Bristol City 2 Bradford City 2: McArdle nets Bantams away point

Rory McArdle’s header gave City a deserved point.

Bristol took the lead when Scott Wagstaff finished from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s pass before Nahki Wells levelled after home goalkeeper Frank Fielding was caught out of position.

Emmanuel-Thomas put the Robins back in front with a powerful finish after the Bantams defence gave him too much room.

McArdle drew the visitors level with a header from Raffaele De Vita’s corner.

It was a first League One match since 2006-07 for both teams, the Robins having spent the last six seasons in the Championship while Bradford spent the same period in League Two

City included Middlesbrough goalkeeper Connor Ripley who joined the club on a short-term loan deal.

The 20-year-old was on the bench at Bristol.

The son of former Blackburn and Southampton winger Stuart, he made his debut for Boro at the age of 18.

Ripley is the fifth player to join the Bantams this summer after Jason Kennedy, Mark Yeates, Raffaele De Vita and Matt Taylor.

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