Bradford City 2-2 Sheffield Utd: Late Sharp equaliser brings Blades back from two goals down

Billy Sharp scored a 70th-minute equaliser as Sheffield United came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Bradford City.

The 29-year-old striker slotted home from 12 yards after his original shot was saved, with Chris Basham having headed past City 'keeper Brad Jones four minutes earlier.

United had gone two goals down when Devante Cole inadvertently scored on 47 minutes, the ball going in off his body from an attempted clearance, which added to James Meredith's similarly scrappy opener.

But Blades boss Nigel Adkins will be delighted with a response that wrested a recent slip in form, earned a deserved point at Valley Parade and saw Sharp bag his fifth goal in five league games.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Bantams manager Phil Parkinson will be far from happy to see his side let slip a two-goal lead that was earned through near-total domination in the first 60 minutes.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The home side almost had a ninth-minute lead when defender Rory McArdle pounced on a loose ball and fired into the body of United 'keeper Mark Howard, who spread himself well.

Sharp had the ball in the net when he latched onto a long pass forward, controlled well, and chipped the 'keeper - but he was offside as he beat his marker.

And so the net rippled first at the other end when Meredith latched onto a header down into the penalty area just before Howard, and kneed it beyond the Blades 'keeper into the far corner.

Adkins took off his captain Jay McEvely at the interval in the hope Craig Alcock could inject more life into the midfield, but the substitute had not even touched the ball when David Edgar smashed a clearance against Cole that ricocheted beyond Howard.

Adkins then made a crucial double change on the hour, with Connor Sammon and Baxter replacing Martyn Woolford and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, and the visitors looked far more dangerous.

After Basham looped a header from a corner over the stricken 'keeper Jones, Sammon shaved the paint from the top of the crossbar with a fierce effort from distance.

But it was Baxter who supplied the sublime pass on to the run of Sharp with 20 minutes remaining, and the summer signing from Leeds found the net after his original shot was saved by Jones.

Baxter was also needed at the back to deny City a winner right at the death, heading an effort that head beaten the 'keeper off the line as the last action of the game.