Carlisle United 0-1 Bradford City: New-look Carlisle went down to defeat at Brunton Park as Calum Kavanagh struck for Bradford.

A Blues side featuring a host of new faces started brightly but gradually lost their way as the Bantams won at Brunton Park for the first time in 40 years.

Striker Kavanagh, son of the former United manager Graham, got the only goal early in the second half when he beat Ben Barclay to convert an Alex Pattison cross.

Carlisle's best opportunities came when debutant Joe Hugill saw an effort cleared off the line in the first half, while Kadeem Harris was denied by keeper Sam Walker late on.

But Pattison also missed an early sitter for Bradford, who were increasingly comfortable the longer the second half went on.

Carlisle, whose third straight defeat came in front of a 8,399 crowd, remain seven points adrift of safety at the foot of League Two after their first game following a hectic spell of January recruitment.

Head coach Williamson handed debuts to four of his nine new signings, with home debuts for another two and two more among the substitutes - but also one absentee.

Will Patching, Charlie McArthur, Hugill and Stephen Wearne went into the side for their first Blues outings, while Elliot Embleton and Callum Whelan were also in the XI for their first home outings.

New signing Charlie McArthur in action (Image: Ben Holmes)

Cedwyn Scott and Sean Fusire were among the substitutes but Paul Dummett was not in the squad.

Also missing from the 18 was Luke Armstrong, while Ben Barclay and fit-again Jordan Jones came back into the side and Harry Lewis returned to the bench against his former club after injury.

Visitors Bradford were unchanged from their previous league game, while former Blues captain Paul Huntington was not involved.

United began with Patching and Whelan in the deepest midfield area, with Embleton and Wearne behind striker Hugill, with McArthur left of the back three and Jones and Harris at left and right wing-back respectively.

Wearne almost played Hugill through early on and Carlisle saw plenty of the ball as they established a good early foothold in things.

But Bradford should have gone ahead in the 12th minute as Kavanagh got away from Sam Lavelle to the left before turning and crossing for the arriving Pattison, but he volleyed wide from a great position.

Carlisle came back at the Bantams and Barclay saw a volley deflected over before the resulting corner saw the Blues come close.

Embleton's delivery was attacked by Lavelle and then Patching hooked the ball towards goal, Hugill getting something on it before Bradford's Ciaran Kelly cleared off the line.

United's intensity and competitive work earned them encouraging backing from home fans and midway through the half Embleton missed the target after a bright counter-attack.

Whelan was next to try his luck, cutting in from the right after United regained possession from a Bradford throw, the midfielder's shot blocked by Aden Baldwin.

The visitors then enjoyed opportunities later in the half after McArthur had been booked for his challenge in a 50-50 with Baldwin.

Kavanagh, stretching to meet a cross, volleyed wide before later he met a Pattison cross, but Breeze got down to save the header and Barclay denied Sarcevic at the follow-up.

New striker Joe Hugill, right, battles (Image: Ben Holmes)

Blues fans gave the team a good send-off at the end of the first half, but Bradford were quick to strike early in the second half.

After Hugill and Embleton had been denied with half-chances for Carlisle, Bradford built on the right after Sarcevic had stolen the ball from McArthur.

Barclay headed the first cross clear but Richie Smallwood then threaded it back to Pattison in space on the right, and this time Kavanagh got above Barclay to head home.

United took time to recover and Sarcevic almost got on the end of another Bradford delivery, before Carlisle broke and Hugill's shot from the left was turned behind by home keeper Sam Walker.

Whelan then covered well to prevent Pattison going through for a Bradford second, before Williamson made a triple change with 20 minutes to go.

That saw Fusire on for his debut and Scott making his second Blues debut, Jack Ellis also introduced.

But Bradford threatened further as Sarcevic shot wide from 25 yards and Pattison then had an effort blocked.

Carlisle were now starved of chances, and frustration rose in the 8,399 crowd as Williamson's side struggled to make any attacking headway.

Bradford could have sealed it in the 87th minute but Kavanagh failed to control Bobby Pointon's low cross from the left.

United's best second half effort then came a minute later when Harris ran at the defence before shooting low from the edge of the box, Walker diving to tip it past the post.

Carlisle's remaining efforts were futile and they remain in deep relegation trouble with 21 games remaining having won just one of their last ten games.

United: Breeze, McArthur, Lavelle, Barclay (Ellis 69), Jones, Harris, Patching (Fusire 69), Whelan, Embleton (Harper 75), Wearne (Scott 69), Hugill. Not used: Lewis, Hayden, Dudik.

Booked: McArthur.

Bradford: Walker, Halliday, Richards, Baldwin (Johnson 82), Shepherd, Kelly, Smallwood, Sarcevic, Pattison, Pointon, Kavanagh (Leigh 90). Not used: Doyle, Khela, Wright, Mellon, Lapslie.

Goal: Kavanagh 54.

Booked: Sarcevic, Richards.

Ref: Ben Speedie.

Crowd: 8,399 (1,391 Bradford fans).