Walsall 1 Bradford City 2: Andy Cook’s late spot-kick ensures a maximum return

The Bantams looked they would be forced to settle for a point in a carbon copy of the reverse fixture at Valley Parade after being pegged back after going ahead.

Huddersfield Town loanee Matthew Daly opened his Bantams’ account at the second attempt in the first half.

And, typically, it was Barnsley loanee George Miller, who spent two previously loan spells with City, who equalised at the Banks’s Stadium.

It looked like it would be another frustrating draw for Bradford — their eighth in 12 league outings. But Cook made no mistake as his 88th-minute spot kick stole the spoils.

Saddlers’ stopper Carl Rushworth pulled off a phenomenal double save to keep the visitors out early on.

First he parried Liam Ridehalgh’s effort into Alex Gilliead’s path before keeping out the rebound.

The deadlock was broken eight minutes before half-time as Daly’s deflected effort, from Ridehalgh’s pullback, found its mark.

Alex Bass ensured a lead at the break as he kept out Conor Wilkinson’s point-blank header.

But he was cruelly beaten as Zak Mills’s volley took a wicked deflection off Miller and wrong-footed the stopper.

Matty Foulds fired wide with 10 minutes to go.

And City got their reward at the very end as Cook thundered home the spot kick after Mills handled in the box.

Walsall: Rushworth, White, Daniels, Leak (Phillips, 90+3), Mills, Earing, Kinsella, Wilkinson, Labadie (Osabede, 77), Kiernan (Shade, 84), Miller. Unused substitutes: Rose, Willock, Bates, Perry.

Bradford: Bass, Threlkeld, O’Connor, Canavan, Ridehalgh (Foulds, 61), Songo’o, Cooke, Gilliead, Walker (Vernam 68), Daly (Sutton, 81), Cook. Unused substitutes: Hornby, Robinson, Lavery, Pereira.

Referee: B Speedie (Merseyside).