Bradford City will be coming away from their promotion six-pointer with Carlisle United wondering how a winner was never found in a 0-0 draw.
Despite the stalemate, it was far from a boring affair with both sides finding good opportunities to break the deadlock.
However, it was the Bantams who created by far the better of the chances, with a stern Carlisle defence dwindling as the game boiled down, but ultimately neither side could come up with the goods in a tense and fiery exchange.
Bantams manager Mark Hughes named two changes to the side that drew disappointingly to Hartlepool United at home last time out, with Jamie Walker and Burnley man Dara Costelloe being withdrawn in place of Crystal Palace's Scott Banks and former Blackburn Rovers winger Harry Chapman.
For the visitors, three changes were made to the team that were held to a stalemate by Stevenage in their last game, as Paul Huntington, Omari Patrick and Joe Garner were replaced by Ben Barclay, Ryan Edmondson and Kristian Dennis.
The result sees Carlisle edge their way into the automatic promotion spots in third place, five ahead from their hosts tonight and one behind second-placed Stevenage. They also sit seven points adrift of league leaders Leyton Orient.
Both teams extend their undefeated runs, with Bradford hitting seven and Carlisle reaching six. However, Bradford will not be too encouraged by the run as it leaves them with a fourth straight draw in a run-in that will need them to pick up maximum points.
Story of the match
The opening 10 minutes did well to match the ferocity and fire being displayed by both sets of fans, who were both in full voice in a match with big play-off implications.
Carlisle began proceedings with a high line that Bradford looked to threaten with direct passing that sought to utilise the blistering pace possessed by Banks and Chapman, but the attacking wing-backs of Paul Simpson's side drew the first chance as Jack Armer broke down the left wing to clip a loose long ball into the path of Joel Senior, who's first-time attempt was blocked by a trailing Sam Stubbs leg.
Bradford soon churned out an almost identical opportunity of their own, as Banks' low inside ball from the right evaded it's intended target of Andy Cook, but did find it's way through to Chapman, who could only blaze over with a reactionary effort from the edge of the box.
Carlisle soon came knocking again, and it was Armer who caused the hosts some problems by latching onto another loose ball down the left flank and aiming a curling cross into the area towards the onrushing Dennis, who could not quite get a vital touch at the back post at full stretch.
Chances were few and far between from that point, with neither side registering a shot again until the 41st minute of action, but when it came it failed to impress as Callum Guy arrowed a first-time effort from Owen Moxon's cut-back high and wide into the Valley Parade Kop end.
Bradford lacked a bit of sharpness that Carlisle carried in abundance during the first half, giving the ball away in some simple areas and failing to find space amongst the five defenders of the visiting backline.
The Bantams looked to open the second half with more cylinders through Chapman, who cut in from the left in the first thirty seconds, only to send a powerful effort miles off the target.
Andy Cook broke forward a couple of minutes later with the same level of energy seemingly found by Mark Hughes' side at the interval, rolling past Morgan Feeney down the right wing to get into the area, but the man who scored twice in Bradford's last game hesitated over whether or not to shoot or release Chapman inside, and his eventual shot was blocked by the recovering Carlisle captain Feeney.
Cook's physicality looked like it would become too much for Carlisle to handle at one point, with the big striker holding off a number of challenges after being found in the centre by Chapman, before just barely being dispossessed as the chance to strike opened up for him.
Bradford's dominant start to the half stretched on, and the hosts were handed a great opportunity to make something happen after a careless challenge by Barclay, who hauled Chapman down some 30 yards out after the winger blitzed his way past him to get in behind.
The Bradford man could only strike the wall with his set piece, however, with a recycled ball inside from Adam Clayton failing to make something happen too.
Carlisle did well to weather the storm, and managed to slow the pace and energy being brought by Bradford, but this soon relented five past the hour mark as captain Richie Smallwood picked up possession on the edge of the box before releasing it inside to Cook, who's effort was sublimely blocked onto the bar at the very last moment by Feeney.
A rare Carlisle attack presented them with an incredible opportunity, as a divine driving run from Moxon saw him ride the challenge of four brown and orange shirts before being felled on the very edge of the box, only for the academy graduate to send the dead ball a mile over the bar.
Bradford switched themselves back on in their search for a deadlock breaker, and carved themselves out another big opportunity through the ever-dangerous Banks, who broke through the centre of a cramped midfield before picking out Cook on the right, who did well to hold off the challenge of Armer to strike an effort that was kept out by the massive frame of Tomas Holy.
They kept pushing on strong, though, and despite a brief loss of the ball by Smallwood they worked another great chance through Crichlow, who instantly won back the ball by the corner flag to set the Bradford captain to cross in search of Cook, whose towering header sailed agonizingly over the bar with the game reaching it's very last actions.
A deep free-kick was launched into the area in the first minute of six added on at the death, and a poor defensive header from Joe Garner made it's way to the back post was waiting to meet it, but Holy rose up to his weak effort to claim it as Carlisle held on for dear life.
The visitors almost stole a win right at the very end, as substitute Omari Patrick cut inside Liam Ridehalgh on the right hand side to strike a low effort that completely evaded the sprawling Harry Lewis in the Bradford net, but the winger could only watch in desperation as the low dagger smashed off the foot of the post and made it's way out for a throw.
The shot proved to be the very last kick of the game, as referee Will Finnie blew an end to a fantastic promotion-chasing clash in Yorkshire.
Man of the match - Richie Smallwood
The Bradford skipper picks up our Man of the Match award tonight.
Tough in the tackle and ferocious in his leadership, the defensive midfielder led his team by example tonight, and should have walked away with two assists and a win to his name this evening.