Kilgour snatches late point for Mansfield Town after injury nightmare first half at Bradford City

Former Stags striker Andy Cook had scored against his old club for the second time this season in a nightmare first half for Stags in which they lost three key players with injury, new boy Louis Reed lasting just 10 minutes, Rhys Oates going off with a serious-looking shoulder problem on 21 minutes and another new signing, Callum Johnson, off hurt on 36 minutes.

But Kilgour secured a precious point to ensure they remained in the play-off spots and edged up a place into sixth – the new defender's second goal in as many games.

Manager Nigel Clough named two changes from the side which hammered Doncaster Rovers 4-1 last weekend.

Captain Ollie Clarke returned as he and Kieran Wallace replaced Stephen McLaughlin and Hiram Boateng.

Deadline-day signing Davis Keillor-Dunn was announced on the bench and was quickly thrust into the action as he replaced Oates.

Clough was forced into his three changes before half-time and then finished his allocation at the break as he threw on Danny Johnson and Will Swan for Wallace and Stephen Quinn and changed round his wing backs which saw Stags produce much more going forward.

On the pitch, Stags’ stopper Scott Flinders produced a good early save to keep out Mo Eisa.

Scot Jamie Walker was the next to go close for the hosts as he flashed across the face of goal.

And it was dangerman Cook was opened the scoring with his 17th goal of the season in the 29th minute as the veteran striker headed home Adam Clayton’s corner to stun his former employers.

Flinders was wrong-footed by a wicked deflection from Cook’s effort, which thankfully went wide mwhile debutant Keillor-Dunn forced Bantams’ number one Harry Lewis into a decent save on the stroke of half-time.

Flinders then had to be awake moments into the second period to deny Cook a second.

And the Stags’ keeper was at it again to thwart the frontman just before the hour mark.

Stags refused to give up and pressed hard, Kilgour heading against the bar from Keillor-Dunn’s corner with 10 minutes to go.

But he made no mistake second time around as, unmarked at the far post, he nodded home from Elliiott Hewitt’s right wing cross to secure a point from a well-contested clash between promotion rivals and send the huge army of away fans at that end into wild celebration,.

But Stags will now await news on the injured trio just a few days after transfer deadline day with Oates the biggest worry after coming back from three months out with a torn pectoral muscle that he may have landed awkwardly on again.

BRADFORD CITY: Lewis, Halliday, Crichlow, Bola, East (Nevers, 75), Clayton, Gilliead, Walker (Chapman, 74), Cook, Eisa. SUBS NOT USED: Doyle, Derbyshire, Costelloe, Stubbs.

STAGS: Flinders, Hewitt, Kilgour, Perch, Johnson (Bowery, 36), Reed (Maris, 10), Clarke, Quinn (Swan, 45), Wallace (Johnson, 45), Akins, Oates (Keillor-Dunn, 22). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Harbottle.

REFEREE: Alan Young.

ATTENDANCE: 18,755 (1,852 away).