REPORT: Bradford 2-2 MK Dons: Honours even as Bradford twice come from behind

Stuart O'Keefe gave Dons the lead in the fourth minute before Tony McMahon levelled from the penalty spot after a dubious decision from referee Darren Deadman.

Dons then were given their slice of luck when George Williams' cross sailed in at the far post, but Charlie Wyke's bullet header just before the break saw the Bantams level for a second time.

Both sides had chances in the second period, but worryingly for Dons, Chuks Aneke, who came off the bench, hobbled off holding his knee.

The result though would see Dons climb the table to 14th.

It was a much-changed side starting against Bradford, with four coming after the Shrewsbury victory on Saturday, and a new-look formation. Playing three centre backs, Dean Lewington returned to the fray, with Ed Upson replacing Darren Potter in central midfield, and Robbie Muirhead handed his second start in Dons colours, playing alongside Nicky Maynard as Chuks Aneke and Kieran Agard dropped to the bench.

But those changes appeared to make an immediate impact as Dons took the lead with just four minutes on the clock. Harvey Barnes initially tried to pick out Stuart O'Keefe with a short corner, but a Bradford defender gave it back to Barnes, who found the on-loan Cardiff man at the second time of asking. Shifting the ball onto his left foot, O'Keefe fired in a shot, but it took a wicked deflection and beat Colin Doyle.

Dons appeared to be set up to play on the counter attack, and they should have been two up when Maynard beat the offside trap but opted to go himself rather than slip in Muirhead, who was in acres to his left, firing wide of the upright.

The home side, despite playing high in Dons territory, were fortuitous in getting back into the game. From a corner Joe Walsh was adjudged to have held down Charlie Wyke, prompting the referee to point to the spot, and earning the Welshman a yellow card. Tony McMahon made no mistakes with the spot kick to equalise.

If Bradford's equaliser had an element of luck, Dons got their share 10 minutes before the interval when George Williams' cross struck the far post and went in, beating Doyle's hapless dive to retake the lead.

But the back and forth wasn't done with. Nicky Law had a great opportunity to level five minutes before the break but struck into the side netting, but Bradford would go in at half time level when Charlie Wyke's bullet header beat David Martin for a second time.

The second half continued in a similar vein, but Bradford really should have been ahead 10 minutes after the restart when Paul Downing missed cued McMahon's cross and only deflected it into the path of James Meredith, but Martin made a brilliant reaction save, getting his chest to the strike to deny the defender.

With 25 minutes to go, Robbie Neilson switched his front line, bringing on Chuks Aneke and Kieran Agard and the pair linked up within two minutes to almost retake the lead for a third time. Barnes' ball into the box was deftly controlled by Aneke, who turned his man brilliantly and shaped to shoot, only for Agard to take it off his toe, pulling the shot wide.

Aneke though would last just 20 minutes, worryingly going down holding his knee without getting a touch from a Bradford player.

Referee: Darren Deadman

Attendance:

Bradford City: Doyle, Meredith, Law, Vincelot, Wyke, Clarke (Jones 59), Cullen, Gilliead, Knight-Percival, McArdle, McMahon

Subs not used: Sattelmaier, Toner, Marshall, Dieng, Hiwula, Devine

MK Dons: Martin, Baldock, Downing, Walsh, Lewington, Williams, Upson, O'Keefe, Barnes, Muirhead (Aneke 65 (Potter 85)), Maynard (Agard 65)

Subs not used: Nicholls, Ngombo, Bowditch, Reeves

Booked: Walsh, Williams