Bradford City 2-2 Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town produced a fantastic late comeback to earn a vital point at Valley Parade this afternoon thanks to goals from Jamie Proctor and Nathan Pond.The Bantams went ahead early on when Billy Clarke’s low ball into the box was parried by Chris Maxwell, and Jonathan Stead was on hand to tap in from close range.
Phil Parkinson’s side doubled their lead on 50 minutes when Christopher Routis finished James Hanson’s cross at the back post.
Proctor reduced the arrears with four minutes remaining as he headed Tyler Forbes’ cross beyond keeper Ben Williams.
But it was Pond who scored the dramatic equaliser in the dying embers of the game with a fine finish from the edge of the box.
Graham Alexander made two changes to his Town side, with Forbes replacing Gareth Evans on the right, and Stephen Dobbie coming in for Liam McAlinden.
Rory McArdle went close to giving the Bantams an early lead when his glancing header from Mark Yeates’ right wing free kick went inches wide of the far post.
Stead opened the scoring for the home side on 12 minutes when he converted Clarke’s low cross from six yards despite the best efforts of Maxwell.
Bradford continued to pressure, and Maxwell later denied Routis' header with a fine finger tip save over the bar.
Clarke was then given space in the middle of the park to roam forward and unleash a long range effort which went just wide.
The Cod Army were finding it difficult to break down a stubborn Bantams backline as the half wore on, with Jamie Proctor’s looping header their best chance.
Town grew in confidence however, and Steven Schumacher then tested keeper Ben Williams with a 25 yard free kick.
Fleetwood were quick out of the traps at the beginning of the second period, with Adam Chicksen lively down the left hand side.
Despite a positive start, Town found themselves two goals behind on 50 minutes when Routis finished at the back post.
Bradford, buoyed by their second goal, looked to extend their lead through Clarke and Hanson, but Maxwell was on hand to deny the pair.
Antoni Sarcevic was brought on for Stuart Murdoch to offer Town more of an attacking threat, and he played in Chicksen on the break who went close with a long range strike.
The Bantams were proving tough to break down, and despite attacker David Ball also being introduced, there was no way through for Fleetwood.
However, Proctor gave Town a lifeline late on when he connected with Forbes’ superb cross and headed past Williams in the home goal.
And it was Pond, the unlikeliest of sources, who popped up with a fine equalising goal from the edge of the box in the dying moments.