Chesterfield kept their League Two play-off hopes alive with a dramatic 3-3 draw against promotion-chasing Bradford City at the Technique Stadium.
In an exhilarating encounter, Bradford twice led by two goals but were pegged back at the death when Liam Mandeville grabbed a 92nd-minute equaliser to spark wild celebrations among the home supporters.
Bradford Dominance Undone
Graham Alexander’s men looked set to consolidate their position in the automatic promotion spots after a dominant opening. Bobby Pointon struck early, calmly finishing to give the visitors a perfect start, before Antoni Sarcevic doubled the lead from the penalty spot following a handball inside the area.
Just before half-time, Chesterfield found a route back into the match when Jenson Metcalfe curled a fine effort into the top corner to halve the deficit. However, Alex Pattison restored Bradford’s two-goal advantage early in the second half with a close-range header, seemingly putting the Bantams in full control.
Graham Alexander said: “We have dropped two points today because we were superb for large parts. Unfortunately they have scored at such a killer time for us in the 92nd minute.”
Chesterfield’s Late Rally
Will Grigg set up a tense finale with a composed finish to make it 3-2, before Mandeville’s deflected shot fortuitously fell back to him, allowing the midfielder to scramble home the dramatic equaliser deep into added time.
It was a breathtaking conclusion to a game that leaves Chesterfield just three points adrift of the play-offs with two games to play. Bradford, meanwhile, remain third but face renewed pressure in the automatic promotion race following the dropped points.
Alexander pointed to illness disrupting his team’s rhythm after the break, admitting Chesterfield were allowed to build momentum as fatigue and disruption set in. Despite missing opportunities to seal the result earlier, Bradford’s inability to manage the game in the closing stages proved costly.
For Chesterfield boss Paul Cook, the fightback maintains faint hopes of a play-off surge after an inconsistent run of form in recent weeks.
Site Opinion
Few games epitomise League Two drama better than Chesterfield’s thrilling fightback against Bradford City. The Bantams will feel they threw away two vital points, but full credit must go to Chesterfield for refusing to give in. Both teams showed their attacking quality, but defensive lapses and missed chances defined the afternoon. For Bradford, promotion remains within reach, but this was a costly and avoidable slip — and a reminder that nothing is certain until the final whistle blows.
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