Marc Newsham had his penalty saved by keeper Tim Deasy in the fifth minute of added time after Nathan Hotte and Matty James had sandwiched a Mark Jones leveller.

Newsham and Gary Silk both hit the post for United, while both keepers were kept busy, but Deasy was hailed as the hero after becoming the first custodian to stop Newsham scoring from the spot during his four seasons with the Pilgrims.

Despite Dan Haystead being forced to make some good saves too, United were left to contemplate how at least one point went begging.

Haystead grabbed an early snapshot from Richard Marshall, while Deasy made a good save to force Jones’ drive wide for a corner, following neat interchange with Newsham.

Haystead had to make further saves to deny Liam Needham and a miscued defensive header from Tom Ward.

The Boston keeper excelled to keep out a Jordan Deacey drive, but HOTTE poked home the rebound despite Haystead’s best efforts.

The home side went close again before the break with the impressive Alex Davidson firing a fraction wide from 20 yards.

United cranked up the pressure after the break and came close to equalising a couple of times before finally levelling on 57 minutes.

Deasy denied Newsham with a point-blank range save while Ben Fairclough headed narrowly off target following Ian Ross’ free-kick.

Ross was the instigator of United’s equaliser. His chipped throughball saw Fairclough force a hurried clearance from Deasy and JONES responded with a driven finish, into an empty net, from 18 yards.

Marshall had a drive deflected behind by Ward, while Haystead saved well to deny marauding full-back Michael Duckworth.

Jones had two massive penalty appeals turned down either side of Bradford’s equaliser. He chased a long throughball from Haystead and was shackled by Hotte — potentially with the use of his hand — before Deasy took the United striker out in full flight but Jones was booked for diving.

Avenue’s equaliser arrived on 74 minutes when JAMES seized on an initially-misplaced pass from midfield to advance and roll the ball between Haystead’s legs from 18 yards.

The United onslaught resumed with Kallum Smith’s cross being headed against the post by Newsham, while Smith’s subsequent cross-shot was hacked off the line by James Knowles. Silk then headed against the post following Ross’ corner.

Salvation seemingly arrived five minutes into added time. Ward’s long throw-in found Smith, who was fouled, but Deasy dived to his left to grab Newsham’s spot-kick to spark differing emotions as the final whistle sounded.

Bradford (4-4-2): Tim Deasy; Michael Duckworth, James Knowles, Nathan Hotte, Martin Drury; Alex Davidson (Tom Greaves 77), Richard Marshall, Liam Needham (Matty James 63), Paul Walker; Danny Holland (Craig Radcliffe 90), Jordan Deacey. Subs (not used): Liam Wakefield, Ben Higginson (gk).

Boston (4-4-2): Dan Haystead; Gary Silk, Tom Ward, Nathan Stainfield, Gareth Jelleyman; Ben Fairclough (Conor Marshall 88), Ben Milnes, Ian Ross, Jason Stokes (Kallum Smith 65); Mark Jones, Marc Newsham. Subs (not used): James Reed, Sam Craven, Ricky Drury (gk).

Referee: Matthew Walsh