Bradford 2 Darlington 2 

Nicholson (2 mins, 0-1, 18 mins 0-2) Johnson (21 mins 1-2), Clee (39 mins, 2-2)

Attendance 625

Darlington picked up a good point in a 2-2 draw against promotion chasing Bradford PA at the Horsfall Stadium.

Quakers played some excellent football again in the first half and went 2-0 up thanks to two goals by Jordan Nicholson, but Bradford got back into the game.

But when it mattered most, Quakers defended well in the second half against a team that beat Chorley last Saturday and held on to stretch the unbeaten run to four matches.

Quakers started with three centre halves, with Luke Trotman playing left wing back, and Stephen Thompson on the right.

They took the lead after 2 minutes. Jordan Nicholson picked the ball up in midfield, ran forward, and curled a delightful left foot shot into the top corner from 25 yards – a great goal.

Quakers continued to attack with pace and movement, stretching the Bradford defence, and Stephen Thompson was unlucky with a cross from the right intended for Simon Ainge, but the defence cleared.

Bradford made a change on 8 minutes, Danny Lowe coming off and Nicky Clee going on.

Quakers continued to play some exciting football, and went 2-0 up on 18 minutes. Thompson found space on the right, and played the ball inside to Nicholson, who briefly lost possession, regained it, and then turned quickly and fired into the bottom corner!

But Bradford pulled a goal back on 21 minutes when a cross came in from the right for Oli Johnson to head in.

They nearly levelled on 26 minutes when the ball was fired across the face of goal, and Branson missed from a couple of yards.

But Quakers replied with a great run down the right by Thompson, who got round the back of the defence right into the six yard box, but Drench blocked his shot.

But Bradford levelled on 39 minutes, when Clee got the ball on the corner of the box, and drilled a low shot across Hemming into the bottom right hand corner.

Quakers were awarded a penalty on 44 minutes when Wheatley was pushed to the ground by Havern, but Drench dived to his right saved Thompson’s spot kick.

Half time 2-2

Nicholson had a chance at the start of the second half when Wheatley sent him away in the inside right position, but he tried to pull the back on to his left foot and a defender put the ball out for a corner.

Quakers had a great chance on 59 minutes when Trotman won possession on the half way line, found Nicholson running into the box, and he was inches wide with a right foot shot from ten yards.

But Bradford broke away, and Johnson struck a low shot that Hemming saved low down.

However, at the other end, Saunders’ pace took him away from the defence, but faced with a tight angle, he tried to pull the back and Quakers were crowded out, and Thompson chipped over the top.

Another chance came Quakers’ way on 76 minutes when Saunders had a shot blocked, and the ball ran for Tom Elliott who fired just wide from the edge of the box.

Quakers defended well in the closing stages, and nearly got all three points with a late header by Galbraith that was headed away.

Final score 2-2

Hemming: Trotman, Elliott, Burn, Hughes, Galbraith, Nicholson, Wheatley, Ainge, Saunders, Thompson

Subs: Glover, Hall, Henshall, Stansfield, Syers

Bradford: Drench, Ross, Lowe, Wroe, Killock, Havern, Spencer, Branson, Beesley, Johnson, Knight

Subs: Toulson, Hurst, McKenna, Clee, Nowakowski