Bradford City claim deserved win at Hartlepool United

WHAT is it they say? Third time’s the charm?

City could have been forgiven for approaching their trip to relegation-favourites Hartlepool with trepidation.

The Bantams had already lost their opening two away games in League Two to Barrow and Colchester, sides expected to be down there with Pools at the end of the season, even if the former have roared out of the blocks with 12 points from 15 so far.

And not only that, but City had been stung late on, equalising in the 95th minute in Cumbria before conceding a disastrous 96th minute winner, and down in Essex, they were furious to be denied a penalty in the closing stages, and went on to concede the only goal of the game in added time.

So, when they let an early advantage slip in the North-East yesterday lunchtime, before struggling to create a great deal in front of goal, City and their fans may have feared the worst.

But while Andy Cook, one of two changes to the starting line-up after Colchester, alongside Lee Angol, as Vadaine Oliver and Jake Young dropped to the bench, might be as mad as a box of frogs, he is also an extremely potent centre-forward.

His manager Mark Hughes was a pretty good one himself, and two superb finishes that he’d have been proud of from Cook ensured the Bantams came away with all three points.

Andy Cook is mobbed after helping City retake the lead just after the hour mark.

In a game moved to 1pm on police advice, after multiple arrests following violence during the corresponding fixture last season, City were the ones who raced out of the blocks, netting what will surely be their earliest goal of the season.

At 1:04pm, Crystal Palace loanee Scott Banks opened the scoring with a well-taken finish.

City had already threatened when Cook was flattened just outside the box, but although that free-kick went to waste, the visitors were back moments later.

Harry Chapman, playing more centrally than he is perhaps used to, surged forward and slipped the ball to Banks on the right.

The young Scot cut inside on his left foot and whipped a lovely effort into the far bottom corner beyond Hartlepool keeper Ben Killip.

Scott Banks was superb in the first half in particular, and his skilful finish opened the scoring for City.

Josh Umerah is a big presence up top for Pools, and he had his moments, with an early turn inside the box followed by a shot that flashed high across goal.

Former Bantam Callum Cooke joined his local side Hartlepool in the summer, and while this was not his best game, he started the move that led to the home side’s equaliser after 17 minutes.

He broke away and laid the ball off to winger Wes McDonald. That pass from Cooke was not great, and the move looked to have lost its momentum, but Hartlepool stayed patient.

Eventually the ball was worked to Jake Hastie out on the right, and he whipped in a ball to the back post, where unmarked left-back David Ferguson stole in to thump a header beyond Harry Lewis in the City goal.

After those two goals in the opening quarter of the game, there was a bit of a lull in proceedings, barring a couple of corners that saw half-chances come about for both sides.

But with half-an-hour gone, Banks slipped a lovely pass into Alex Gilliead, whose low ball in was nearly turned into his own net by Hartlepool midfielder Mo Sylla.

And from the resulting corner, after Killip made a good reaction save from a deflected shot, the ball came out to Gilliead inside the six-yard box.

Alex Gilliead should have scored on what was his 100th league appearance for City.

But he failed to mark his 100th league appearance with a goal, as he prodded a panicked effort straight at the keeper.

Other than a couple of nice bits of skill and wing play from Banks, and a vital interception from Brad Halliday on the edge of his own box, that was it for the first half, though Bantams skipper Richie Smallwood did pick up a booking right on half-time for a blatant foul to stop a counter-attack.

Richie Smallwood may have been yellow carded late in the first half, but he was a dominant presence for City in central midfield once again.

It was a quiet start to the second half, save for City forcing Hartlepool to scramble away a corner after Killip was unable reach the ball ahead of Cook.

But the introduction of Kian Harratt changed everything.

He came on after 64 minutes for the impressive Banks, who had just been booked for a foul on McDonald.

And within 60 seconds of his introduction, the former Huddersfield talent had played a huge hand in City retaking the lead.

Hartlepool felt Matty Platt had fouled Umerah, but referee Scott Oldham waved their protests away.

Smallwood picked the ball up and clipped it over the top to Harratt, who was operating out on the left.

He controlled his skipper’s long ball nicely, before driving down the left and sliding a low ball across to Cook, who got in front of his man brilliantly to divert it beyond Killip.

Kian Harratt was superb throughout his cameo, and set up Andy Cook's first goal.

Hartlepool were furious to be denied a penalty soon after, as Umerah threw himself to the ground under Platt’s challenge after a cross from Jamie Sterry, but again, the referee was unmoved.

Umerah was the only player looking likely to score for the hosts, but after he got to the ball first from a Cooke knock down, his wild swing from the edge of the box drifted well wide.

Cook looked inspired by his goal, and he did superbly to chase down and keep in a long goal-kick from Lewis.

Play was quickly worked back to Chapman, who almost wriggled through for a scoring chance, but his control failed him as he was about to shoot from close range and Killip gratefully plunged on the loose ball.

Harry Chapman was unlucky not to score late on. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

Lee Angol spent much of the game looking relatively ineffective on the left, but he almost produced a moment of magic with three minutes to go.

He somehow got free down the left despite the close attentions of a couple of Hartlepool players, before cutting inside the box.

He then let fly, hammering a fierce strike from a tight angle beyond Killip and off the crossbar.

It was not Lee Angol's best game, but he almost scored a stunning goal just before the end.

Yann Songo’o and Young came on almost immediately afterwards for Gilliead and Angol, and the late chances continued to fall City’s way.

Cooke's poor backpass was almost set upon by Harratt, but it just had enough on it for Killip to race out and clear.

The ball was then laid back to Songo'o on the edge of the box, but his curling shot was straight at the keeper.

That did not matter though, as moments later, Songo'o played the ball down the inside-right channel to Cook.

He cut inside his man and cracked a beautiful strike into the top corner, sealing three deserved points for the Bantams.

It was a good afternoon for the Bantams fans, who saw their side score three times and pick up three points.

The victory, City’s second in League Two this season, sees them vault up to 11th in the table.