After a 48-year wait, it promised to be seventh heaven for the Tonbridge Angels appearing in the FA Cup for the first time in all that time.

Sadly, for Steve McKimm’s side, it was seventh hell as League Two Bradford City showed the gap in class as they brilliantly passed their way through the Angels repeatedly to claim the second place in the Round Two.

Conceding twice in the opening quarter of an hour was tough enough for McKimm to take, but just as they seemed to be getting back into the game a killer third arrived on the stroke of half time following a dubious free-kick, before City ran riot in the second half picking off the Angels almost at will.

The home side did have their chances through the hard working Alex Akrofi and Tommy Wood both of whom tested keeper Richard O’Donnell.

The Angels also hit the bar directly from substitute Tom Beere’s corner, but this was the League sides day, and had it not been for Angels keeper Jon Henly, the sad reality is that it could have been even more.

In the build up to the game, McKimm did admit to KSN a concern that his side hadn’t played since the last round against Taunton Town two weeks before and sadly his concerns were proved correct as the League Two side came out of the blocks quickly pinning the home side back in the opening minutes.

It wasn’t really a surprise then that City took a sixth minute lead as Anthony O’Connor headed home Connor Wood’s cross as the home side didn’t clear the games second corner. The manager won’t have been happy though you have to think with his sides marking.

The early stages certainly showed the League’s sides stature and Harry Pritchard was unlucky with a looping header as he got on the end of a great ball into the box, his header just cleared the back and nestled onto the top of the net.

It didn’t matter for City as sadly in their next attack the lead was doubled as Clarke curled a free kick past Jon Henly and beyond the keepers despairing dive into the net.

The Angels were rocking, Reece Staunton charged through the home defence only to shoot straight at Henly; Pritchard turned provider as Clayton Donaldson was just inches away from converting the cross; Bryce Hosannah was brilliantly denied by Arthur Lee’s brilliant last ditch challenge when the full-back was through.

But it wasn’t all one way traffic though as Akrofi beat the offside trap and O’Donnell only for the ball to flash narrowly wide of the right post, after full back Jack Parter had fired in another drive just too high, before City made it three on the stoke of half time as Clarke headed home brilliantly from Wood’s cross leaving Henly no chance whatsoever.

Questions however have to asked about the validity of the free-kick that started the move – when Akrofi tangled with Donaldson – but the damage was sadly done for the Angels despite the managers “conversation” with referee Oldham as they left the pitch!

The second half began as the first as Prichard spurned a great chance to make it four nil in the second half’s first minute as he was superbly stopped by Henly. But unlike the first half, the Angels responded, and Wood had the home sides best chance of the game forcing O’Donnell into a smart save away to his left after a lovely touch from Ben Greenaugh.

Veteran Jamaican striker Donaldson then netted the killer fourth goal just before the hour as City cut through the Angels defence like knife through butter with a super passing move involving Hossannah and Pritchard.

Callum Cooke was denied by the fifth by the post with a low drive that hit the woodwork rebounding off keeper Hanly and behind for a corner from which Anthony O’Connor fired over.

Ironically, the Angels came closest to scoring seconds before Bradford bid net their fifth. Substitute Tom De Beere’s corner coming directly back off the bar and Kristian Campbell following up saw his header cleared off the line, but as the League side broke incredibly quickly their substitute Austin Samuels drilled home past a despairing Henly.

Number six arrived seven minutes from time when Pritchard netted his second but again it was tough on Henly as he pulled off a stunning save to deny Tyler French as another City corner caused chaos in the Angels defence.

You really did have to feel for the Angels stopper as he had a terrific game despite conceding six, how many times can you say that against a keeper, and he proved the point again with a great block with his legs to deny Henry.

Wood was then on hand to slam home a seventh for Stuart McCall’s side as the Tonbridge back-line was breached again as another wave of amber and claret poured through the Angels defence.

Steve McKimm’s will have learned a lot about his side in this master class but then again they won’t face a side of this quality again in this strangest of seasons, a season that sadly saw history repeating itself in the First Round of the Greatest Cup Competition in the World… but lets just hope it wont be another 48 years until Tonbridge get this far again!

TONBRIDGE ANGELS – Henly, Parter, Campbell, Theobalds, Miles, Lee, Greenhalgh (Da Costa), Parkinson (Beere), Wood (Splatt), Akrofi, Turner

Subs – Lewis, Bray, Folkes, Shaw

BRADFORD CITY – O’Donnell, Hosannah (French), Paudie O’Connor, Anthony O’Connor, Pritchard, Cooke, Donaldson (Samuels), Clarke (Henry), Watt, Staunton, Wood

Subs – Hornby, Richardson-Everton, Dawson, Longridge

REFEREE – Mr Oldham