Jamie Walker gave Bradford the first-leg advantage over Carlisle following a 1-0 win in their Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final.
The Scottish midfielder scored the only goal in a close encounter at Valley Parade – a game watched by the largest crowd at this stage in the fourth tier.
The 20,575 attendance saw Carlisle pile on the pressure in the second half but Mark Hughes’ Bradford held on to take a slender lead to Brunton Park next Saturday.
Just goal difference had separated the two sides in the final league table – and their previous encounters had produced only one goal.
The opening exchanges were predictably tight in a raucous atmosphere.
Ben Barclay’s header was saved by Bradford goalkeeper Harry Lewis and Joe Garner hit the bar, although play was pulled back for a handball against the Carlisle forward.
The home side went in front from the resulting free-kick, Alex Gilliead and Andy Cook heading on from Lewis’ long kick before Scott Banks played in Walker to fire past Carlisle’s Tomas Holy.
As Bradford maintained the pressure, Walker was close to a second as his cross-shot flashed across the Carlisle goal.
Owen Moxon’s set-piece delivery looked the best route back for Carlisle. Jack Armer headed wide from their first corner and Corey Whelan was also off target on the end of a Moxon free-kick.
Bradford had another chance in added time at the end of the half as Banks surged forward into the penalty area but Holy was out to narrow the angle and save his toe-poke shot.
Carlisle, who had won only one of their previous nine Valley Parade visits, pressed for a response early in the second half and Alfie McCalmont’s first-time volley was held by Lewis.
Adam Clayton then lost possession in Bradford’s half but Garner delayed in the corner of the penalty area, allowing Romoney Crichlow to steal the ball away.
Carlisle manager Paul Simpson swapped both strikers on 58 minutes to bring on Ryan Edmondson and Kristian Dennis.
Edmondson quickly won a corner but Barclay could not get a proper connection on his header.
Carlisle continued to enjoy the upper hand and their best chance fell to Edmondson after a mistake from Crichlow but he shot across the face of goal before Armer drove into the side-netting.
Edmondson’s aerial presence had given the visitors an attacking edge and he should have scored from Armer’s cross but he headed past the post with Lewis beaten and looked visibly annoyed with himself.
Bradford were hanging on as Dennis burst through but Lewis did enough to force him wide and he shot behind the goal.
Defeat meant Carlisle have won only two of their last 12 games but their strong second-half showing will give them hope for the return.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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