'Play off dream' is 'still on' for Chesterfield after exciting Bradford City draw - reaction

The Spireites trailed 2-0 and 3-1 but fought back to 3-3 when Liam Mandeville struck a dramatic 92nd minute equaliser. It means the Blues are three points off the play-offs with two games remaining against Morecambe and Accrington Stanley.

Danny Webb said: “Fair play to the players, they have kept the dream alive. We have just got to make sure now that we definitely win our next two games. We have certainly made the last two weeks of the season potentially very exciting. We might have dropped a place but three points behind with two games to go, it is still on.”

Bradford led 2-0 after 20 minutes before Jenson Metcalfe’s first goal for the club got them back in it before half-time but it was 3-1 early in the second-half until Will Grigg and Mandeville netted to lift the roof off the SMH Group Stadium.

Webb continued: “They (Bradford) started well but we started poorly. We looked a bit shaky and we allowed runners to run through us. Our back-line was too deep and then it was too high. It took us a bit of time to get into the game and sadly by then we were behind.

“At half-time the message was to start well but we gave them a goal after a couple of minutes. Deep down you knew it was going to be a hell of a turnaround but when you get that second goal and then the third you actually feel you are going to win the game. They were on their knees a little back after that, Bradford. I think if we had played for another five minutes we would have won the game. But they could have won it late on also.”

One controversial moment saw the Bantams awarded a penalty when Tom Naylor was judged to have bundled over Antoni Sarcevic and he stepped up to make it 2-0. On that decision by referee Scott Jackson, Webb told the DT: “I have not watched it back but I would request that penalty if it happened to us. I don’t think we can moan too much but that is without seeing it back. I do think, though, that Ash Palmer was blatantly pulled back for one for us. The fourth official had a blatant view of it and we are probably disappointed that he didn’t help the referee out with that.”

In other news, Armando Dobra’s groin injury is a bit worse than first feared. He won’t be involved on Saturday against Morecambe but he has not been ruled out of Accrington Stanley. Ollie Banks is unlikely to make it back for either game but could return if Chesterfield did make the play-offs. And Jack Sparkes is back in full training and could be available for Accrington.