Report by Ben Davis

The score-line suggests Pompey were outclassed by the Yorkshire side who were promoted through the play-offs last season, in fact it is an injustice against Pompey. How Bradford managed to win was mainly down to five minutes in the second half. Andy Awford, who had produced a first class display, was sent-off, quite rightly, along with Aaron Flahavan, making his league debut in goal, which meant right-back Robbie Pethick had to go between the sticks.
Alan Knight failed to make the starting line-up because of a knee injury and Pompey suffered another blow when Martin Allen was also ruled out due to an ankle problem. Durnin was suspended already so Sammy Igoe stepped in.
New director of football Terry Venables was at the game and saw Bradford launch forward first with promising youngster Des Hamilton. Butters cleared the danger and that was the first ball into the building site on the far side. The home side were searching around for openings but the presence of Butters and Awford meant their options were limited. Kiwomya did get past Carter on the left but Stallard tried an audacious over-head kick from his cross 12-yards our which drifted wide.
The first genuine chance fell to Pompey after seven minutes when Carter released Hall down the right and when his cross came in Burton fired in a left footer which hit Gould on his shoulder and bounced away to safety.
Bradford were then gifted a great chance to take the lead when Carter's back pass fell short and luckily for him and Pompey Stallard put the chance wide with Flahavan rushing out towards him.
The play moved up the other end where some neat football by Pompey got Simpson on a run into the penalty area where he was obstructed. McLoughlin's kick was easily cleared by Bradford's new, exciting, defender, Sas. Simpson won another free-kick which was again clear by Sas from McLoughlin, the need for a tall striker was justified again.
Awford then picked up the first of his yellow cards when he fouled Kiwomya with a late challenge. Seconds later though Pompey took the lead which they thoroughly deserved. Carter was causing plenty of problems on the right side of midfield and it was his pin-point cross which was met by a thumping cross-shot from Hall at the far post.
Carter was now running the show, teasing the Bradford players this way and that and it was no surprise when he won a free-kick in a dangerous position. McLoughlin laid it to Simpson who cracked in a shot which bounced off Kiwomya for a corner.
Pompey were now playing football which was badly missed at the end of last season and Hall could have made it two but scuffed a shot wide. As Pompey pushed forward again Carter showed some more skill to open up a gap for a shot at goal which scraped the paint work of the Bradford goal. Gould was then forced to make a save when McLoughlin and Burton set up Hall to shoot.
Flahavan had to make his first demanding save five minutes before half-time from Cowans curling free-kick, but the 20-year old dived across to claim the ball. Burton then got in a 20-yarder which rose over Gould's cross-bar.
Like at the start of the first half Bradford came forward first and won a free-kick in a promising position. Again Sas stepped up but drove the shot straight at Flahavan. Soon after Kiwomya nipped down the left and his cross found Stallard but he failed to produced a demanding save from Flahavan.
Then Pompey were reduced to ten men when Awford went in behind on Hamilton and consequently got a second yellow card. Hamilton went off for Shutt soon afterwards and the former Leeds man got Pompey reduced to nine men. The 34-year old got into the area unmarked and the on-coming Flahavan brought him down, a penalty certainly but the referee saw it as a professional foul and so on his debut Flahavan was off. The big question was who would go in goal, Pethick took the honours in a jersey far too big for him.
One of Bradford's Dutch signings, REGTOP, stepped up and scored despite Pethick diving the right way. Both sets of fans just couldn't believe what had happened and the Bradford fans now hoped for a goal spree from their side who, to be honest, hadn't played well at all. However Pethick spoilt their day by producing two stunning saves.
Regtop was now finding space since Awford went and his fierce left-foot shot was amazingly turned round the post by Pompey's regular right-back. His second save was to tip over a dipping shot again from Regtop.
Unfortunately the inevitable happened as Bradford took the lead when DUXBURY latched onto Regtop's pass. Being down to nine men doesn't usually assist you going forward and not surprisingly Bradford kept coming at Pompey, yet Hall went very close to equalizing with a 20-yarder which went just past the post.
Bradbury then came on for Burton but the striker was to mainly do a defensive duty for the final minutes of a game which had gone horribly wrong for the south coast side. Bradford added a third in the dying minutes when STALLARD dummied Pethick, whilst through on goal, and rolled the ball in.
Fenwick afterwards said that Pompey would give many teams this season problems and on this showing he is perfectly right to say this, they just have to keep their discipline though. Last season Pompey picked up 90 yellow cards and 5 red.