Bantams and Blades are ready to go all the way in promotion race

League One’s first 20,000-plus crowd of the season was treated to a classic at Valley Parade as six goals were shared between teams who threw caution to the wind.

The Blades twice led thanks to strikes from Billy Sharp either side of half-time but then needed an equaliser from Chris Basham to rescue a point that took Chris Wilder’s men up a place to third in the table.

Bradford remained in second and manager Stuart McCall was effusive in his praise for both sets of players at the final whistle.

“Great entertainment, a great advert for this division, two proper football clubs, fantastic support and atmosphere, real end-to-end stuff,” enthused the City chief. “I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in it. Derbies are often tight games but I did say to someone on Saturday morning: ‘This will probably end up 3-3’. At 3-2, I was hoping my prophecy wouldn’t come true.

“A point was well earned for both sides. No-one deserved to be on the losing side, though we were a little bit disappointed with the second and third goals. Give me a 3-3 any day rather than a 0-0.

“As for their first goal, I almost clapped it because that was an outstanding pass and a great header by Sharp. I didn’t clap it – but I almost did!”

Asked if City’s largest home league crowd since the club’s brief stay in the Premier League had seen two teams destined to remain in the promotion hunt, McCall replied: “This will give us a lot of belief going forward because anyone who finishes above Sheffield United will get promoted.

“Billy Sharp is flying at the moment. Our lads won’t play up against a better striker than that, he is in absolute top form.

“You look through all their side, there are a lot of good players who have played at Championship level. Plus, they have got a system that suits them. So for us to match them was a great effort.”

Both teams could drop a place in the table tonight if Bolton Wanderers beat Bury at Gigg Lane but Blades manager Chris Wilder believes a benchmark was laid down in the Yorkshire derby.

“This was a game that had the lot,” he said. “Two teams that went about things the right way and the result could have gone either way.

“I was very impressed by Bradford and I would imagine Stuart, being a good football man, will have a bit of respect for us, too.

“They are, far and away, the best team we have played this season. So, to come away from a game against a team like that who are in form, we will take the point.

“We set our stall out to win games. But look at the opposition and the quality they have got. They came from behind, like we did, so they have clearly got that character as well.

“At the final whistle, I honestly hadn’t got a clue how I felt about this result. My head was a little bit all over the place after watching that. It still is.

“I had the left-back on the right wing and my right-back on the left in the ‘94th minute’ and trying to win it – and this is against a team who have started the season really well and are at home.

“I applaud their enthusiasm and desire to go for the win but this was a good result for us.

“There is a long way to go this season. But we are showing good signs and we are in good nick.”

McCall’s team selection was the biggest talking point ahead of kick-off, as Rory McArdle was switched to right-back and Romain Vincelot returned to the heart of the defence after playing in midfield against Southend United last Tuesday.

“That is probably the biggest side I have ever picked in my career as a manager and the first time I have never made a substitution,” said the City chief. “So there are two firsts.

“As for why we set up like we did, we had watched them a couple of times and they were very strong in that left wing-back area. Their lad (Daniel Lafferty) got in at the back post against Shrewsbury the other night and scored.

“Rory came in to stop that. He has played there before in Scotland and it wasn’t as if we were asking him to get the ball from the goalkeeper and set up attacks for us. We wanted him to be strong at the back post, be physical and give us that added height going forward. He did that.”