Bradford City 1, Aldershot Town 1(Bradford City won 4-1 on penalties)BRAVE Aldershot Town pushed League One Bradford City all the way throughout this FA Cup first round replay, but eventually ran out of steam as they stumbled and fell to a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat at Valley Parade.

Luke Howell pegged City back in the second half of extra-time to maintain The Shots’ dreams of an upset, only to see them dashed at the death. It was harsh on the exhausted visitors, whose sterling defensive efforts deserved to equalise George Fowler’s unfortunate own goal which put City ahead, but there was little doubt the Bantams ultimately deserved to progress to a second round tie against Peterborough United.

“We gave it a right good go and it was a hell of a reaction from Saturday. What a performance we’ve put in against League One opposition,” praised Gary Waddock, who saw his team at least rediscover the heart so sorely lacking at Salford on Saturday.

“They showed a lot of character and courage, and it says a lot that (City manager) David Hopkin came into our dressing room to say how well we’ve done in both games.”

The Shots’ formation – with centre-back Gabe Osho as a deep-lying midfielder – signalled their intent to stifle Bradford, and in a first half of few clear chances, they were largely successful. Lewis Kinsella cleared Eoin Doyle’s free header off the line but, even though City dominated possession, they ended the half frustrated.

Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong had Aldershot Town’s best chance, heading over at the end of a flowing counter-attack, as Waddock’s two makeshift strikers lacked sufficient support.

City’s switch to a back four at the break swung the tide even further in their favour, with Lewis O’Brien and Jack Payne at the heart of everything, yet still they struggled to break down a resolute defence. Doyle had one effort ruled out for offside and then saw Dom Bernard superbly block another angled shot, while Will Mannion twice saved well from Payne. The Shots, though, were forced to resort to a series of cynical fouls to hold Bradford at bay.

Payne and George Miller both threatened to settle the tie in the closing stages of normal time but extra-time had long appeared inevitable. Doyle was again offside as he stroked in a close-range volley, after Mannion produced a fine save to deny Miller, but in the 100th minute the deadlock was finally, and inadvertently, broken by George Fowler, who turned Kai Bruenker’s driven cross into his own net.

But just eight minutes later, at the start of the second period of extra-time, Danny Devine’s error was pounced upon by Matt McClure. His nod down invited Regan Booty’s instant pass to Howell, who skipped past one defender to fire an angled shot underneath Richard O’Donnell.

Suddenly The Shots were buoyant, but still it took desperate defending from the visitors to take the game to penalties – and it was there that they finally unravelled. The Bantams were clinical from 12 yards but O’Donnell deflected McClure’s drive over the bar and comfortably saved Osho’s tired kick.

Adam McDonnell’s strong finish merely allowed the influential Payne to settle the tie with another confident kick, and a deflated Waddock was forced to admit: “Penalty shootouts aren’t very kind to us”.

Bradford City: O’Donnell; Devine, McGowan (Bruenker 65), O’Connor, Knight-Percival, Chicksen (Wood 82); J O’Brien, L O’Brien, Payne; Doyle, Ball (Miller 78). Subs (not used): Wilson, Isherwood, Gibson, Wright.

Aldershot Town: Mannion; Bernard (McCoy 82), Lelan, Fowler, Kinsella; Gallagher (Howell 95), Osho, Booty; McDonnell, Fenelon (McClure 54), Berkeley-Agyepong (Barrett 58). Subs (not used): Cole, Wanadio.

Attendance: 2,248.