Aldershot Town 1, Bradford City 1

ALTHOUGH a minor miracle that this game even ran its full course, The Shots and The Bantams splashed and slid their way to an honourable draw and must now meet again for the right to visit Peterborough United in the second round of the FA Cup.

A burst of torrential rain in the hour before kick-off left vast swathes of the normally immaculate EBB Stadium pitch heavily waterlogged, and Shots manager Gary Waddock admitted: “On any other surface, I think the game would have been called off, so massive credit to the groundstaff.

“We had to change our game, and considering the conditions the players gave a very good account of themselves. It was a fantastic effort from all the players, but I’m gutted we couldn’t hold on.”

The sides will do it all over again in the replay at the Northern Commercials Stadium next Tuesday, November 20 (kick-off 7.45pm), for the right to meet high-flying Peterborough United at the ABAX Stadium.

Reading Academy midfielder Josh Barrett, signed on loan just 24 hours before the match, was immediately an impressive and imposing presence for The Shots against a City side languishing at the bottom of League One with six successive defeats to their name.

And they were perhaps fortunate to not fall behind earlier than the 12th minute. Scott Rendell’s back-heeled flick sent Matt McClure dancing through the Bradford defence in the eighth minute, but with just Richard O’Donnell to beat from six yards he placed the ball wide of the far post.

Soon, though, George Fowler found himself totally unmarked to meet Adam McDonnell’s deep, outswinging corner with a composed side-foot volley. The underdogs had the early lead and Fowler had his first-ever senior goal.

Will Mannion blocked Eoin Doyle’s shot from eight yards, after Hope Akpan’s initial effort had ricocheted across the box, but The Shots were good value for their half-time lead as Mannion twice denied left-back Connor Wood from distance.

The influential Jack Payne deftly set up George Miller early in the second half, but his scuffed shot beyond the onrushing Mannion rolled harmlessly wide, and soon Payne was again instrumental, in chipping a superb pass over The Shots defence only for Doyle to guide his free header off target.

The adventurous Wood again went close, with a swinging drive which Mannion had to claw away from the line as the slippery ball squirmed through his grasp, and it became clear that open play was unlikely to produce a move of sufficient quality to fashion an equaliser.

Mannion tipped Lewis O’Brien’s rising 25-yard shot over the crossbar and, from the resulting 72nd minute corner, Payne’s delivery found Nat Knight-Percival muscling in front of Fowler to head City level.

McDonnell’s 28-yard free-kick flew inches over the bar, but it was perhaps substitute Luke Howell who went closest to snatching a late winner, hooking a volley over as McDonnell’s corner threatened to spark a goalmouth scramble.

“Bradford are a good side – their league position is a false one – and it’s going to be a tough task for us up there in the replay,” said Waddock.

Nonetheless, The Shots will have been buoyed by such a positive and tenacious performance, and will travel to Valley Parade on Tuesday confident of progress against the former Premier League side.

Aldershot Town: Mannion; McCoy, Osho, Fowler, Kinsella; McDonnell, Gallagher, Booty (Wanadio 81); McClure (Berkeley-Agyepong 76), Rendell, Barrett (Howell 58). Subs (not used): Cole, Fenelon, Lelan, Bernard.

Bradford City: O’Donnell; McGowan, O’Connor, Knight-Percival, Wood; Payne (Wright 75), L O’Brien, Akpan (Devine 80), Ball (J O’Brien 64); Miller, Doyle. Subs (not used): Sykes-Kenworthy, Seedorf, Bruenker, Isherwood.

Attendance: 2,455.