PREVIOUS MEETING

November 10, 2009 – Johnstone's Paint Trophy

BRADFORD CITY 2

(Flynn 49, Hanson 70)

PORT VALE 2

(McCombe 27, R Taylor 75)

Bradford won 5-4 on penalties

PORT Vale suffered heartache at Valley Parade where a sudden death penalty shoot-out defeat in this northern section quarter-final ended their Wembley dreams.

Defender John McCombe handed Vale the lead with a 16-yard volley, but Michael Flynn levelled for Bradford not long after the break.

Vale's vulnerability at set-pieces proved to be their undoing again when James Hanson connected with a Luke O'Brien free-kick and bulged the net with a header.

Flying attacker Rob Taylor managed a 75th-minute equaliser for Vale, but then came their penalty shoot-out misery.

Louis Dodds, Kris Taylor and Adam Yates all missed from 12 yards before Steve Williams converted Bradford's winning penalty.

Bradford City: Eastwood, Bateson, Williams, Clarke, L O'Brien, Sharry (Brandon, 46), Rehman, Flynn, Neilson, Hanson, Boulding (J O'Brien, 46).

Port Vale: Martin, McCombe, Owen (Richards, 32), Collins, Yates, Jarrett (Griffith, 68), Fraser, K Taylor, Dodds, Guy (Haldane, 67), R Taylor.

Attendance: 5,096.

FORM GUIDE

Port Vale: WLWLWL

Bradford: DLWWLW

WHO WE'D LIKE TO BUY

James Hanson: The versatile striker, who also poses a threat driving forward from midfield, will be in confident mood after hitting two goals in his previous three outings. The 22-year-old has netted 10 times in all competitions this season.

WHO TO BOO

Steve Williams: Broke Vale hearts in November when he fired home Bradford's winning penalty in their Johnstone's Paint Trophy shoot-out victory.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire), pictured right: Has experience up to Coca-Cola Championship level. He has sent five players off in 27 games this season and flashed 79 yellow cards.

PROBABLE TEAMS

Port Vale: Martin, Yates, Collins, Owen, K Taylor, Haldane, Griffith, Loft, R Taylor, Richards, Rigg.

Bradford City: Glennon, Ramsden, Clarke, Threlfall, Williams, Evans, Bullock, Bolder, L O'Brien, Flynn, Hanson.

PREDICTION

PORT Vale continue their recent win-lose-win sequence by securing a 1-0 win. Sean Rigg notches the goal.