Burton Albion 1 Bradford City 1: McLaughlin takes his chance in style

Zesh Rehman, playing at centre-back as Jonathan Bateson was brought in at right-back, also led by example as the Bantams defence withstood fierce pressure from the Brewers in the first half.

McLaughlin, given a chance to impress by manager Peter Taylor as he rested Matt Glennon, saved Greg Pearson's 17th-minute penalty after Steven O'Leary had tripped Russell Penn.

It proved a costly miss by the hosts as City took the lead in the 59th minute.

Gavin Grant's deflected shot enabled Luke Oliver, who had been moved up front to give height and a muscular presence to the attack in a 4-3-3 formation, to head over stranded goalkeeper Artur Krysiak into the net.

With eight minutes to go, however, Burton equalised when unmarked top scorer Shaun Harrad knocked the ball over McLaughlin from close range after latching on to a driven cross from full-back Paul Boertien.

City refused to buckle and substitute James O'Brien, who had been brought on to quell the threat of Cleveland Taylor, was on hand to hook a header from Tony James off the line from a late corner to help secure City's point from their first visit to the Pirelli Stadium.

Burton Albion: Krysiak, Corbett, James, Parkes, Boertien, Taylor, Penn, McGrath, Maghoma, Harrad, Pearson (Kabba 64). Unused substitutes: Poole, Webster, Simpson, Gilroy, Phillips, Boco.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Bateson, Rehman, Williams, Threlfall, Bullock, Bolder, O'Leary (J O'Brien 58), Grant (L O'Brien 77), Oliver, Evans. Unused substitutes: Kendall, Osborne, Dean, Cutler, Glennon.

Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland).

Man of the match: Jon McLaughlin.