The Bantams had to settle for point from their long trip south to Plymouth Argyle despite engineering the majority of goalscoring chances in their npower League 2 fixture with the Pilgrims.
Garry Thompson, one of six recalled players by Bantams boss Phil Parkinson, saw an early one-on-one chance repelled by Plymouth 'keeper Jake Cole before going on to hit the crossbar with a second half drive.
Carl McHugh enjoyed good headed chances either side of the break, while substitute James Hanson also saw an effort deflected around the post after Kyel Reid's angled drive had been repelled by Cole.
Plymouth had some moments in the match themselves, with McHugh kicking clear Andres Gurrieri's goalbound effort and Jason Banton striking the post, but it still would have been highly unfair and highly controversial had the hosts converted a golden opportunity to win it in the final minute of injury time.
Matt Duke appeared to be clearly shoved into by Plymouth sub Tyler Harvey when jumping up to claim an attempted clearance from Rory McArdle.
To the amazement of everyone within the City camp though, play was waved on as Harvey and Nick Chadwick tried to scramble the ball home from close range.
Despite the ball bouncing loose literally only a few yards from City's goal, Duke and Stephen Darby both played their part as they somehow stopped the ball from crossing the line to ensure a share of the spoils for the Bantams.
FT: Plymouth Argyle 0 Bradford City 0
90+6min: CHANCE! - There is nearly a massive talking point right at the death when Plymouth almost scramble in a winner in controversial fashion! Contesting for a pumped ball forward, McArdle, who is facing his own goal, just beats Harvey to the pass but can only punt the ball high into the sky. Duke comes out to claim the hanging ball before seemingly being clearly bumped into by Harvey. The bump - which amazingly goes unpunished by referee Mr Davies - sees Duke drop the ball and gives Plymouth the chance for a shock winner. While on the floor, Duke does commendably well to get a hand on Chadwick's follow up effort before Darby manages to prevent either Chadwick or Harvey from firing home from close range by kicking clear off his own goal-line. With Darby just doing enough to somehow prevent the ball from rolling over the line, Duke can eventually gather up the loose ball.
90+1min: Connell tries to catch Cole out with a cheeky chipped shot on the turn but the effort lacks the pace or flight to beat Cole.
90min: There will be six minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
86min: SUBS - Plymouth bring on Tyler Harvey and Paris Cowan-Hall for Bryan and Gurrieri respectively.
83min: Connell finds himself in shooting space but his strike from the edge of the area is repelled by Cole.
81min: City spring forward on a bright attack that involves Hanson, Connell and Reid. Connell is the player to find and play team-mate Reid into space but the winger's angled drive from just inside the area is saved by Cole, Hanson pounces on the loose ball before seeing his effort on the rebound deflected narrowly wide of the post.
81min: SUB - Alan Connell is brought on by the Bantams for Thompson.
80min: WOODWORK! Thompson hits the bar! A loose attempted clearance by Cox is seized upon by Hanson, allowing the striker to lay the ball off to Thompson around the edge of Plymouth's penalty area. Thompson strikes for goal first time and sees his rising effort blast the bar before sailing over.
79min: Thompson sets off on a surging run from wide that takes him from just inside Plymouth's half to inside the hosts' penalty area. Driving into a more central position, Thompson strikes for goal but his effort from just inside the area is blocked away. Some run by the City attacker though after leaving four Plymouth players in his wake.
78min: SUB - Will Atkinson is brought on for Hines for the Bantams.
77min: Gurrieri slides in at the far post to try and connect with a teasing inswinging Banton cross but the Plymouth man is about a few seconds too late and the ball sails out for a goal-kick.
73min: Paul Wotton fires a couple of yards over the bar with a drive from around 25 yards out following an indirect Plymouth free-kick.
69min: SUB - Plymouth bring on Nick Chadwick for Reid.
67min:YELLOW CARD - Maxime Blanchard is booked for bringing down Reid right on the very edge of Plymouth's penalty area. The City players situated near to the incident claim that the foul took place inside the area but only a free-kick is given.
67min: SUB - The Bantams bring on James Hanson for Gray.
65min: Joe Bryan and Banton combine to take a short one from the resulting free-kick. Banton's low effort for goal from distance has some swerve and dip on it but Duke is on hand to dive low to his right to cling on.
65min: YELLOW CARD - Having earlier received a warning for a late tackle, Ravenhill is booked for another mistimed challenge.
63min: Thompson and Branston battle for possession of a long bouncing Hines clearance as the ball heading towards Plymouth's area. Branston's back header towards Cole is slightly underhit but Thompson can't quite get his boot on the bouncing ball and the Plymouth 'keeper can gather.
60min: McHugh heads not too far wide of the target from Doyle's far post corner.
58min: Banton's low angled drive from just inside City's area is comfortably gathered by Duke.
53min: Reid drives forward with the ball but his eventual shot for goal from distance trickles a good yard or so wide of Cole's net.
52min: WOODWORK! Banton turns away from Darby and Ravenhill before firing in an angled drive from inside the area that rattles against Duke's near post.
48min: Gray is on hand to pick up a McHugh cross and lay it off into the path of the waiting Doyle but the midfielder's first time looping effort from just outside the area sails well over.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT: Plymouth Argyle 0 Bradford City 0
45+2min: McHugh heads wide of goal with a towering header from a decent position inside the area following Reid's corner into the mix.
45+1min: YELLOW CARD - Branston is deservedly booked after taking out Thompson with a late tackle from behind just inside Plymouth's half.
45min: There will be one minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
43min: Lee Cox plays a delightful ball into the area to find Hourihane in plenty of space just to the right of Duke's goal. Around ten yards away from goal, Hourihane looks to test Duke with an angled drive but Stephen Darby gets back to make an important diving block.
42min: Reid's curling effort direct from a 25 yard City free kick has the direction to beat Plymouth's gathered wall but not Cole, who springs across his goal to save with relative ease.
40min: A clever ball forward from Reid plays Thompson into space just inside Plymouth's penalty area. Turning for goal, Thompson strike forwards but his effort is blocked by Guy Branston before it can reach Cole.
35min: Zavon Hines sends over an inviting cross towards the unmarked Gray in the middle but the ball seems slightly too high for the striker and his header on the stretch loops up safely into Cole's clutches.
30min: Gurrieri is on hand to pick up the ball following Nathan Doyle's loose pass but his drive for goal from outside the area sails a good yard or so over the bar.
24min: Banton's cut-back picks out Gurrieri in the middle but despite the attacker's effort beating Duke's dive, the effort is kicked clear from right in front of his own goal by last-man Carl McHugh.
24min: Jason Banton's angled drive from inside is kept out by Duke before Andrew Davies can smash clear the loose ball.
22min: Conor Hourihane picks up the ball around 25 yards from goal but with Ricky Ravenhill breathing down his neck, the midfielder fires comfortably over with his shot forwards.
13min: Reid tries to catch out Cole from a free-kick just wide of the 'keeper's goal but his low effort from a couple of yards outside the area rolls wide of the near post.
9min: Rory McArdle's flicks on Kyel Reid's near post corner but Andy Gray can only send a looping header onto the roof of the net from around eight yards out.
8min: CHANCE! Garry Thompson is on the end of a golden chance for City when he beats Plymouth's offside trap to find himself in the clear and with only Jake Cole to beat. Racing into the area, Thompson tries to slip the ball under Cole's body but the 'keeper is able to turn the strike behind.
7min: Reuben Reid's low cross into the area finds Andreas Gurrieri in space but the attacker fires well over the bar from a decent position in the centre of Matt Duke's goal with a first time effort.
0min: Plymouth kick off the match.