Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)
Yorkshire Evening Post: 27th April 1953
United changes for W.R. Cup-tie with Paraders
By TOM HOLLEY
Both Leeds United and Bradford City have enforced changes for their West Riding Senior Cup semi-final, at Elland Road, tonight (6.30). United will be without wingers George Meek and Andy McCall. Meek has been called up for National Service in the Army, and has reported to RAC Training Regiment at Carlisle, where other United players, in John Charles, Grenville Hair and Ron Mollatt, spent much of their National Service period. McCall , who has fibrositis of the shoulder, is replaced by Iggleden, whose place at inside left is taken by Forrest. Langley comes in on the left-wing for Meek, with John Charlton, after a successful League debut, having another run at centre-half in an unchanged defence.
Without Powell
The Paraders will lack player-manager Ivor Powell, who bruised his right knee at Mansfield on Saturday, and as a result three changes are made - two of them positional. Williamson moves from right-half to left-half to fill Powell's place, and David Gray, who has been playing well at full-back, but whose original position was wing-half, comes in at right-half. Miller, a young reserve, who has made six first-team appearances this season, is at right-back.
Teams: LEEDS UNITED : Scott; Dunn, Hair; Kerfoot, Charlton, Burden; Iggleden, Nightingale, Charles, Forrest, Langley. BRADFORD CITY : Smith; Miller, Whyte; Gray, Conroy, Williamson; McCulloch, Ward, Carr, Rosenthal, Tunnicliffe.
Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)
Yorkshire Post: 28th April 1953
All-Bradford WR Cup Final
Bradford and Bradford City last night qualified to meet in the final of the West Riding FA Senior Cup at Valley Parade on Friday, May 8, kick-off 7pm. At Elland Road, Bradford City beat Leeds United 3-1 in one semi-final and Bradford defeated Huddersfield Town 2-0 at Park Avenue in the other. It was City's first away win of the season. Bradford City were worthy winners at Elland Road , scoring all their goals in the second half, after being one goal down at half-time through a goal by Charles. City did not deserve to be behind at the interval. They played the better football, but were unable to finish off good movements. Charles did not see much of the ball and had few shots at goal, though Smith, the City goalkeeper, once ran out to dive at his feet and smother a certain goal. Nightingale also had one chance in the first half, but completely missed a header. Bradford City attacked for most of the second half and scored through Tunnicliffe, Rosenthal and Carr. Ward, the City inside-right was a tireless worker and Smith made some splendid saves, especially in the last few minutes when United fought hard to reduce their arrears. United's best players were Charlton, centre-half, and Dunn and Kerfoot. A poor evening for weather kept the crowd down to about 2,000.
