Second-half goals from Jon Stead and Filipe Morais have lifted Bradford City to a slender 2-1 comeback victory away at Halifax Town in the first round of the FA Cup this afternoon.
Cup fever seemed to have hit The Shay early this afternoon and it was the home side who made the most of the fervent atmosphere in Yorkshire, as Town took the lead through striker Lois Maynard, who tapped home comfortably with his right after just two minutes.
Bradford slowly grew into the contest as Stead threatened to head in, but he could only guide his attempt wide of the post with the keeper scrambling, while Jason Kennedy was also wasteful with a headed attempt from close range.
Halifax might have taken a two-goal lead into half time had either Scott Boden or Kevin Roberts kept their close-range shots under the crossbar.
The hosts were to soon pay for their first-half misses, as Stead got hold of Billy Clarke's pass five minutes into the second half to slide past Matt Glennon and make it 1-1.
Parity was not to last too long, with Bradford taking the lead in the 53rd minute when Morais was picked out by the influential Clarke, allowing the midfielder to finish adroitly and put the visitors ahead.
City's Mark Yeates might have made the final ten minutes a little less tense for the away fans, but he failed to convert from Kennedy's cross, as Glennon made a smart save in the centre of goal, leaving proceedings to end 2-1 in favour of Phil Parkinson's men.
Christopher Dodd
