City’s young reserve side showed grit and determination to earn a 1-1 draw and deny title hopefuls Middlesbrough their moment of glory.

The visitors needed a win at Valley Parade to secure the totesport.com League East championship but for most of the match it seemed like the Bantams would clinch all three points after Ben Wilkinson’s 38th-minute opener.

Middlesbrough threw more men forward in a desperate attempt to get back into the must-win fixture and equalised through James Gray’s penalty.

But with only three minutes remaining, they were unable to score again and so the title instead went to Leeds, who retained the trophy with a 3-0 win against Grimsby courtesy of goals from Mike Grella, Tresor Kandol and Aidan White at Elland Road.

Scott Neilson played until the 76th minute for Bradford on his return to Valley Parade from a loan spell at Cambridge United.

The winger’s lofted ball over the top caught out the Middlesbrough defence and Wilkinson took advantage to nip in and prod home.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old City midfielder Luke Sharry featured for Grimsby’s reserves at Leeds after joining the Mariners on trial.

Sharry has started only once for City in the JP Trophy against Port Vale in November but was taken off at half-time.

City reserves: Convey, Bateson, Villermann, Carson, Robinson, Hudson, Wilkinson, Dean (Flett 82), Stephenson (Forsyth 74), Kendall, Neilson (Harrison 76). Subs (not used): Cheetham, Green.