Stockport County 1 Bradford City 1: Andy Cook's magic touch deserts him as Alex Pattison picks up goalscoring baton

In fairness, the Hatters were worthy of their 1-1 in front of another excellent League Two crowd of 9,226, boosted by 1,331 snaking around the corner from the away end.

They should have headed home with slightly relieved smiles on their faces after Alex Pattison's runs from midfield brought an opening goal and, seconds after substitute Isaac Olaofe levelled the scores, a penalty.

But on the day he was named League One player of the season after a 31-goal campaign, Andy Cook's penalty had neither the placement nor the power to beat Ben Hinchcliffe, how made a good save diving to his right.

Then, in stoppage time, a heavy touch stopped him finishing a one-on-one chance he would have buried in April.

Still, it could have been worse, former Bantam lobbing onto the roof of the net as goalkeeper Harry Lewis ran out at him in the third added minute.

Football can be like that. As soon as you solve one problem, another emerges elsewhere.

So although signing Pattison from Harrogate Town has eased their reliance on Cook's goals – he has found the net three games running – the plan was not for the talisman to go cold. It is hardly cause for panic stations – the season is only three games old – but goalscorers always want to get off the mark as quickly as possible and wasting a freebie from 12 yards is particularly frustrating, as is passing up a one-on-one.

The away fans made a point of singing Cook's name at the final whistle.

Bradford's back-three formation has made them more open and Tuesday's game was a lot more entertaining than the January match-up between the sides, but that and the pressing high up the field which created their goal means they were less equipped to sit on it. It was no surprise the pressure the hosts put them under after Pattison's 48th-minute goal bore fruit.

Although Matty Platt had the first chance of the match, his header deflected wide for another corner, it was Stockport who got control of the game, playing with more confidence than defeats in their opening two league games might suggest.

But the Bantams weathered the storm and had the better chances of the first half.

Harry Lewis needed a couple of grabs to hold onto Will Collar's header running onto a Macauley Southam-Hales cross, Louie Barry beat Ciaran Kelly rather easily but could not find a pass, Corey Evans had a shot deflected and Pattison had to get back to clear after Barry put the ball in.

Paddy Madden's audacious outside-of-the-boot lob had Lewis scrambling but it went beyond the goal. At that stage, 20 minutes in, a home goal looked on the cards.

But Bradford, playing a shape that was often something like 3-3-3-1 with Tyler Smith to the left of Pattison and Clarke Oduor behind Cook, held their nerve and found their footing.

Cook headed a corner onto the roof of the net but his best chance came when he glanced a Kelly cross when it needed a firmer header.

Not that the Hatters' threat had been completely extinguished, Madden spinning nicely on a Ryan Rydel ball but not quite able to hit the target and Ibou Touray going close when he got hold of a shot which took a deflection which bypassed the officials.

Debutant Smith had a good chance in the opening period when Oduor won the ball high up to present full debutant Smith with a well-saved snap-shot and that hunger to regain possession near the Stockport net was behind Pattison's goal.

This time it was Richie Smallwood, feeding Cook to drill in a cross Pattison swept home.

That signalled a period of Stockport pressure, Madden more relieved than Lewis by the offside flag after the goalkeeper could only touch a cross to Macauley Southam-Hales, and the ball hit the striker, who really should have put it in.

Barry volleyed over and Platt got a lucky escape when Olaofe went down in the penalty area with the defender's hands on his back. Other referees might easily have seen it differently.

Kevin McDonald continued Madden's frustration with a brilliant block.

But Bradford had chances on the counter. Cook dragged a shot at Hinchcliffe and although Smith's volley had more behind it, the direction was the same.

It was no surprise when Stockport equalised, Lewis saving low, but unable to deny Olaofe's follow-up.

However it was a matter of seconds before Ibou Touray brought Pattison down and Cook lined up for the decisive moment.

Even then he could have won it, Emmanuel Osadebe's tackle releasing him, but his heavy touch letting him down.

Stockport County: Hinchliffe; Knoyle, Horsfall, Touray; Southam-Hales (Crankshaw 73), Collar, Johnson (Croasdale 84), Rydel; Evans (Olaofe 64), Barry; Madden. Unused substitutes: Wright, Byrne, Smith, Pye.

Bradford City: Lewis; Platt, Kelly, Stubbs; Oyegoke, Smallwood (Osadebe 83), Gilliead (Ridehalgh 46); Oduor (McDonald 73), Pattison, Smith (Derbyshire 83); Cook. Unused substitutes: Halliday, Doyle, Pointon.

Referee: S Stockbridge (Tyne and Wear).