Carlisle United 3-1 Bradford City (3-2 agg): Blues make play-off final

Paul Simpson's side overcame Bradford City in a dramatic play-off semi-final at a packed Brunton Park.

A pitch invasion greeted the full-time whistle after United clinched victory in extra-time to set up their first ever EFL play-off final against Stockport County next Sunday.

It was a goal from Stockport loanee Ben Barclay that sent the Blues through - and he will not be able to face his parent club in the final.

His header eight minutes from the end of extra-time sent Brunton Park wild and kept the Cumbrians' promotion dream alive in front of a 15,401 crowd.

Ben Barclay's decisive goal (Image: Ben Holmes)

United produced a superb second leg showing to turn things around after trailing 1-0 from the first leg.

A Brad Halliday own goal in the first half brought them level and sent the tie to extra-time.

Callum Guy then shot United ahead on aggregate before Bantams sub Matt Derbyshire levelled.

Barclay then headed home an Owen Moxon cross to settle the tie.

Simpson made one changes to his first-leg side - bringing JK Gordon into the XI after he completed a three-game suspension.

He replaced Omari Patrick in the attack, with the Blues boss otherwise going with the same players who had started at Valley Parade.

That meant another start up front for Joe Garner, with Joel Senior keeping his place on the right.

Callum Guy is mobbed after his goal (Image: Ben Holmes)

Bradford boss Hughes, meanwhile, kept faith with the same XI that started the first leg, with former Blues players Andy Cook, Alex Gilliead and Adam Clayton all in their starting line-up.

The players emerged to a huge reception amid flags and balloons at Brunton Park as Carlisle then went on the attack in a bid to turn the tie around.

Gordon looked bright early on, spinning past Halliday and testing keeper Harry Lewis at his near post.

Jack Armer was quickly into the book for a late challenge on Halliday, before Richie Smallwood was twice denied in the box for Bradford by some last-ditch defending.

Scott Banks showed his pace down the Bradford right but United dealt with his deliveries, then Gordon came close to an opener on 16 minutes.

After receiving the ball from Alfie McCalmont, he turned and curled a left-footed attempt on target, Lewis brilliantly tipping it onto the left-hand post.

Cook was off target at the other end but Carlisle were on top - and took the lead in the 21st minute.

Senior set up the attack with a positive break into the box and, after a one-two, backheeled the ball to Moxon - and when Lewis parried his shot, Gordon slid in with Halliday and the ball rolled into the net via the Bradford defender.

Brunton Park erupted, while smoke devices landed in the Bantams box from the Waterworks End.

JK Gordon celebrates the opener (Image: Ben Holmes)

Hughes' side almost levelled immediately when Cook's header across goal was met by Jamie Walker, but his header hit the post and a follow-up was blocked by Tomas Holy.

Carlisle were then denied a second when Moxon's rifled shot was superbly tipped over by Lewis, Corey Whelan then slotting just wide amid more home pressure.

Bradford threatened late in the half when Walker cut past Guy on the home left but Carlisle got back in numbers to deny him.

At the other end, McCalmont and Gordon were involved in a promising counter-attack but the latter's chip from a difficult angle to the right of goal was claimed by Lewis.

United reached the break good value for the lead which saw the tie level on aggregate.

Carlisle came close to another early in the second half when Gordon set up Garner, whose shot was deflected just over.

From the resulting corner, McCalmont attacked a clearance but saw his shot blocked - before Guy raced back to deny Banks as the Bradford wide man looked to motor into the box.

Further United pressure saw Whelan overlap after good work by Moxon, but as he went down under Halliday's challenge, ref Simon Mather waved away loud penalty appeals.

Banks miscued a shot from a decent position when set up by Cook for Bradford as things remained finely balanced, Garner then seeing a cross smothered by Lewis as Carlisle pounced on some sloppy visiting play.

Ben Barclay celebrates the aggregate winner (Image: Ben Holmes)

Garner went into the notebook for scything down Gilliead, and was soon replaced as Simpson sent on Ryan Edmondson in the game's first substitution on 65 minutes.

A further wave of substitutions for both sides followed, Patrick and Taylor Charters coming on for Carlisle, Emmanuel Osadebe and Ryan East the visitors' first changes.

With chances now having dwindled, Senior tried to engineer something but, after dropping the shoulder to beat one Bradford man, saw his low attempt from the edge of the box blocked.

Bradford sub Ryan East saw a late shot blocked as extra-time began to loom while, in added time, Patrick had an attempt deflect wide while Edmondson narrowly failed to glance a low Charters pass beyond Lewis.

That took things to extra-time, with Simpson sending on Jordan Gibson for Senior at the start of it.

Guy was booked for fouling Banks as the Bradford man broke - but minutes later had Brunton Park in uproar with United's second goal.

It came after a Moxon corner was cleared, and midfielder Guy fizzed a sweetly-hit, first-time shot past Banks from outside the box to send home fans wild.

It left Carlisle with 20 minutes to see their aggregate lead home, with Bradford sub Osadebe just clearing the bar as he attacked a Cook knock-down late in the first half of extra-time.

But the aggregate lead lasted just 30 seconds of the second period as the Bantams hit back, Banks getting beyond Huntington and squaring for sub Derbyshire to fire home.

Paul Simpson shows his emotion near the end of the game (Image: Ben Holmes)

United, though, hit back seven minutes later when, after a corner was cleared, Moxon curled over a cross from the left and Barclay timed his run perfectly as Bradford's defence pushed up, the defender nodding past Lewis to send the home fans into ecstasy again.

Bradford could have hit back late on but Derbyshire slotted across goal and wide after Osadebe fed him on the break, while Cook headed a cross wide in added time.

Young fans gathered in front of the Warwick preparing to invade the pitch, with the end of the game held up as they were warned against encroaching.

Eventually the final whistle sent hundreds of fans pouring onto the pitch as Carlisle celebrated their progress to Wembley.

United: Holy, Barclay, Huntington, Whelan (Robinson 120), Senior (Gibson 91), Armer, Guy, Moxon, McCalmont (Patrick 70), Gordon (Charters 70), Garner (Edmondson 65). Not used: Kelly, Dennis.

Goals: Halliday 21og, Guy 99, Barclay 112.

Booked: Armer, Garner, Guy.

Bradford: Lewis, Halliday, Ridehalgh, Stubbs, Crichlow, Smallwood, Clayton (Osadebe 70), Gilliead (East 70), Banks (Platt 107), Walker (Derbyshire 100), Cook. Not used: Doyle, Pereira, Nevers.

Goal: Derbyshire 106.

Booked: Clayton.

Ref: Simon Mather.

Crowd: 15,401 (1,948 Bradford fans).