A great turn of pace by Danny Williams sees Reading fashion their first effort on goal. Williams receives a pass from Pavel Pogrebnyak on the right, drops his shoulder and races into the area before his clipped effort takes a slight deflection off Gary Liddle and drifts towards the near post, but Bradford keeper Ben Williams has hit covered.

Chris Waddle at Valley Parade
BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

"It's 110 mph at the minute and it is very hard to see who is on top.

"It's 50-50, Reading have forgotten how to play and I don't blame them because this ground is treacherous. Bradford are pushing a little bit more.

"The surface is absolutely shocking. I know we keep going on about it but it is that bad."

Reading's Stephen Kelly is the first victim of the condition of the pitch as he tries to drive in a low cross from the right but he is caught out by a wicked bobble, which sees his attempt skew out of play. Ironic cheers from the home crowd, but it really was hard luck rather than questionable ability.

James Daniel Malin:, external Some tasty challenges going in at Valley Parade. Proper FA Cup stuff!

Will ‏Strange:, external If Reading finish their chances Bradford could be in for a beating.

Get involved via #bbcfootball,, external text us on 81111 (UK only) or pop your anecdote down on the BBC Sport Facebook, external and Google+ pages.

It is a real battle with both teams getting stuck in. Still waiting for our first real chance of the game as James Meredith again tries to find James Hanson, this time with a long throw, but Reading have the striker well marked.

Chris Waddle at Valley Parade
BBC Radio 5 live

"I'm surprised that Steve Clarke has gone with Pavel Pogrebnyak up front as he is not the quickest and he is getting isolated already. With the five in midfield, surely they would be better with someone with pace up front."

Image source, Reuters

Jon Stead has scored in every round of the FA Cup this season but has not seen much of the ball so far in this game. Billy Knott tries to amend that, pinging a ball into the box for the striker but he is beaten to it by a defender. Bradford are getting stronger after a bright start by Reading.

Oxford University Association Football Club tweet:, external Neil Swarbrick warming up for our Varsity match against Cambridge tomorrow.

Image source, Reuters

Neil Swarbrick is the man in the middle today, after replacing Lee Mason not long before kick-off. A busy weekend for the referee, as the next entry shows...

Chris Waddle at Valley Parade
BBC Radio 5 live

"Reading are playing a very, very high line and they are asking for trouble. I think they are playing five yards too high. They are going to be back peddling as Bradford run forward and they are at a disadvantage."

James Hanson is very much the target of passes and crosses from his team-mates and a fizzing ball from the left by James Meredith finds Hanson's head, but his effort lacks power and Adam Federici claims comfortably.

As if hearing the words of Chris Waddle drift down from the press box, Bradford do indeed thump the ball forward as Filipe Morais tries to find James Hanson, the big striker gets in a tangle with Reading's last defender trying to win possession, and a free-kick is given against the Bradford player.

Chris Waddle at Valley Parade
BBC Radio 5 live

"If I was Bradford I would be saying hit the front two. That is were Bradford are going to get joy. Hanson and Stead can hold that ball up and bring others into play.

"The ball is going to be in the air a lot (because of the pitch). Set pieces will be massive today."

Scrappy start to this game with little fluidity and a few stoppages, the latest one after a beach ball ends up on the pitch. To be honest, it would not particularly look out of place in the goalmouths. Very little grass on show there...

Chris Waddle at Valley Parade
BBC Radio 5 live

"Chalobah was focused on the ball. He ran 15 yards and he kept his eye on the ball. It's one of them, early in the game, go and win it and take everything out. I don't think it is a foul, Liddle was just caught standing."

Gary Liddle takes a bit of a whack in a challenge with Reading's Nathaniel Chalobah and there is a brief pause in play before he is back up and able to continue.

An early chance for Reading as Jamie Mackie is fouled on the right, some 30 yards from goal. It is not close enough for a crack at goal but a decent position for a ball into the box, no trouble for the Bradford defence though.

Image source, Getty Images

Reading get this FA Cup tie under way.

Image source, Getty Images

Scarves are being held above the heads of 1,000s of Bradford City fans as one fan seems to be rattling out a rendition of Country Roads. Fantastic atmosphere as the players come on to the pitch.

BBC Radio 5 live

Bradford manager Phil Parkinson: "We had increased expectations before the Sunderland game. We had to manage that then. We just have to be realistic, they are a division higher than us and have been in Premier League. As soon as we think we just need to turn up, we will be out. We have to approach the game with that underdog mentality.

"I would be lying if Wembley doesn't come into my thought process. The players a probably the same. But on the day, in the dressing room, we can't think of Wembley, we have to focus on the game in hand."