A lacklustre Gillingham display at Priestfield on Saturday afternoon saw them earn a point but lose ground in the title race.
In front of the best crowd at Priestfield this season, the home side were booed off by some sections after a frustrating game that failed to ignite.
The Gills best chances of the game came in the first minute and in the last with Jo Kuffour hitting the post along with a goalmouth scramble at the end, but in truth it was Bradford that had the better chances and on another day could have snatched all three points.
Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that beat Bournemouth on Tuesday night with Danny Jackman (groin) and Chris Whelpdale (illness) left out of the squad, while Dennis Oli dropped to the bench.
In came strikers Frank Nouble and Jo Kuffour along with Matt Lawrence who was rested for the cup tie, slotting in at right back allowing Charlie Lee to play in his preferred midfield role.
Once again, Luke Rooney was kept out of the sixteen man squad due to his contract wrangles that have seen him linked with a move to Swindon Town, while there was no place on the bench for Simon King.
With The Gills lining up in a 4-3-3 formation against the much taller visiting side that had former Gillingham midfielder Michael Flynn captaining the side, they almost got off to the perfect start when Kuffour’s acrobatic turn and shot inside the box saw the ball come back off the post and away to safety.
Bradford took notice of the wake up call and went on to create some half decent chances with the best of them falling to striker James Hanson who saw his header well saved by Ross Flitney before spurning a great chance to turn home the rebound, instead blazing over the bar.
Danny Kedwell must have thought he was on to score just before the break when Flynn’s underhit backpass came his way, but Andrew Davies was on hand to mop up at the back when it looked as though the Gills striker was about to open the scoring.
The second half was little better than the first and Bradford looked to have gone in front on seventy minutes when substitiute Nakhi Wells turned home the ever dangerous Kyel Reid’s cross only to see it ruled out for offside.
That was a huge let off for The Gills who looked to go too direct in the swirling wind with Flitney looking less than comfortable in the home goal.
Wells was a constant thorn in the Gillingham side for the last twenty minutes of the game and neither side managed to find that killer goal with Stefan Payne denied in an almighty goalmouth scramble minutes before the end.
Saturday’s point keeps the Gills unbeaten run going and is up to five games now and has seen them climb to seventh in League Two, seven points behind Cheltenham in third place and next weekend they will switch their attention back to the FA Cup and a trip to Brisbane Road to take on League One side Leyton Orient.
FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 0-0 BRADFORD CITY
Gillingham line up: Flitney, Lawrence, Richards, Frampton, Martin, Nouble (S Payne 84), J Payne, Lee, Weston, Kedwell (Montrose 79), Kuffour.
Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Fish, Oli.
Booked: Lawrence (21).
Bradford line up: McLaughlin, Ramsden, Oliver, Seip, Davies, Flynn, Ravenhill, Reid, Fagan, Hanson, Hannah (Wells 70).
Subs not used: Duke, Mitchell, Moore, Devitt.
Booked: Ravenhill (67).
Referee: Mr Williamson
Attendance: 7,074