Bradford City 2-2 Hartlepool United: Fourth straight draw for John Askey in pulsating Valley Parade contest

Hartlepool twice held the lead at Valley Parade thanks to goals from Callum Cooke and Dan Kemp only for League Two’s leading marksman Andy Cook to level things up – the second of which will grace most end-of-season highlight reels.

Cooke scored his second goal in three games since his return from injury on his old stomping ground to give Pools a first half lead before Cook would equalise early in the second half.

Despite the home side looking the more likely it was Hartlepool who regained the lead as Dan Kemp weaved his way through the Bradford defence to score.

But for the third straight game Pools were unable to hold on as Cook volleyed in an exquisite second with the points shared in West Yorkshire.

It’s a ground which holds fond memories for Hartlepool in recent visits having won on each of their last three trips including the 3-1 success in October 2021 - Hartlepool’s first away win back in the Football League following promotion.

And how manager Askey was hoping for that recent form to continue on Saturday lunchtime as his side went up against a promotion-chasing Bantams side looking to apply some pressure to their relegation rivals ahead of their respective kick-offs later in the day.

Askey has been buoyed by the improvement in the performances shown by his side over the last fortnight having been able to assess his squad in full on the training ground - something which has been enough for him to sanction the loan exits of both Mikael Ndjoli and Leon Clarke ahead of the trip to Valley Parade.

As such, Askey made just one change to the side who drew with Northampton Town a week ago as January recruit Dan Dodds, who returned from a groin injury as a substitute in that draw with the Cobblers, was deemed fit enough to start from the off as he replaced Arsenal loanee Taylor Foran with Peter Hartley still unavailable following his concussion protocol.

Askey was also boosted by the return of striker Jack Hamilton who was on the bench with the Hartlepool boss of the belief his side are heading in the right direction when it comes to their injury struggles.

But getting anything out of this game may largely have focused on being able to stop League Two’s top goal scorer Cook.

Cook scored twice in the reverse fixture at the Suit Direct Stadium and had been in lethal form heading into the fixture at Valley Parade with seven goals in his last nine appearances.

And the 32-year-old was involved from the off in what should have been an early goal for the home side when Alex Gilliead was able to drive through midfield to find Cook on the right with his low cross picking out Dara Costelloe who somehow managed to turn wide from just outside the six-yard box.

It was a let off for Hartlepool who then had loan goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to thank after Kemp lost possession in midfield to Gilliead who again drove forward to find Cook, this time on the left, with the striker going for goal himself only to be denied low by the Leicester City man.

Cook was giving the returning Dodds and Edon Pruti plenty to think about in the early exchanges as he pulled onto the shoulder of each defender away from Euan Murray before Pools did get forward through David Ferguson who saw a cross cut out by Brad Halliday with half appeals for a handball.

Askey’s side had appeared to weather the early storm and came into things themselves, Cooke in particular picking up some decent positions with Mohamad Sylla excellent in the more defensive-minded midfield role.

But it was Cook again who threatened when picking up Dodds’ headed clearance on the edge of the area before working space beyond Pruti on his right foot and flashing wide of Stolarczyk’s right-hand post.

But the home fans were getting frustrated as Pools continued to enjoy decent spells in possession before taking the lead through former Bantam Cooke.

Pools worked it well to create an overload on the right with Jamie Sterry, who had options in the middle, and he was able to skip inside of Liam Ridehalgh before sliding a ball into Connor Jennings who showed his experience to stand the ball up first time for the advancing Cooke who hammered into the top corner from the edge of the area.

And Pools almost doubled their lead with a fine flowing move minutes before half-time as Dodds and Sterry exchanged, with Dodds driving at the Bradford defence before finding Kemp inside the area. The MK Dons man cleverly dropped the shoulder to create shooting space only for his effort to be blocked.

There was half a chance for Gilliead when he glanced Halliday’s cross wide as the home side went off at the break to one or two boos around Valley Parade.

And those boos may have grown louder inside two minutes of the restart when Jennings had the opportunity to double Hartlepool’s lead.

Jennings met a lovely slide-through ball from Kemp but just couldn’t wrap his foot around it enough to test Harry Lewis in goal.

Such is the way things go when you’re at the bottom of the table, it was a missed opportunity which would immediately cost Hartlepool as Mark Hughes’ side levelled.

Sylla was penalised for a foul which saw Bantams skipper Richie Smallwood float a cross towards the back post where Cook was on hand to head home his 21st goal of the season.

It was a goal which ignited the home side who found themselves well on top and they might have gone in front through Costelloe when he met Gilliead’s low ball into the box but was unable to convert a scramble inside the six-yard box.

Costelloe then had a golden opportunity when found unmarked at the back post by Adam Clayton only to steer wide of the far post.

And it was a hat-trick of chances for Costelloe when he headed into the side netting from Halliday’s cross - again with plenty of space at the back post.

Jamie Walker saw an effort saved by Stolarczyk when meeting Cook’s knockdown before Josh Umerah dragged a decent effort wide for Hartlepool.

But, perhaps against the run of play, Hartlepool regained the lead thanks to the brilliance of Kemp.

Sterry, Dodds and Sylla were all involved on the right as the ball was poked into the path of Kemp in the box but the midfielder seemingly refused an effort at goal a number of times, instead dancing his way along the Bradford defence before eventually rolling back across goal into the bottom corner to send 1,045 Hartlepool fans delirious.

It was short-lived however as the imperious Cook levelled again for Bradford when executing a stunning volley from Scott Bank’s cross to fire back across Stolarczyk and into the corner.

Eight minutes of added time meant there was still an opportunity for a winner from either side with Sterry seeing a strike wrong-foot Lewis who had to scramble to save before Banks brought another fine stop out of Stolarczyk as the points were shared.

Bradford City XI: Lewis, Halliday (East ‘74), Ridehalgh (Bola ‘90), Platt, Smallwood ©, Cook, Walker (Crichlow ‘90), Gilliead, Costelloe (Oliver ‘90), Stubbs, Clayton (Banks ‘74)

Subs: Doyle, Chapman

Hartlepool United XI: Stolarczyk, Sterry, Dodds, Murray, Pruti, Ferguson ©, Sylla, Cooke, Kemp, Jennings, Umerah (Hamilton ‘74)

Subs: Killip, Foran, Dolan, Featherstone, Finney, Kiernan

Referee: Declan Bourne

Attendance: 18,137 (1,045 Hartlepool)