Bradford 1 Port Vale 1: Davies snatches a late equaliser for Bantams

Bradford were heading for defeat when Deane Smalley drilled a corner into the goalmouth and Davies’s close-range header slipped through the hands of goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson, through his legs and over the line.

Parkinson said: “Port Vale scored a terrific goal, but we responded well in the second half on a difficult pitch. Andrew Davies offers us raw commitment and he showed that by going up front with 10 minutes to go and deservedly scored the equaliser. He is a great example to the rest of the team.”

Vale went in front after 39 minutes when Louis Dodds unleashed a left-foot volley which flew into the net from Sean Rigg’s cross and their solid defence were successfully defending their lead until Tomlinson’s mistake handed Bradford an unlikely point.

Bradford had the best early chance of the game, when leading scorer James Hanson saw his header saved by Tomlinson from Kyel Reid’s free kick, but the striker limped off with a foot injury.

Bradford’s best second-half efforts had fallen to substitute, Nahki Wells. First, he shot wide and then was thwarted by Sam Morsy a minute from time.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Seip, Davies, Oliver, Fry (Ramsden 79), Samalley, Ravenhill, Jones, Reid, Hanson (Atkinson 14), Hannah (Wells 56). Unused substitutes: Duke, Flynn.

Port Vale: Tomlinson, Yates, Griffith,McDonald, McCombe, Loft, Dodds, Morsy (Owen 90), Rigg, Williamson, Richards. Unused substitutes: Martin, Marshall, Shuker, James.

Referee: T Harrington (Hartlepool).