Charlton 1-1 Bradford: Timothee Dieng's header salvages point for Bantams

Bradford's pursuit of automatic promotion to the Championship stuttered with a 1-1 draw at Charlton.

City slipped to fifth in League One after Timothee Dieng's header secured a point when Jorge Teixiera had given the hosts the lead, but fell further behind the top three after Sheffield United, Fleetwood and Bolton each won. Charlton have fallen to 15th, and sit nine points clear of the bottom four.

Bradford provided the most consistent, early attacking threat. Their captain Romain Vincelot had shot just wide of the left post from 25 yards in only the third minute, and they again went close when Tony McMahon tested goalkeeper Declan Rudd with a 35-yard free-kick and when Nathanial Knight-Percival sent a close-range header just over the crossbar.

The flat hosts had offered little in response, but in the 35th minute it was they who took the lead. From a central free-kick, Ricky Holmes crossed towards Patrick Bauer, who headed towards Teixiera from where the defender controlled possession before classily finishing from in front of goal into the top-right corner beyond Colin Doyle.

It took only eight minutes for Bradford to secure their equaliser. Mark Marshall's powerful shot from the edge of the area was spilt straight to Dieng by Rudd, and from close range in front of a near-open goal he headed towards the bottom-right corner.

The hosts responded with greater intensity during the second half, creating enough chances to secure victory. Tony Watt had already forced a save from Doyle when they went close through both Fredrik Ulvestad and Johnnie Jackson, but the goal they required remained beyond their reach.