Port Vale reserves 0 Bradford City reserves 1

 City’s reserves continued their fine form with an impressive victory at Port Vale – their fourth win in five fixtures.

The hosts included seven first-team players in their starting line-up, including Lewis Haldane and Kris Taylor, but in-form Darren Stephenson’s first-half strike was enough to secure another three points.

Trialist defenders Leigh Franks and Phil Shead were given a run-out for City.

Centre half Franks, who featured five times in a loan spell with Oxford United earlier this year, is currently on the books of neighbours Huddersfield Town.

Shead, who started the match at right back, is a free agent, having just left Championship outfit Middlesbrough.

An early fizzing 20-yard free-kick from Haldane skipped an inch or two past Chris Elliott’s far post but it was City who took the lead in the 18th minute.

Second-year apprentice Stephenson, who made his first-team debut against Shrewsbury just over two weeks ago, broke through Vale’s defences to latch onto a long ball forward. He was able to side-step the recovering Joseph Davis before slotting past Chris Martin into the bottom corner.

Vale tried to respond but Chris Elliott was equal to Haldane’s half volley from the edge of the area, while Louis Dodds scuffed an effort wide from distance.

At the other end, Chib Chilaka had has own opening but he headed wide at the far post from a City free-kick.

Leon Osborne then forced Martin into a smart save to push away his goal-bound strike.

Ten minutes into the second half, City lost skipper Louis Horne with a foot injury after taking a whack moments earlier.

Livewire winger Dominic Rowe forced Martin into a neat low save after bursting into a dangerous position inside the area and moments later, on a similar raid forward, Rowe appeared to be dragged down as he strode inside the area – only for referee Mr Waugh to award a free-kick just outside.

Vale squandered two decent chances to equalise, Dodds sending a free header over from around eight yards and, with six minutes left, Haldane rattled in a half volley which whacked the outside of Elliott’s far post.

City reserves: Elliott, Shead, Lawless, Flett, Franks, Horne (Robinson 57), Rowe, Mitchell (Green 46), Stephenson, Chilaka, Osborne. Substitute not used: Cheetham.