City booked their spot in this Sunday's F.A Cup third round draw after coming from behind to earn a replay with a creditable draw against League 1 promotion hopefuls Brentford.
In bitterly cold conditions, City more than matched their higher-ranked opponents, especially in the second period, to ensure they will be in the same hat as the Premier League big boys come Sunday's draw.
After failing behind to a strike from Brentford's Bradford-born Clayton Donaldson towards the end of a low-key first period, City roared back into the contest after the break and deservedly found an equaliser through James Hanson midway through the second period.
Matt Duke had been forced to produce a brilliant reaction save to deny Donaldson a second earlier in the half but aided by a bold triple substitution from Phil Parkinson, City finished the match the stronger.
Parkinson's men looked the most likely winners after Hanson's leveller, with Gary Jones fizzing a strike narrowly over the bar from outside the area and Nahki Wells agonisingly hitting the post from close range.
Both sides will have to do it again, however, at Brentford's Griffin Park on Tuesday 18 December 2012.
82min: SUB - Brentford bring on Antonio German for Hayes.
81min: Dean heads wide of Duke's goal following Logan's flighted corner.
80min: Wells goes so close to firing City into the lead of the tie! Latching onto a loose ball from close range, Wells flicks the ball past Lee but sees his effort bounce against the 'keeper's near post. Wells tries to get to the rebound first but Toumani Diagouraga is on hand to vitally kick clear.
77min: Duke beats away an effort from Logan after James Meredith had slipped while trying to deal with a forward pass from Dallas.
76min: SUB - Brentford bring on Stuart Dallas for Forrester.
75min: Donaldson blasts over with a rising drive from just inside City's area.
74min: Hanson does well to hold off Tony Craig as he races onto the end of a bouncing through ball but his eventual shot from inside Brentford's area flies over.
72min: Gary Jones fizzes a first-time shot narrowly over the bar from around 20 yards out after Dean had just about prevented Wells from getting a clear run on goal.
71min: SUB - Brentford bring on Scott Barron for Saunders.
71min: GOAL!!!!!!!! Bradford City 1 Brentford 1 - Hanson is on hand to equalise for City when he fires home from around twelve yards out. Meredith's cross into the area causes the initial danger and while Turgott can't quite get a shot away, Hanson is on hand to slot home the loose ball into the corner.
66min: YELLOW CARD - Shaleum Logan is booked for a fierce tackle on Atkinson just inside Brentford's half.
65min: Wells' fierce strike from a tight angle is well-saved at his near post from Lee after Hanson had out-jumped Dean to flick on a bouncing through ball.
64min: Atkinson's first real involvement in the match is to send over a teasing cross that narrowly evades the clutches of Lee and the lurking Hanson at the far post. Turgott sends over a cross from the other side seconds later but Wells' connection on the ball isn't clear and the striker's effort bounces wide.
61min: SUBS - City make a triple substitution, bringing on Nahki Wells, Gary Jones and Will Atkinson for Connell, Garry Thompson and Ricky Ravenhill.
53min: Good fires a good few yards over the bar after a half-cleared City corner had fallen into his path just outside Brentford's penalty area.
52min: Duke makes a great reaction save from close range following Donaldson's powerful drive for goal after the striker had wriggled clear into space inside the area.
50min: Forrester fires comfortably over the bar following Saunders' corner delivered along the ground to near the edge of City's area.
48min: Donaldson sends a header over the bar following Saunders' corner to the near post.
46min: The Bantams restart the match.
HT:Bradford City 0 Brentford 1
45min: There will be two minutes added on at the end of the first half.
44min: Hanson's far post header following a City corner is blocked away by the legs of Richard Lee.
44min: With James Hanson waiting to pounce for an easy header barely yards out, Harlee Dean has to make a vital headed clearance following Turgott's teasing cross into the area.
43min: Forrester's header across goal from Sam Saunders' flighted centre is gathered by Duke.
43min: GOAL - Bradford City 0 Brentford 1 - Brentford striker Clayton Donaldson fires the visitors into the lead on the stroke of half time with an smart finish into the far bottom corner from just inside the area. The ball broke free for the Bradford-born striker after a tackle from Good had ricocheted possession in his direction.
35min: Duke pushes away a fierce drive from Harry Forrester after the Brentford youngster had managed to reach the edge of City's area with a surging run.
21min: Matt Duke has to be alert to tip over after Clayton Donaldson's attempted cross deflects up off Curtis Good and threatens to dip under his crossbar.
15min: Debutant Blair Tuggott's cut-back finds Connell but his effort is deflected away from danger.
7min: Alan Connell fires a couple of yards over with a free-kick from distance.
0min: Brentford kick off the tie.