Bradford City reserves 1 Middlesbrough reserves 2

 Edinho coined the nickname as City’s boy from Brazil but Alex Titton picked up the mantle yesterday.

The blond 21-year-old, born in Porto Alegre, once interested Tottenham after a trial but had no European passport at the time. Now armed with an Italian one, he has been training with the Bantams for the past fortnight.

The club think he has something about him, although lack of match fitness looked an issue in his first outing yesterday at Eccleshill. But he showed some nice touches and his pass engineered the City goal.

Titton was one of five trialists in an unfamiliar line-up shorn of all the youngsters on FA Youth Cup duty. Simon Ramsden and Steve Williams, who might have been pencilled in prior to their first-team returns after lengthy absences, were also spared so the most experienced home player was Michael Bryan.

The gaggle of wannabes included MK Dons striker Lewis Guy, who had played against City in August while on loan at Oxford, and he was on the mark in the second half.

Anthony Glover, another trialist, cleared off the line from Cameron Park as Boro began strongly. Then first-year apprentice Stuart Morrison saved well from Curtis Main’s header.

With Titton and Guy up front, Terry Dixon played in centre midfield and set up partner Luke Dean for City’s first decent effort which tested keeper Connor Ripley on the bobbly surface.

Ripley thwarted trialist Ben Murdoch at his near post before Boro took a 37th-minute lead through Andy Halliday.

Main’s free-kick clipped the wall and Morrison did well to adjust direction and make the save. But Halliday was first onto the loose ball to slide in.

But City were level four minutes after the break with a well-worked response.

Titton’s clever ball through traffic released Louis Barnes along the left flank. Dean touched his low cross beyond the reach of Ripley and Guy adjusted smartly to fire into the unguarded net.

City fluffed a glorious chance on the hour, the keeper saving Dean’s tame penalty after Adam Reach had handled. Midfielder Paddy Lacey made a welcome return after 72 minutes – his first action since a knee operation following his injury with Vauxhall Motors in September.

He could have made an impact with his first touch but sliced wide from 15 yards.

And it was Boro who struck the decisive 77th-minute blow as Main’s angled shot went through the diving Morrison.

The keeper recovered with a good save from sub Matt Waters but that could not stop City’s first reserve loss of the season.

CITY RES: Morrison, Glover, Overson, Dean, Robinson, Murdoch, Bryan, Dixon (Lacey 72min), Titton, Guy (S Barnes 81min), L Barnes.