City 0 Scunthorpe 0

"WE HOPE to bring Premier League football to Bradford in our lifetime. If you don't dream, nothing happens."

That was the bold mission statement emblazoned on the big screen before yesterday's game as owners Edin Rahic and Stefan Rupp went on the pitch to whip up the home crowd.

Actions speak louder than words and big comments like that had to be backed up with a proper performance from City against the leaders.

A bumper Boxing Day crowd of 21,874 – Valley Parade's biggest of the season – saw the Bantams give as good as they got.

But at the end of it, a third successive draw – and second goalless stalemate in a row at home – cost them a place behind Rochdale in fifth and nine points adrift of the automatic spots.

With two games in three days approaching over the New Year weekend, Stuart McCall's men need to find that edge to turn so much good play into a tangible reward.

A draw with the leaders is nothing to be sniffed at but the performance could have earned more.

Scunthorpe had arrived with the best away record in the division – averaging two points a game with seven wins from 11 trips.

Five of those had been against the bottom five and there is a school of thought that the Iron's high position had been helped by a favourable fixture list.

This week's double on the road against the Bantams and Bolton would maybe offer a true indicator of their potential staying power.

The Iron certainly showed the necessary steel to withhold City's best periods of pressure and there was always that threat of pinching one on the break. But the draw would have been more useful to them.

McCall had made two changes from the side that drew frustratingly again at Walsall nine days earlier.

Filipe Morais replaced Jordy Hiwula as City switched to a 4-2-3-1, with Nicky Law in a supporting role for James Hanson – a position he had played well against Cambridge in the Checkatrade Trophy earlier this month.

At the back, Tony McMahon made a long-awaited comeback for his first league start since tearing his thigh in August. If he could regain the blistering form with which he kicked off the campaign, it would prove a timely boost at the halfway stage.

Another making a return to Valley Parade was Josh Morris, who is enjoying a prolific campaign since swapping City for the Iron last summer.

With 15 goals under his belt already – not to mention 11 assists – it was no surprise that he should have the game's first shot at goal. Colin Doyle, playing his first Boxing Day game since 2005, dived low to his left to save.

Suitably stirred by the owners beforehand, there was a cracking early atmosphere to the contest which burst into a fierce pace. Any suggestion that one up front for a home game sounded negative was immediately dispelled.

McMahon's set-piece prowess has proved a potent City weapon and Nathaniel Knight-Percival, still hunting a first goal, tested Luke Daniels from an early free-kick.

City were focusing their efforts on the left flank, where Mark Marshall and James Meredith flew forward willingly.

Marshall had the bit between his teeth and was only a yard wide with a bending free-kick that had keeper Luke Daniels rooted to the spot.

But another charged-down shot turned into a Scunthorpe counter led by Morris. Morais, of all people, found himself the last man and saved the day with a well-timed challenge just outside his own box.

Hakeeb Adelakun's pace was a worry but City continued to ask most of the questions against a visiting side who were not afraid to mix it when necessary.

Scunthorpe defended well against testing crosses by Morais and McMahon before the right back went close from another free-kick after Hanson went down theatrically by the D.

The pressure continued as Morais forced a scrambling block from Daniels after Neal Bishop sliced Meredith's pass in the box.

Referee Darren Handley was proving the villain of the piece with the City fans – and McCall on occasions – but there was no frustration developing in the team's play.

Morais was getting more and more involved and played in Josh Cullen, whose cross-turned-shot lacked the conviction to worry Daniels.

McCall had a few words to say to the official as the teams went off at the interval but there could be no complaints about the performance of his own players – other than seeing Daniels tested more in the Iron goal.

They did that straight off after the resumption as Timothee Dieng's shot was blocked by Charlie Good into the path of Morais, who saw his effort diverted behind by the sprawling keeper.

But a foul by Cullen on Paddy Madden gave Morris the opportunity to trouble City – and he did just that with a free-kick that Doyle clutched by his near post as the away fans behind that goal sensed a breakthrough.

Meredith made a crucial sliding block to foil Adelakun as the Kop belted out a lengthy chorus of "Stuart McCall's Bradford army".

There was more of an edge about the visitors and Knight-Percival had to be attentive with a low cross from Morris.

Romain Vincelot was keeping a tight rein on Madden but the striker then fed in Morris, who had a yard on the back-pedalling defence but cleared the bar from 15 yards. It was a big let-off for the Bantams.

Hanson's acrobatic volley flew into the Kop before he was joined up front by Marc McNulty after Morais had picked up a knock.

City kept coming and Meredith's cross was met with a meaty header from Dieng but it flew straight at Daniels.

Scunthorpe hit back as Madden fizzed a ball across the goalmouth which was just beyond the sliding Tom Hopper. The faintest touch from the striker would have been enough.

There were similar close margins at the other end, where McNulty's cross was six inches too high for Hanson.

Bishop stopped Law in his tracks as the perpetual-motion midfielder tried one last stoppage-time raid into the penalty area. There had been plenty to cheer but again not the goal at the end of it.

Attendance: 21,874