CITY boss Phil Parkinson believed the second-half performance in particular was deserving of more reward but said he would relish the opportunity of a replay at Reading - a club he graced with aplomb for a significant portion of his playing career.

Parkinson said: "I thought we were in the ascendency in the second period and it was always going to take a mistake or a moment of quality to settle the game today.

"You have to give Reading credit because they looked at the Sunderland game and they tightened up and did the basics really well and made it a scrappy affair at times."

Parkinson expressed his delight that his team will be in the hat for the semi-finals, adding: "We had to deal with the fact that everyone was telling us we were favourites despite the fact that Reading are in a higher division.

"I'm delighted with how we acquitted ourselves today and to be in the draw is great. What people have to understand is it was as big a game for Reading as it was for Bradford today and they were really up for the game and they had to be."

Parkinson saw his side's best chance pass by when Gary Liddle sent in a first-half cross which eluded everyone in the box and struck the base of Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici's post.