Rovers had a £150,000 club record bid turned down for the Stockport top scorer who moved to the League One leaders but manager David Penney was full of praise for his players afterwards.
He said: "We've been trying to bring players in but tonight was all about the players who are here.
"I thought they were different class and the game was a great advert for this division."
But the home side were unable to find the punch required to keep their promotion hopes alive and the result did little for the top six ambitions of either side.
Bradford dominated at the start and snatched the lead in the 10th minute with a deflected shot on the turn from Marc Bridge-Wilkinson.
Andy Warrington then had to save at full stretch from Andy Cooke before Rovers grabbed a fortuitous equaliser.
Winger Jermaine McSporran – later stretchered off with a suspected dislocated knee – fired in an angled drive that was going wide until City defender Mark Bower turned it into his own net.
Midfielder ace John Doolan ran the show for Rovers after that but they could not get the winner their efforts deserved.
Neil Roberts had a first-time shot well saved by Paul Henderson in the 35th minute and the keeper also foiled his headed attempt six minutes later.
Doolan was also out of luck with a thundering 25-yard effort which Henderson did well to tip around the post.
Rovers knew it was not going to be their night when Roberts hit the post five minutes from time but they almost lost the game in the dying minutes.
Warrington saved at point-blank range from Dean Windass and when Cooke followed up his effort was headed off the line.