hat-trick to kick-start Bradford City's promotion celebrations on a night of spectacular goal action at Valley Parade.
The City wideman started the 15-goal festival of action after just 170 seconds with a fierce shot to help the Bantams mark their huge achievement in winning a place in the Premiership in style.
Paul Jewell's side ran out comfortable winners thanks to some enterprising attacking play which saw six other players join Beagrie on the scoresheet.
And although John Hendrie tried to even up matters by playing the final 20 minutes with 13 players after slyly bringing two substitutes on to the field without taking anyone off, City were full value for their winning margin.
The goals thrilled the Valley Parade crowd with two of the biggest cheers being reserved for a fantastic double from former City star Chris Waddle, who showed he still has a vast array of skills at his disposal.
The evening left chairman Geoffrey Richmond delighted: "It was a memorable occasion and a fitting way to finish a great season.
"The players seemed to enjoy themselves while I know Paul Jewell will have enjoyed scoring our final goal. Mind, he was lucky not to maintain his 100 per cent record of being sent off in every game he has played this season following the red card he got in our last friendly game in Macedonia!"
It was clear throughout that tackling would be at a premium, despite Greg Abbott putting in a couple of tough attempts early on, and that allowed both sides to stroke the ball about at will.
After Beagrie's opener, Hendrie's XI hit back with a sweet strike from Waddle only for a strike from John Dreyer and two more from Beagrie to effectively seal the game by the 23rd minute.
This did not stop City pouring forward and Robbie Blake, Dean Windass and Lee Sharpe all added goals before referee Kevin Lynch blew for half-time after 40 minutes - a move which seemed to be instigated by Hendrie.
It was a wise move from the York official because the guest side soon started to pull goals back with strikes from Mark Page and Hendrie, a goal which drew another huge cheer.
Windass then notched another for City in the 57th minute before Hendrie grabbed his second strike of the evening and Lee Sinnott made it 8-5 with a glancing header.
However the action was not over and with just four minutes remaining, Jewell produced a fine bit of skill to deceive Steve Dickinson before Waddle rounded off the scoring with a 25-yard effort which curled round substitute goalkeeper Ashley Westwood.
City: Walsh, Wright, Sharpe, Windass, Moore, O'Brien, Lawrence, Blake, Dreyer, Watson, Beagrie. Subs: (all used) Jewell, Westwood, Verity, Mills, Jacobs, Todd, Prudhoe, Rankin, Bower, Whalley.
Hendrie XI: Litchfield, Wilder, Reid, Abbott, Sinnott, Graham, Hendrie, Waddle, Power, Duxbury, Ellis. Subs (all used) Holmes, Dickinson, Page, Palin, Futcher.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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