FOURTH-TIER Bradford City continued their extraordinary League Cup journey by upsetting Premier League Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their semi-final tonight.
Nehki Wells, Rory McArdle and Donegal native Carl McHugh scored for the hosts past former irish international Shay Given at a raucous Valley Parade.
Andreas Weimann replied for Villa — who were captained by Ireland’s Ciaran Clark — but the Yorkshire club are on the brink of a first major final since their FA Cup success in 1911.
Bradford have already accounted for Wigan Athletic and Arsenal in this season’s competition and are bidding to become the first team from the English fourth division to reach the League Cup final since Rochdale in 1962.
McHugh’s goal past his countyman Given came via an 88th-minute bullet header to restore Bradford’s two-goal lead and leave their fans dreaming of Wembley.