Neilson's late brace can't prevent reserves' cup defeat

A late Scott Neilson double wasn't enough to stop City Reserves from tumbling out of the totesport.com League Cup at Bamber Bridge tonight as Peter Taylor used the match to run the rule over several of his squad members.

A win or a draw would have proved enough to send City into the semi-finals of the competition but they agonisingly fell to a 4-3 defeat in a hugely entertaining game.

Despite the loss, the match did allow Taylor the opportunity to cast a further look over the likes of Neilson, Chris Brandon and Michael Boulding.

Preston struck first through Jamie Proctor before Rory Boulding restored parity a quarter-of-an-hour later.

Three Preston goals in 17 minutes either side of half-time appeared to leave the home side cruising to victory.

However, Neilson netting twice in three minutes in the match's closing stage set up a tense finish but Preston's young side hung on to deny the Bantams a last-four berth.

The contest started at an electric pace, with both sides keen to make an early impression.

With barely five minutes on the clock, it was Preston who gained that early advantage.

A low Danny Mayor corner was allowed to bounce all the way through to Jamie Proctor, who side-footed past Jon McLaughlin from close range.

City's first serious effort on goal came five minutes later when the Boulding brothers combined.

Rory Boulding wrestled possession off Sam Hart before delivering a flighted cross, which Michael Boulding could only poke just over the bar with the striker at full stretch The brothers linked together moments later when Rory cut the ball back from the by-line to allow Michael a shot on goal, which was deflected narrowly wide by the foot of Dominic Collins.

From the resulting corner, Louis Horne flashed a glancing header only inches off target.

Mayor came equally as close to finding the target with a strike that whistled just past McLaughlin's far post from Preston's next attack.

At the match approached the 20-minute mark, the Bantams worked themselves level in the tie through Rory Boulding.

He found himself in a battle with Connor McLaughlin to chase down Andrew Villermann's searching ball down the channel.

As Boulding used his strength to outmuscle McLaughlin, he was allowed the time and space inside the Preston penalty area to gain his composure before slotting past Dominic Comrie.

The Bantams' own McLaughlin had to be alert moments later to deny George Miller with a smart save down to his left when the Preston midfielder had been played into space inside the Bantams' penalty box.

Just past the half-hour mark, Neilson must have thought for a brief moment that he had a golden opportunity to grab the Bantams the lead.

The Bradford winger beat the offside trap and Comrie to a long Jonathan Bateson clearance, but he couldn't fully control the ball and it ran out of play before he had chance to turn it into the empty net.

From City's next attack, Michael Boulding was inches away from sliding a Rory Boulding cross into a gaping goal as the ball was just deflected from his path as he dived in.

From the corner that followed, Villermann somehow headed over from poink-blank range at the far post.

City were made to pay for that miss when North End re-took the lead moments after.

Proctor was on hand to tee up the onrushing Miller, who firmly side-footed the ball past McLaughlin from eight yards out.

It got even worse for the Bantams within minutes when a bouncing ball in the City area fell into the path of Michael McLellan, who slotted into the far corner past McLaughlin's despairing dive.

It could even have been four in first-half injury time as Proctor drove into the side-netting after good work on the Preston left by Hart.

Bradford made one change at the interval, Ryan Harrison replacing Michael Boulding. The Bantams striker did appear to have taken a knock in the first period, so it may have been a precautionary substitution.

Now joined by Leon Osborne in attack, Rory Boulding continued to take his shots on when possible, with one in particular rattling into Comrie's side-netting from an angle.

With just under an hour played, however, the match was realistically ended as a contest.

Mayor grabbed Preston's fourth in splendid fashion as he crashed in a fierce drive from distance that flew past McLauglin's outstretched hand.

Midway through the second period, Osborne's efforts for the night came to an end as he made way for Luke Dean.

Preston were now popping the ball around with ease, comfortable in the knowledge that their passage to the semis appeared to be almost secured. To their credit, though, the Bantams refused to buckle, despite the one-sided scoreline.

Having already grabbed one eye-catching goal, Mayor went in search of another as he ran at the Bantams defence.

The Preston midfielder surged past Phil Cutler and into the Bantams' penalty area, but could only fire wide with only McLaughlin to beat.

Neilson's evening threatened to end on a sour note as he got involved in a confrontation with Proctor. The pair had to be pulled away, but referee Peter Bankes (Merseyside) managed to calm the situation with nothing more than a stern word to both of them.

City made their third and final sub of the evening as Rory Carson took the place of Luke Sharry in midfield.

As the match entered its final quarter, Rory Boulding missed a promising opening to double his and the Bantams' account for the evening.

Villermann's cross sat up nicely for him, but the Bradford striker could only slice his left-footed half-volley high and wide when he had time to produce better.

With time running out, City managed to at least pull one goal back through Neilson.

Sub Carson slipped in the Bantams winger behind the Preston defence and the former Cambridge City man finished the move well by placing the ball through Comrie's legs.

Neilson made things even more interesting only moments later when he showed sharp thinking to beat Comrie at his near post with a quickly-taken free-kick to leave City only trailing by only one.

Preston North End Reserves: Dominic Comrie, Connor McLaughlin, Sam Hart, George Miller (Scott Davidson 74), Daniel Devine, Dominic Collins (Bailey Wright 81), Danny Mayor, Adam Barton, Michael McLellan, Jamie Proctor (Ryan McGreevy 77), Tom Owens. Subs (not used): Seanan Clucas, Scott Leather.

Bradford City Reserves: Jon McLaughlin, Jonathan Bateson, Andrew Villermann, Chris Brandon, Phil Cutler, Louis Horne, Scott Neilson, Luke Sharry (Rory Carson 77), Michael Boulding (Ryan Harrison HT), Rory Boulding, Leon Osborne (Luke Dean 70). Subs (not used): Matthew Convey, Curtis Collantine. Referee: Peter Bankes