Crystal Palace 1, Bradford City 1: The chasm between Division One's haves and have nots was there for all to see in the centre-spread of the Crystal Palace programme.

There were the home team beaming at the camera - all 29 senior players and ten staff. They included a fitness coach, two physios and even an ASSISTANT kit man.

Apart from wondering what his job must be - unfolding the shirts or ironing the socks, maybe - it showed Nicky Law just what he is up against.

The programme also helped his pre-match team talk by suggesting a 2-0 win in the fixtures. That's the Palace sooth-sayer out the door then.

Whatever they had seen in their crystal ball, it clearly hadn't included any of the highlights from City's draw with Wolves 48 hours earlier.

Otherwise they would have taken note of the amazing spirit that pours through these players at the moment. As Law proudly states, they are the team who refuse to be beaten.

That never-say-die attitude, forged by the frustrations of recent months, was epitomised by one man.

It may have been a wretched time for everyone in the Bantams dressing room but nobody has been up against it more than Peter Atherton.

Forget the fact he may be one of the highest wage-earners, Atherton has suffered on the sidelines desperately wanting to play his part for the team but unable to do any more than offer the occasional words of encouragement.

Since his knee went at the start of last season it's been one hurdle after another. Operation followed operation and his grand comeback at Norwich last November ended on a stretcher after an hour.

So it was a sweet, sweet moment when the final whistle blew last night. Atherton had not only safely negotiated his first full game for City since February 2001 - he spent the tail end of that campaign on loan at Birmingham -- but he had also been the bedrock of another gritty defensive stand-off.

Atherton only found out he was playing yesterday morning when David Wetherall failed a fitness test on his hip injury.

But it took only two minutes to get back into the thick of it. There was no easing his way back to the speed of the game as Atherton raced in front of Dougie Freedman to sweep a low cross clear of the danger zone.

Palace, who must have fancied their chances just as much as the optimistic programme author, soon discovered that would be the pattern of things. In would go the crosses, up would go the heads of Atherton and Andy Myers and away would go the ball.

The home side's best moment of an ordinary first half came in the 18th minute - and again Atherton was there to stave off the danger.

Most of Palace's hopeful long balls were hoovered up but this time Tony Popovic found the right pass to create a gap. Freedman was on to it straight away and City were split open. Gary Walsh came to meet him on the angle of the box but the Scot waltzed his way past and the first goal beckoned. Atherton had other ideas.

The defender stuck in the firing line between Freedman and the net and when the shot came, his head was there to divert the ball out of harm's way over the bar.

It wasn't all one-way traffic and Paul Evans again showed the cultured side of his robust game with a curling free-kick from 20 yards. Unfortunately as with Wolves stopper Michael Oakes, Matt Clarke was the equal to it and palmed the ball away.

City were penned back for long periods but despite conceding nine corners without reply, they simply refused to crack.

Then, in true football logic, City nipped up field and grabbed the lead through substitute Andy Tod.

Gus Uhlenbeek was the instigator at the end of a five-man passing move. The Dutchman dived to the byline and had time to lay it on a plate for Tod to slam past Clarke from half a dozen yards.

That should have been the happy ending for City. Their first ever away win against Palace surely beckoned.

Popovic headed the equaliser and Selhurst rocked to Glad All Over and no doubt even the deputy kit man had a little jig.