It's not the sort of fare usually served up in end-of-season games, neither side having anything to play for.
But nobody told Glenn Poole, who opened the scoring on five minutes, picking his spot from Gary Smith's pass, after the Bradford back-four stood off.
Ten minutes later, the visitors were level when veteran striker Peter Thorne volleyed home from the edge of the box, after the ball came to him from the right and within two minutes Bradford were in front.
The bounce from Alex Rhode's flick-on beat Bees right-back Craig Pead and the ball fell to Kyle Nix, who fired home from the edge of the box.
The visitors should have gone further in front two minutes later when Matt Heywood's mistake let in Eddie Johnson one-on-one with Simon Brown, but the Bees keeper saved superbly.
Six minutes later, Brentford were level thanks to Alan Bennett's first goal in senior football. The Irish international defender, on loan from Reading, fired home from the edge of the box after the Bantams failed to clear a corner.
The goal fest looked set to continue when Tom Penford hit the bar from 30 yards out, before Heywood saw a header cleared off the line, but after the break it was all Brentford with Wayne Brown going close from a great Poole pass after Alan Connell's sublime flick.
Visiting keeper Scott Loach then made a brilliant one-handed save from Nathan Elder and only the faintest of touches from Mark Bower prevented Connell from being clear through.
Brentford were reminded of the danger down the other end when Brown spilt Johnson's shot, but the danger was cleared.
However, Connell should have won it for Brentford when he volleyed over from just a few yards out with time running out.