Port Vale 3 Bradford City 2: Pope pops up to break Bradford’s resistance

Well into the third minute of added time, Doug Loft swung over a decent cross which Pope met superbly to nod past a helpless Matt Duke.

In front of a healthy League Two crowd at Vale Park, the Bantams played their part in an excellent first half which was a great advert for the division.

But, it was the hosts who went in front as early as the fifth minute, Robert Taylor taking aim before smashing home from just outside the box.

City rallied and grabbed the equaliser they deserved in the 24th minute. Kyel Reid teed up Jamie Devitt, and he produced a fine finish to beat Chris Martin from distance.

Six minutes before the break, Taylor doubled his and Vale’s tally when he latched onto a pass from Gareth Owen before guiding home a smartly-taken shot.

A deficit was maybe a little harsh on City after an industrious first half, but they got their deserved second equaliser four minutes after the restart.

The impressive Ritchie Jones took a smart pass from Devitt before burying a sharp shot past Martin.

Before Pope’s late, late winner City substitute Jack Compton went close when his shot was saved by Martin, while Michael Flynn was also thwarted by the Vale goalkeeper with a one-handed diving stop.

Port Vale: Martin, Yates, McCombe, Owen, Green, Taylor (Loft 65), Griffith, Roberts (Morsy 79), Pope, Williamson, Little (Dodds 65). Unused substitutes: Tomlinson, McDonald.

Bradford City: Duke, Branston, Oliver, Mitchell, Moore, Threlfall, Flynn, Jones, Reid (Compton 70), Devitt (Wells 81), Hanson. Unused substitutes: Tongue, Hunt, Hannah.

Referee: D Whitestone (Northamptonshire).