Fleetwood Town 2 Bradford City 1: Devante Cole sparks fightback to help sink Bantams

City looked in the box seat with little over 20 minutes remaining at Highbury despite squandering a host of chances.

Jordy Hiwula should have done better from a Nicky Law led break. Fleetwood were again caught napping when Romaine Vincelot pinched the ball from Kyle Dempsey, James Meredith overlapping and crossing only for Charlie Wyke to balloon his finish into the stand.

Two minutes before the break Hiwula finally delivered. His one-two with Wyke opened up Fleetwood, Hiwula charging through and driving low past Alex Cairns.

Bradford struggled to find the same intensity from the restart, but an opening went begging when Law picked out Hiwula who tripped over his own heels.

Alex Gillead went closer still, but a double change for Fleetwood made the difference.

Substitute Ash Hunter’s pace left Meredith trailing, his low cross met by Cole to haul the hosts level.

With eight minutes left, McLaughlin’s low drive saw McArdle turn the ball into his own net.

Fleetwood: Cairns, McLaughlin (c), Bell (Hunter 60), Brannigan (Grant 60), Eastham, Ball, Bolger, Dempsey, Davies, Schwabl (Godswill 76), Cole. Unused substitutes: Neal, Davis, Nirennold, Glendon,

Bradford City: Doyle, Darby, Meredith, Law, Vincelot (c), Wyke, Hiwula (Marshall 77), Cullen (Clarke 83), Gillead, Knight-Percival, McArdle. Unused substitutes: Sattelmaier, Toner, Dieng, Devine, McMahon.

Referee: R Joyce (Cleveland).