His personal choir in the Midland Road stand were never in doubt.

"Andy Cooke, Andy Cooke, Andy Andy Cooke; When he gets the ball he'll break his duck, Andy, Andy Cooke."

They were singing loudly from the moment their hero was summoned from the bench with 20 minutes left of this forgettable encounter.

Seven months without a goal but his fan club had clearly not lost faith - and that vocal support was rewarded with the last-ditch strike which nudged the Bantams back into the play-off picture.

As everyone will tell you, there is a lot more to Cooke's all-round play, which is why he has remained popular in the stands through his barren run. And team-mates like Dean Windass talk highly about his contribution in assisting others.

But every centre forward will be judged on the number of times they score and Cooke had not

managed a goal since against Stockport on March 28.

He may be an easy-going lad but seeing Windass and Steve Claridge hogging the headlines for their goals must have grated.

Saturday was his 19th appearance since that Easter Monday effort. Any end to such a drought would be timely but the goal when it finally came was priceless.

For the first time in exactly a year, City had

managed back-to-back wins. By that standard, Cooke's own personal run looked nothing.

City seemed to have run out of ideas by the 89th minute as Darren Holloway launched a long pass down Gillingham's left.

The Kent side had gobbled up most of the balls sent their way but this one proved decisive as Steve Schumacher flicked on into the path of Windass.

He drove inside the penalty area and coolly stepped round goalkeeper Tony Bullock before squaring invitingly towards the empty net.

Bullock got half a hand on it but not enough and Cooke was in to bundle it over the line from a couple of yards.

It was a scruffy goal to win a scruffy game - but who cares? Least of all Cooke, who was wrapped up in a bear hug from assistant manager Bobby Davison at the final whistle.

Typical dressing room humour tried to burst the striker's bubble afterwards.

"The lads said he nearly missed it," Colin Todd revealed. "That knocked him right back down to earth!

"But we're all pleased for Andy. He's had a difficult time but has never lost that belief.

"It shows that everyone has got a part to play. We've got a squad of players and they are all going to be involved somewhere along the line.

"This was Cookie's day. Claridge still hasn't

broken his duck at home and Windass hasn't scored for a while but will always contribute."

Those home fans who traditionally leave ten minutes before the end must have felt pig-sick to miss the punchline. But it serves them right.

Gillingham probably earned a bit more sympathy at seeing a hard-earned point snatched away at the death. How that 250-mile drag home must have flown by!

Their lowly league position did not tell the story for a side that had lost only one of their previous five away games.

The other four had all been draws - an indicator of the sort of approach that City always struggle to break down.

So it had the makings of a stodgy game unless City could open it up by striking early.

They very nearly managed that within the first two minutes with a move bearing an uncanny

similarity to last week's winning goal at Port Vale.

This time it was Bobby Petta instead of Ben Muirhead wriggling his way down the middle as Claridge pulled off left ready for the pass.

The ball was slightly under-hit when it came but Claridge aimed a curler towards the far post which Bullock did well to turn away.

Unfortunately it turned out to be a false dawn. For a long while that was the only save the Gillingham stopper had to make - just as well for his team-mates given some of his dodgy handling.

Todd had urged his team to play with a high tempo to get in the face of the visitors and prevent another bore draw for the Valley Parade faithful.

An early goal would have had the effect and Schumacher should have hit the target after 11

minutes.

Windass was again the provider by superbly

controlling a clearance from Donovan Ricketts which he cushioned into the path of the midfielder, whose hurried effort from the edge of the penalty area lacked any composure.

At least Schumacher has rediscovered his zest and enthusiasm - and he was not scared to dish out a real rollicking to Petta when the Dutchman's poor pass was easily picked off in midfield.

City were again finding it hard going and Gillingham, while not showing any obvious ambition, were waiting to pounce on a slip.

Darren Holloway was given his first league start since being sent off in the opening home game and looked ring rusty in the extreme.

Twice the right back undersold David Wetherall with square passes in front of his own box and another ball behind Ben Muirhead produced a

chorus of groans from the supporters.

That frustration would have grown had veteran Andy Hessenthaler made more of a great opportunity when he was not tracked back. But the 40-year-old opted to lob Ricketts - not the brightest thing to do against a 6ft 7in keeper.

It was disjointed stuff from both sides which thankfully livened up in the final ten minutes of the half.

Hessenthaler conceded City's first corner after Windass had done well to claim a Lee Crooks cross. Petta's kick was flicked across goal by Crooks but Wetherall, steaming in, could not keep his header down.

That lifted/woke up the crowd and the home side pressed again from a well-worked free-kick. Windass nipped unnoticed beyond the far post to receive Petta's pass and drill it low into the goal-mouth where Mark Saunders managed to hoist it out of the scrum of legs.

That turned out to be Petta's last involvement as the winger left early for the second week running with a slight knock on the calf.

Lewis Emanuel, who had done well at Port Vale, again deputised but before he could get into the game Gillingham created their one and only scare.

Ricketts came tearing out of goal to meet Matt Jarvis but the Gills striker just managed to poke the ball through his lunging body. Luckily Andrew Taylor was mopping up in front of goal to defuse any danger.

The second half turned out even less memorable than the first.

It took City 20 minutes to get out of first gear, with Ricketts making the only save from a downward header by Saunders.

The home side were finally lifted out of their malaise by an unconvincing stop by Bullock. Holloway's long-range shot was straight at the

keeper but he coughed it up in the air and Windass nearly latched on to the loose ball.

Todd replaced Claridge with Cooke but there seemed no way through. Even Ricketts was urged to shoot by the fans when he took a free-kick - from inside his own half.

Danny Cadamarteri, on for Ben Muirhead, had a genuine chance which he lashed wildly into the stand. Then he rejected an opening to shoot and crossed too high for Windass.

Gillingham must have thought the job was done until Cooke had the last say.