Johnny Kenny’s fifth goal in five games helped Bolton Wanderers earn the point they needed to secure their spot in the play-offs.
The Irishman’s sublime second-half finish broke the deadlock in style and looked set to give the visitors a deserved three points in front of a packed Valley Parade.
But Kayden Jackson’s leveller ensured the game ended all-square.
For the penultimate league game of the season – a third versus fourth battle for play-off security in front of a packed Valley Parade – Wanderers Head Coach Steven Schumacher made three changes from the side that secured that last-gasp point against Huddersfield Town at the Toughsheet Community Stadium a week earlier.
Ibrahim Cissoko was rewarded for that point-saving pearler with a starting role at the expense of Thierry Gale who dropped to the bench. Cyrus Christie came in for the suspended Jordi Osei-Tutu at full back with Mason Burstow replacing the sidelined Sam Dalby.
Prior to kick off, the entire ground fell silent to respectfully observe a minute’s silence in commemoration of the 41st anniversary of the Bradford City stadium fire.
With barely ten seconds on the clock, Rodrigues found Kenny on the edge of the box. The Irishman turned his marker to create space, but completely misfired with the ball landing in the stand behind the goal.
A wayward shot from Humphreys from distance was the first chance the hosts created after Wanderers held much of the ball during the early exchanges.
The visitors responded after Kenny found Cozier-Duberry out wide. The winger beat his man and hit the cross bar with a shot from a narrow angle. The ball was kept in play and another cross came in from the right, with the on-loan Brighton star heading narrowly wide.
Metcalfe and a close-range shot cleared off the line after Lapslie got the better of Johnson and found the midfielder lurking outside the penalty box.
Neufville got the game’s first yellow card when he dragged Cozier-Duberry down to the ground after the Wanderers winger got the better of him following a long clearance from Bonham. Christie’s ensuing free-kick was delivered well but the ball eventually fumbled its way for a goal-kick after coming off Burstow.
A smart passage of playing emanating from the left resulted in Christie overlapping to find space. The defender’s shot was eventually charged down.
Moments later, Cissoko’s low centre was met by Sheehan, but the Welshman’s first-time effort from 25-yards went over Walker’s crossbar.
Just after the half-hour mark, Wanderers earned a corner after some smart work by Cissoko on the left. An opportunity from the resulting set-piece amounted to nothing though when Toal’s shot on the turn went wide.
Baldwin’s rugby-tackle on Cissoko after the Dutchman left him for dead was punished with a yellow-card.
Walker came to the rescue when he tipped over Cissoko’s deflected shot after Wanderers winger weaved his way into the Bantams’ box.
It was the final chance of a goaless but entertaining first half.
No changes were made during the interval as both sides hoped to carry on where they had left off.
Walker pulled off a stunning save to keep out a powerful Kenny header after the frontman latched onto Cissoko’s outstanding cross after he tricked his way into the box once again.
The Bantams glovesman had to be at his agile best to keep out Sheehan’s 30-yard freekick which was heading into the bottom right hand corner.
Walker was by far the busier of the two keepers and had to be at his best to keep out Kenny who was the beneficiary of a long clearance up the field.
And the deserved goal came after 72 minutes from who else but Kenny. The Irishman gave the visitors a deserved lead with a sublime finish in the top left hand corner after Burstow laid off Toal’s long pass.
The equaliser came when Wanderers failed to clear their lines with the ball falling to Jackson whose low strike evaded everyone to nestle into the back of the net with ten minutes remaining.
Wanderers made their first changes of the game with four minutes remaining when Gale and Dempsey came on for Cissoko and Sheehan.
Humphreys late free kick was in a good position but the Wanderers wall held firm to keep out the powerful midfielder.
Bradford City: Walker, Touray, Wright, Power ©, Neufville (Powell 65), Humphrys, Baldwin, Jackson, Metcalfe (Swan 65), Tilt, Lapslie
Subs Not Used: Hilton, Evans, Wheatley, Pennington, Ashby
Bolton Wanderers: Bonham, Forino, Johnston, Sheehan (Dempsey 87), Kenny , Toal ©, Cozier(McAtee 90+4), Duberry, Cissoko (Gale 87), Rodrigues, Christie, Burstow
Subs Not Used: Broome, Simons, Apter, Conway.