By Dale Hurman
Wycombe Wanderers grabbed a hard-earned three points thanks to a goal from a Scott McGleish header and some magnificent defending at Valley Parade.
The home side threatened first with a long raking ball out to Omar Daley who was well tracked by Sam Stockley was played back to Harbain whose cross was headed wide by Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu.
Daley threatened again within a minute, teasing Stockley and beating him only to be denied by Fielding who dived at the wingers' feet.
On seven minutes Daley went in hard on Torres and the winger received the first caution of the game from referee Shoebridge. The subsequent free-kick from Russell Martin was played long to the far post which caught out Donovan Ricketts and Scott McGleish headed home from a tight angle to give the Blues the lead.
With 12 minutes gone Peter Thorne found space on the right side of the Blues' defence and he centred for Eddie Johnson whose shot from the penalty spot was blocked by Leon Johnson.
John Sutton then had a shot from the edge of the area which was easily gathered by Ricketts. McGleish then tested the home goalkeeper with a half-volley from 18 yards.
Half-way through the first half Stefan Oakes fired in a low shot from a free-kick, some 30 yards from goal, which was blocked and Johnson just couldn't get his shot away.
Paul Evans fired in a powerful low shot from some 25 yards which was well held by Fielding in the Blues goal, and he was at it again two minutes later, with his shot from fully 30 yards being defelcted for a corner.
The home side began to put the pressure on the visitors goal, Harbin's cross was headed away by McCracken and then a free-kick from Evans from the Bradford right flashed across the face of goal with Peter Thorne just inches away from making contact.
The Bantams again utililised the pace of right-winger Daley, who beat Stockley before cutting the ball back only to find McCracken, who cleared his lines.
On 35 minutes Daley again raced clear down the right and ran in on goal with Blues' defenders left in his wake but the winger pulled his shot wide of the near post.
The home side had appeals for a penalty waved away after Ndumbu-Nsungu claimed to be obstructed by Sam Stockley.
David Wetherhall then flicked his header wide of Fielding's left-hand post from a long-throw.
In the first minute of injury-time Torres skipped past a challenge before cutting back and shooting right-footed at Ricketts, who saved comfortably.
The second half started with the home side looking for an equaliser and within two minutes Paul Heckingbottom broke down the Bantams left and into the area, cut inside Martin only to hit a weak shot which was cleared by Gary Holt from within his own six yard box.
The game became a midfield battle with Oakes and Holt giving as good as they got. On 57 minutes Eddie Johnson had an opening for the home side but hit his shot tamely wide of Fielding's goal.
On the hour mark the Blues broke after clearing a home attack. Some neat interplay between Sutton, Bullock and McGleish saw the former St. Mirren put away and the striker ran in on goal only to fall when caught by Heckingbottom and lose possession.
With 65 minutes played Stefan Oakes played a corner out to McGleish who broke free of his marker and in lots of space fired his shot high over the bar from some 16 yards.
Bradford won a free-kick which was swung in on goal from the left by Evans and was cleared by Oakes. Another free-kick from a similar position but on the right-wing was fired in on goal and Fielding did well to save as the ball kicked up off the turf a couple of yards in front of him.
Paul Lambert made a change with twenty minutes to go, John Sutton being replaced by Reuben Reid. The Blues then survived a scramble some 15 yards in front of goal, some excellent defending, which saw saw the Blues' defenders throwing themselves in front of the ball and protecting Fielding and the Wycombe goal.
Tom Williams came on for Russell Martin on 73 minutes with Sam Stockley moving across to right back whilst Rhodes replacing Evans for Bradford.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, Stockley whipped in a low cross from the right wing which was fired just wide of the post by McGleish.
On 79 minutes the visitors looked for a second goal through Reid who played the ball across goal to Torres who beat his man but saw the ball flicked away only to McGleish who shot low and hard across the six yard box when the ball was cleared by Harban, but only to Torres who tried to turn the ball home but saw his effort blocked and cleared in desperate fashion by the home side.
Bradford responded with an excellent move down their right and Phelan was up-ended right on the 18 yard line, with the home fans baying for a penalty, referee Shoebridge awarded the free-kick.
Eddie Johnson fired the resulting free-kick just inside Fielding's left-hand post and the goalkeeper made an excellent save pushing the ball away from a corner. Fielding then came out well to punch the corner clear.
With less than five minutes remaining an equalising goal looked certain when Peter Thorne got goal-side of McCracken and was put through in the centre of goal, Fielding raced off his line and seemed to rush the striker into shooting early with the ball beating the goalkeeper but also the right-hand post.
There was more desperate defending from the visitors with a minute to goal as the ball was played into the penalty area and Stockley blocked Ndumbu-Nsungu's shot for a corner.
The corner was played in low and struck Bloomfield with the home side desperately appealing for a penalty for hand-ball. Johnson then made an excellent tackle to deny the home side a clear sight of goal.
The Blues saw out four minutes of injury-time with more excellent defending to hold and grab a hard-earned three points.
BRADFORD CITY
1. Donovan RICKETTS (GK)
3. Paul HECKINGBOTTOM
4. Paul EVANS (11. Alex RHODES 73 mins)
5. David WETHERALL
6. Mark BOWER
7. Omar DALEY
8. Eddie JOHNSON
10. Peter THORNE (9. Barry CONLON 86 mins)
22. Kyle NIX (20. Scott PHELAN 82 mins)
17. Thomas HARBAN
24. Guylain NDUMBU-NSUNGU
Substitutes not used:
2. Darren WILLIAMS
15. Joe COLBECK
Bookings: Daley 6 (foul)
WYCOMBE WANDERERS
34. Frank FIELDING (GK)
4. Russell MARTIN (12. Tom WILLIAMS 73 mins)
7. David McCRACKEN
8. Stefan OAKES (10. Matt BLOOMFIELD 86 mins)
16. John SUTTON (32. Reuben REID 70 mins)
11. Martin BULLOCK
15. Gary HOLT
17. Scott McGLEISH
20. Leon JOHNSON
22. Sergio TORRES
25. Sam STOCKLEY
Substitutes not used:
33. Przemyslaw KAZIMIERCZAK (GK)
31. Andre BOUCAUD.
Bookings: Reid 90 (time-wasting).
Goal: McGleish 7
Referee: Mr R S SHOEBRIDGE
Assistant: Mr K J MATTOCKS
Assistant: Mr R J WIGGLESWORTH
Fourth Official: Mr D UNSWORTH
Attendance: 13,530 (226 away fans)
