Reading set to play Arsenal in Semi finals of the FA Cup

Reading fans jubilate  on  the  pitch

Bradford's fairytale run was brought to an end as Reading sealed their first FA Cup semi-final appearance for 88 years.

Goals in the first nine minutes from Hal Robson-Kanu and Garath McCleary set the Championship side on the way to a comfortable sixth-round replay win.

Bradford's Filipe Morais earned a red card on 63 minutes and Jamie Mackie scored Reading's third shortly after with his fifth goal in six games.

The Royals will face Cup holders Arsenal at Wembley on 18 or 19 April.

Reading took control straight from the first whistle, nine days after the sides battled out a 0-0 stalemate at Valley Parade.

Robson-Kanu gave them an ideal start, rising to score with a near-post header from McCleary's sixth-minute corner.

The impressive McCleary doubled the lead three minutes later with Phil Parkinson's side still attempting to regroup.

The winger cut in from the right to beat keeper Ben Williams from just inside the area with a looping shot that took a big deflection off Andy Halliday.

A fine save from Williams prevented Reading's Dan Williams from adding a long-range third before half-time.

League One Bradford retained hope of a second-half comeback, after recovering from two goals down in round four to beat Chelsea 4-2 at stamford bridge  in one of the competition's greatest-ever shocks.

But 48 hours after their last game, the tired-looking Bantams never appeared capable of a repeat of their heroics this season, which had also seen them knock out Premier League Sunderland and Norwich during their memorable run.

Their task was made even harder when Morais earned a straight red card for a high challenge on Nathaniel Chalobah.

Reading pressed home their numerical advantage, Chalobah releasing Mackie to fire past an exposed Williams.

Home fans celebrated on the pitch after the final whistle, having had time to savour the success in a one-sided contest.

According  to an  interview by Reading manager Steve clarke "It's a long time since we've been in the semi-finals as a club, but before that we've got some important games in the league. We need to get some points.

"It's another big pay-day for a club that's been struggling financially for a couple of years, and it's a nice thing for the new owners who've just come in.

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson "We got off to a bad start and it was difficult to come back from that.

"We gave them a huge lift and they deservedly went through.

Source; BBC