Brentford thought they had done enough to earn a valuable win and close the gap on Bradford at the foot of the League One table.
But a hotly-disputed penalty just two minutes from time earned caretaker-boss David Wetherall his first point as a manger.
It had taken the home side a while to settle into the game but Eddie Johnson should have put them in front on ten minutes.
A sublime through-ball from Jamaica international Omar Daley left Johnson one-on-one with keeper Nathan Abbey but his chip landed in the side-netting.
At the other, Charlie Ide had an effort ruled out for offside, but it was Bradford who bossed much of the play.
Too many times though they were let down by the final ball, but Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's 25-yard free-kick had Abbey scrambling across his line to keep the scores level.
City finished the half with a flurry of shots from distance but just three minutes after the re-start they found themselves behind.
Bees Striker Joe Kuffour had jinked his way into the box but was heading away from goal when he was hacked down in needless fashion by young full-back Ben Parker and referee Darren Deadman pointed to the spot.
Visiting skipper Kevin O'Connor stepped up confidently to send Ricketts the wrong way.
That goal took the wind out of City's sails, but as the half wore on they poured men forward to in desperate bid for an equaliser.
It was a game City dared not lose and Wetherall threw on a third striker to try and salvage something.
The Valley Parade crowd roared their side forward, but just when it looked as if they were condemned to see their side lose yet another home game they were handed a lifeline.
Tempers had begun to flare and Kuffour had been sent off before the referee further angered the visiting fans by awarding City a controversial penalty right at the death.
Substitute Bruce Dyer was twisting and turning inside the area when he went down under a challenge from Michael Leary.
The Brentford players appealed for a dive but the referee's decision stood and Steve Schumacher kept his cool to rifle the ball into the top coroner from the spot.
Bradford had certainly done enough to deserve a point, but that was of little consolation to Bees boss Scott Fitzgerald who confronted the referee at the final whistle.