Orient leave it late to net draw

Orient leave it late to net draw

Published Jan. 23, 2013 6:15 a.m. ET

Bradford goalkeeper Matt Duke says he has fulfilled a childhood dream after the League Two club booked their spot in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley.

The Bantams stretched their stunning cup run with another giant-killing in the semi-final against Aston Villa, beating the Premier League side 4-3 on aggregate.

Duke contributed a solid display between the sticks in the second leg at Villa Park on Tuesday night and admits he is on cloud nine after advancing to the final, where they will face the winner of the other semi-final tie between Chelsea and Swansea.

He told Sky Sports: "It's a dream. As a kid, playing football, you dream of Wembley.

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"We're going to do it, we're going to take a League Two club to Wembley. We have a massive following and it's just going to be an amazing day. I'm so looking forward to it.

"I'm just speechless. The lads were fantastic again tonight.

"For the fans, it's going to be a great day at Wembley for us."

Upset

Bradford went behind to Christian Benteke's opener as Villa sliced their 3-1 lead from the first leg but James Hanson nodded home from a Gary Jones corner to put the visitors back in control.

Villa threatened a comeback late on when substitute Andreas Weimann scored but it was too little too late as Phil Parkinson's men held on for the aggregate win.

Duke says there was a sense that they could complete the upset in the dressing room before the game, adding: "You could smell it in the dressing room before that we had a chance.

"You're 3-1 up and you think, if we score, we fancy our chances.

"We fancied ourselves at set-pieces and (after) Hanson's great header you think, at that point, we're going to do it."

Asked if Bradford can go all the way and lift the trophy, the keeper said: "Let's dream. It's going to be difficult, whether we get Chelsea or Swansea.

"As long as we do what we've done, we've got a chance."

The Bees, who face another capital clash with Chelsea in the FA Cup on Sunday, came from behind courtesy of goals from Paul Hayes and Clayton Donaldson before Lee Cook's dramatic late leveller.

Former Bee Martin Rowlands gave the visitors the lead after just eight minutes with a 30-yard free kick that left home keeper Simon Moore with no chance.

But Hayes levelled with 19 minutes gone, volleying home from close range after Orient failed to deal with a Sam Saunders corner.

Donaldson then put the hosts ahead just before the break with a carbon copy goal, this time bundling home after Hayes beat O's stopper Jamie Jones to a loose ball.

But the game turned just before the hour mark when on-loan Everton left-back Jake Bidwell saw red for an innocuous looking challenge on Lee Cook.

Referee Paul Tierney incensed the home crowd soon after when he awarded a penalty after Lee Hodson and Charlie MacDonald went head to head for a loose ball. But David Mooney's low spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Simon Moore.

And Cook earned his side a point with four minutes to go when he lashed home a dipping left footed drive into the far corner from the edge of the box.

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