VERDICT: Bantams deserve first FA Cup win for four years

TWO months from now and it will be the 10th anniversary of the miracle of Stamford Bridge.

A decade since smashing Chelsea, battering Millwall, humbling Sunderland and reaching a first FA Cup quarter-final since 1976.

The greatest of all domestic cup competitions has proved to be anything but for the Bantams in the fallow years that have followed.

Just two appearances in the third round – where they missed the big Premier League pay-day for exits at the hands of Bury and Yeovil. It’s hardly the sequel of derring-do to that magical run under Phil Parkinson.

But at least they can beat Aldershot.

City saw off the Shots for the third time in that intervening period to make it to round two – where they haven’t been since the closed-door eeriness of 2020.

The abolition of replays this year meant they needed only one shot to beat the non-leaguers on this occasion but at least the jeopardy of extra-time and penalties was swerved in the process.

It wasn’t all sweetness and light as Aldershot’s first-half opener threatened another bout of cup fever.

But, in the end, this was as comfortable an afternoon as City could have hoped in a game that had “banana skin” written all over it.

That would have been reinforced by catching Huddersfield’s televised demise at Tamworth the night before.

Those teams were well over 50 places apart in the football pyramid. Aldershot, one position beneath Friday’s giant-killers, were a mere 34 behind the Bantams in comparison.

Graham Alexander had watched the Huddersfield game with bittersweet emotions.

A good pal of Terriers boss Michael Duff from their Burnley days, seeing a high-ranked League One team come a cropper to National League opponents did sharpen up City’s pre-match team talk.

“I didn’t want to see it because Duffo is a mate of mine,” said Alexander. “But it was a harsh reminder for everyone that there are no gimmes in professional football.

“There are lots of good players and good teams around in this competition.”

Warning duly noted, he had made six changes to the team that had reluctantly surrendered the unbeaten home record to Doncaster last time out.

Alexander wanted to get some minutes into players that had found opportunities limited of late.

Corry Evans got his first start after four sub appearances since being picked up from free agency.

A potential upset was on the cards when Aldershot took the lead (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Up front, Vadaine Oliver and Olly Sanderson joined Calum Kavanagh in a triple bid to convince a sceptical BD8 that there is attacking life in the squad beyond Andy Cook.

Alexander has publicly stated on numerous occasions that the quality is there in the forwards. In the manager’s words, it is not Andy Cook FC.

But you could have fooled the small Valley Parade crowd in the first half as chance after chance was spurned.

All three were guilty of passing up decent opportunities to get themselves and City going.

To be fair, ring rust was a factor, particularly in the case of Sanderson and Oliver given their recent under-employment.

Kavanagh blazed over when well-placed and Oliver’s touch was tentative with only the keeper to beat. Sanderson then got his angles wrong as he tried to lob Marcus Dewhurst when through.

Aldershot came into the contest with only one win in 10 games and a solitary success on the road. But that had come in West Yorkshire at Halifax in August.

They kept the ball well in an MK Dons kind of way – and then struck emphatically when presented with a first chance on 32 minutes.

Skipper Aaron Moore pounced after Oliver had his pocket picked on halfway and fed Jack Barham on the edge of the City box.

Barham bagged a hat-trick in their astonishing 7-4 thrashing of Swindon at the same stage last year and wasn’t going to pass up his attempt at more FA Cup glory, shifting the ball onto his left foot to bend a glorious finish in the top corner.

The scorer led a posse of black shirts towards the noisy travelling support while the remainder had that familiar sinking feeling at the prospect of yet another first-round flop.

Aldershot almost grabbed another before the break as Sam Walker saved from Dan Ellison before Christian Maghoma glanced narrowly wide from the corner.

Alexander remained buoyed by the number of chances City were creating – if not so enamoured by the failure to put any of them away.

Half-time was spent conveying a “don’t panic” message.

There was also a significant tactical tweak, switching from 3-4-3 to play Kavanagh slightly deeper as a 10.

Aldershot manager Tommy Widdrington’s eldest son Kai may be a big name on Strictly Come Dancing. But it was brother Theo who had been leading City a merry dance in midfield up to that point.

Suddenly with an extra body in there, that room shrunk for the Shots playmaker as the home side took control.

Alexander had warned his players against chasing an early equaliser and risking doing “something stupid”.

But the leveller came soon enough anyway as Neill Byrne’s long pass had Dewhurst advancing into no man’s land in the corner of his box.

Kavanagh was quicker to it and flicked the ball past the stranded keeper to hand Oliver the simplest of tap-ins.

City pay their respects in the minute's silence before the game (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Tyler Frost blew a one-on-one to restore Aldershot’s lead before City got their noses in front.

Jay Benn’s low cross looked destined for the waiting keeper but Maghoma made a mess of trying to intercept and only succeeded in steering the ball into his own net.

Three minutes later, City had an emphatic grip on proceedings that was never going to ease.

Maghoma’s fellow centre half Rollin Menayese was the Aldershot fall guy this time as he got the ball stuck under his feet by the side of the box.

Lewis Richards accepted the gift and played a short pass to Kavanagh, who turned the hapless Menayese once more before smashing the ball firmly past Dewhurst’s right shoulder. It was some way to end the drought.

His celebration at scoring a first goal since the final game of last season was one of relief as much as joy.

A bit like his team at finally negotiating that first FA Cup hurdle. It’s been a long time coming.