It was a great night for City’s defenders, as not only did they keep a clean sheet, but both Matty Foulds and Yann Songo’o scored to earn their side all three points at Hartlepool. The victory was Bradford’s second in as many games, with this being the first time they have won consecutive games since August. Momentum and positivity are beginning to build around Valley Parade, as Mark Hughes continues to impress as the new City manager.
Bradford looked calm and composed on the ball, and were playing with a real intent to get forward as much as possible. With little under 15 minutes played, City had their first shot on goal.
After some neat link up play, Elliot Watt found Callum Cooke in acres of space 40 yards from goal. With little movement ahead of him, Cooke decided to pull the trigger and have a strike on goal from distance. Hartlepool ‘keeper Ben Killip scrambled across his goal, and was thankful Cooke’s effort flew just wide.
Just a minute later though, City created another opportunity.
Matty Foulds played a high and deep cross into Hartlepool’s penalty area. Andy Cook rose highest, and was able to direct his header goalward. Cook’s header was at a nice height for Killip, who was comfortably able to parry the header away from goal.
The game was very end-to-end and quite open. Soon after Cook’s header, Hartlepool created a chance of their own.
City were caught slacking slightly, with none of the City midfielders pressing the ball. This allowed for an inch-perfect through ball to be played to Marcus Carver. The Hartlepool forward found himself one-on-one with Alex Bass, but Bass came out on top, getting a strong right to Carver’s strike.
After the frantic first 20 minutes of the contest, the chances dried up. That was until Hartlepool hit the frame of the goal with half an hour remaining.
Joe White received the ball 25 yards out, before turning and unleashing a ferocious effort on goal. White’s shot was moving as it travelled through the air, but somehow Bass was able to fingertip the ball onto the bar, denying the home side an opening goal.
Ten minutes later, however, it was City who got the opening goal on the counter attack.
The Bantams regained possession deep in their own half, before Dion Pereira was able to glide past three Hartlepool midfielders. Pereira played a beautiful crossfield ball to Callum Cooke, who drove forward towards Hartlepool’s penalty area. Cooke found Matty Foulds in the area, whose right-footed effort trickled into the bottom corner of the net.
Bradford looked to build on their lead, and just five minutes after opening the scoring, their lead was doubled.
Callum Cooke played a corner towards the near post. It appeared to be quite a poor corner at first, but Yann Songo’o managed to get ahead of his man and flick the ball into the far corner of the net, sealing the win for the Bantams.
The full-time whistle was met with more jubilant scenes in the away end, as the 700 travelling supporters proudly sang the name of their new manager. Mark Hughes is already looking forward to Saturday’s home game against Port Vale, where he hopes the City fans will get Valley Parade rocking. Finally, it appears as if the City faithful will actually have something to sing about.
