BRADFORD CITY AFC

City fought back from two goals down to earn a fully-deserved point from an entertaining Good Friday clash with fellow Play-Off hopefuls Southend United.

After being on the wrong end of such a comeback in the first game between the two sides at Roots Hall back in December, second half efforts from Zavon Hines and James Hanson helped Phil Parkinson's men to recover from a nightmare start and secure a point from the first of their Easter weekend fixtures.

Despite starting well enough, City were plunged into deep trouble before even the quarter-hour mark when two close range tap-ins less than a minute apart from Southend striking duo Gavin Tomlin and Britt Assombalonga stunned Valley Parade and raced the visitors into a shock two-goal lead.

Southend's first goal on the ten-minute mark came about when Jon McLaughlin failed to cling onto a free-kick clipped into the box by Kevan Hurst. Bilel Mohsni was first onto the loose ball and struck the post before Tomlin steered home the rebound into an unguarded net.

With City still reeling from conceding such a sloppy goal, Southend caused even more disbelief in the home ranks when Sean Clohessy's low centre across the six yard box was nudged in from right in front of the goal by Assombalonga less than sixty seconds later.

City almost responded straightaway to the quick-fire blow, however, when Kyel Reid rattled the crossbar direct from a free-kick before Luke Prosser got back to clear Hanson's headed effort on the rebound off the line.

Parkinson's men continued to probe away for an opening but it wasn't until the second period that they truly came alive again.

Less than six minutes had been played after the restart before the Bantams thought they had a way back in when Hines was on hand to tap home after Garry Thompson and Southend 'keeper Paul Smith had competed for a Hanson flick forward.

The City support leapt to their feet to acknowledge the goal - but any celebrations were soon cut short when it became apparent Thompson had been flagged offside. 

The decision was met by some disapproval from the home camp, and replays of the incident seem to suggest Thompson was no more than level with last defender Ryan Cresswell before racing onto Hanson's header on.

It didn't take long for Hines and City to engineer a goal that did stand though.

James Meredith's teasing cross eventually found Hines lurking on the far side of the box and the Bantams winger completed the move nicely with a low first-time drive into the far bottom corner.

City were the dominant force at this stage, forcing Southend to defend deep in their own half, although Parkinson's men were nearly caught out fourteen minutes from the end when Tamika Mkandawire was allowed too much space in the box to clip the outside of McLaughlin's far post with a low curling effort.

Following the earlier introductions of Alan Connell and Will Atkinson, Nahki Wells was brought on with nine minutes to go for City's final throw of the dice, and it was the Bermudian who was heavily involved in City's equaliser.

It was Wells' hanging far post cross that gave Hanson the inviting opportunity to head home from close range a rescue a point for City.

City pushed for a winner late on, with Reid debatably booked for diving on the stroke of ninety minutes after going down in the box, while Wells and fellow sub Atkinson were denied by smart saves from Smith in injury time.