Bradford City 2-2 Hartlepool: Cook’s brace rescues the hosts

Sky Bet League Two’s leading scorer Andy Cook netted twice to rescue promotion-chasing Bradford a point in a 2-2 draw with Hartlepool at Valley Parade.

The visitors looked on course to give their survival chances a huge boost after leading twice.

Callum Cooke came back to haunt his former club with the first goal before Dan Kemp, who had pipped Cook as the division’s player of the month for February, restored the lead.

But Cook hit back each time to take his tally for the season to 25 – 22 of them in the league.

Cook twice went close in the first half and Dara Costelloe also should have scored before Bradford fell behind, Cooke smashing home from just inside the penalty area.

Bradford were booed off at half-time but responded with an equaliser four minutes after the restart as Cook converted Richie Smallwood’s free-kick.

Costelloe missed two good chances and Hartlepool took advantage through Kemp’s fine solo strike.

But Cook salvaged a point for Bradford as he crisply volleyed home a cross from Scott Banks.