Bantams beat Tranmere as two-goal Andy Cook shows his worth

FORGET your false number nines, City remain so grateful to have the real thing.

Lee Carsley may think you can get by without one – and England proved otherwise - but where would the Bantams be without Andy Cook?

Centre halves continue to fall like flies but thankfully the curse has not reached centre forwards.

Graham Alexander was keen to acknowledge the all-round team aspect of City’s first away win since the opening day.

And given the late upheaval of Neill Byrne pulling out, the collective effort was strong against an admittedly toothless Tranmere.

But just imagine City without Cook right now? It doesn’t bear thinking about.

He talked the other week about rediscovering the form that earned him League Two’s golden boot two seasons ago.

The run he is on currently suggests that could be a realistic aim even if, in true Cook fashion, he is refusing to publicly name his goal target.

• Alexander delight at City's "really strong performance"

Cook is already approaching double figures for the season and with 79 in total for City is just eight goals away from catching Dean Windass in fourth in the all-time top scorers list.

If only they could play his old clubs every week after he added another two to his mounting tally against heartbroken ex’s.

It wasn’t just the inevitability of Cook scoring that had worked in City’s favour.

A fixture that always seems to be played at night was scheduled for a Saturday afternoon for only the fourth time this century – and the Bantams have now won them all.

In 2004, there was David Wetherall leaping onto the wall in front of the travelling fans after grabbing the stoppage-time winner to settle a nine-goal thriller.

A decade ago and it was Aaron Mclean netting one of just seven goals he managed for City to sneak a late smash-and-grab.

And on Boxing Day 2020, Lee Novak was the difference in front of a smattering of home fans permitted during a brief relaxing of the behind-closed-doors orders during the Covid season.

At least this time a boisterous 1,900-strong travelling army could savour the sight of Cook feasting on another former employer to maintain the winning sequence.

The vibe in the away end felt very different from 12 months ago.

Cook, of course, scored that night as well but defeat was greeted with a mass chorus of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” as Mark Hughes went over to the fans. And they were right.

The number nine was one of only four survivors from that line-up facing Tranmere again – Jamie Walker, Richie Smallwood and Brad Halliday the others.

Halliday certainly hadn’t expected to be when he woke up ahead of the game.

Calum Kavanagh provided the assist for Andy Cook's second goal (Image: Thomas Gadd)

But Neill Byrne’s sickness, culminating with him throwing up a banana in the team’s pre-match meal, meant Halliday was on standby to start - a decision confirmed when Byrne could not manage the warm-up.

Paul Huntington was on the bench but Alexander had misgivings that the veteran would last the pace having felt a bit ill himself earlier in the week.

Halliday, given his usual role, represented a gamble but only a slight one. His defensive doggedness and stature within the squad balanced any lack of inches in the air.

Cheick Diabate was shunted to the middle – where he grew into the game and showed his confidence had clearly recovered from the horrors of Harrogate and Morecambe.

It helped that Tranmere can’t score goals. A more potent attack might have caused a bigger headache after the 11th-hour change around.

But the fact that Sam Walker had only two shots to save underlined a job well done.

A header inches past the post from home captain Tom Davies just before half-time was the single heart-in-mouth moment.

Former Bantam Omari Patrick offered the chief resistance with his power down Tranmere’s left but there was nothing much to show for it.

Clarke Oduor was a far more prominent figure than he has been of late and kept the ball better than those around him as the visitors began to find their feet.

The breakthrough came midway through the first half from Oduor’s corner.

One-time City loanee Luke McGee punched to the edge of the area where Tyreik Wright looked to keep it alive.

The ball ricocheted about in a mess before Diabate found the room to set Cook for a first-time stab into the net from the edge of the box. It had the same hallmark of his goal at Colchester last season but from further out.

One thing City have proved very good at is seeing it through once they’ve got their noses in front.

For the 17th time in 18 since September 2023, scoring the opening goal would pave the way to victory.

Nigel Adkins tried everything to find a cutting edge in his Tranmere side, a triple substitution at half-time leading to a formation switch. Having matched up City with wing-backs, he resorted to an old school 4-4-2 attacking their own fans.

It brought more pressure and a lengthy spell in the City half. Lee O’Connor glanced a header wide but otherwise Tranmere struggled to punch any holes in a backline that had to shuffle again when Jack Shepherd hobbled off with a dead leg.

Andy Cook celebrates with Brad Halliday and Clarke Oduor (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Again, Huntington was held back for Lewis Richards as Alexander made sure the defence was not exposed by Tranmere’s pace.

But with more numbers committed forward, there were gaps for City to exploit on the counter.

Calum Kavanagh nearly had that elusive first goal from a tricky start to the season with a fierce drive that McGee palmed away.

But he did play a big role in the breakaway second goal that sealed the contest.

Smallwood won possession in his own half and sprung Kavanagh with a long pass.

Rather than going on himself, he unselfishly slotted the ball between the two retreating centre-halves and Cook’s right boot did the rest.

The away fans could belt out their victory songs – even sneaking in a couple of promotion ones – as Tranmere fizzled away.

Results elsewhere – with the bottom two winning away at the teams that began the day in second and third – showed the minefield nature of League Two this season.

But after an encouraging couple of results, there are signs that City are rediscovering a more sure-footed nature again.

And it clearly helps when you’ve got a surefire striker leading the way.