Ricketts to the rescue!

At least this time there were no dreaded penalties to settle it.

Colin Todd's 100th league game in the City hot-seat last night produced the 35th draw - and the gaffer will probably settle for that.

At half-time, hopes of a third Valley Parade victory in four attempts were high. Dean Windass had smashed City in front with a superbly-executed half volley and they were well worth the lead.

But Carlisle cashed in on a huge slice of luck to equalise seven minutes after the restart and then did everything but score as they bossed the remainder of the game.

In the end, City were grateful for an alert piece of defending from Alan Rogers on the line, a dreadful miss and some stoppage-time heroics from Donovan Ricketts to bank a hard-earned point.

The two sides had served up a Carling Cup cracker at Brunton Park three weeks ago and, after a cloak and dagger opening, this game started to fizz in a similar way.

Carlisle, who had left out public enemy number one Kevin Gray, were nearly caught out by a moment of quick thinking from Windass. Spotting the defence dozing, he whipped in a free-kick early and was disappointed to see it beat the far post.

Windass then went even closer with a half- volley from the game's first corner, right back David Raven hacking the ball away at the near post with keeper Kieren Westwood beaten.

City were getting into their stride with a flurry of corners and it was no surprise that they struck the first blow midway through the first half. Equally, it was no shock that the scorer was Windass, who seemed even more pumped up than usual after recovering from his bruised calf.

The opening was created by a woeful mix-up between Raven and former City trialist Westwood, who both went for the same ball on the edge of the box.

The defender got there first but only managed to head the ball into the path of Windass, who left the goalkeeper stranded in no-man's land with a vicious left-foot blast into the roof of the net.

Incredibly, it was the first time that City had opened the scoring at Valley Parade this season.

Jermaine Johnson was posing a real danger on the right flank as Carlisle struggled to keep tabs on him, despite putting at least two men on the job.

But, employing three front men, they always carried a threat on the counter-attack with Karl Hawley, who was off the field getting treatment when City had scored, a constant menace cutting in from the left.

Midfielder Chris Lumsdon should have done much better when he scuffed a shot from close range before forcing Ricketts into his first real save low down to the keeper's left.

But the half finished with City close to a second through Ben Parker's deflected effort, which dribbled narrowly wide with Westwood rooted to the spot.

So far so good but City fans will tell you that their team's fortunes have swung widely from one half to the next this season - particularly in games at Valley Parade - and, last night, that once again proved to be the case.

The home side can rightly point to some rotten luck for the 50th-minute leveller which presented Carlisle with their platform to fight back.

Kevin Gall's ambitious 30-yarder was heading harmlessly wide until it smacked against Lumsdon and spun like a Shane Warne googly past a beaten Ricketts.

But that seemed to drain City's confidence and Carlisle straight away wasted two gilt-edged opportunities to nose in front.

Within two minutes of the goal, Ricketts failed to deal with a free-kick whipped into the six-yard box and Danny Livesey somehow managed to spoon it over a gaping goal.

Then Ricketts failed to claim a corner and was left a helpless spectator as Peter Murphy's bouncing header was athletically hooked off the line by Rogers.

City were still trying to exploit Johnson's pace and Todd threw on Joe Colbeck for Parker to produce an extra attacking ingredient - and the two wingers combined in a blistering move which saw Eddie Johnson just fail to make contact with his namesake's cross.

But there was another scare at the wrong end when Mark Bower, who had a tough night against Hawley, lost his man again but Nathan Doyle saved the day at the far post.

The crowd were getting restless as City's passing became ragged - and tempers on the pitch flared up when Bower and former Bantams stalwart Greg Abbott argued as the defender raced to take a throw-in in front of the away dug-out.

Todd went to join in before the fourth official managed to get between the warring parties and restore order.

The City boss made his usual switch as David Graham replaced Eddie Johnson and swapped his wingers round to let JJ loose on the left.

Both sides were pushing for the win as the game burst into life in the four minutes of stoppage time with chances at either end.

Westwood made up for his earlier rush of blood by fisting away a well-struck drive by Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, before safely pouching a snap-shot from Windass.

Then, with referee Lee Probert poised to blow the final whistle, Carlisle forced a late, late corner. Defender Zigor Aranalde was left criminally unmarked as he raced in to meet it but Ricketts brilliantly kept it out with the last touch of the game.