Andy Cook was the match-winner for Bradford City as his side ended a run of four straight draws in the league to claim an important 3-2 victory over Grimsby Town in an entertaining affair at the University of Bradford Stadium.
The home side took the lead within the first six minutes as midfielder Alex Gilliead found the back of the net at the near post following a layoff by League Two’s top scorer Andy Cook.
However, come the half-time whistle, it was the Mariners who found themselves in front following a penalty converted by Gavan Holohan and a goal-mouth scramble, tucked home by Andy Smith.
Come the second half and the Bantams would eventually turn the game on its head with an equaliser from Jamie Walker, followed up by an emphatic strike from Cook coming from a ball in from substitute Matt Derbyshire ten minutes on time to give Mark Hughes’ side all three points in front of over 19,000 supporters.
Starting Line-Ups
The Bantams only made one change to their starting eleven that drew goalless with promotion chasers Carlisle United at the University of Bradford Stadium in their last fixture.
Jamie Walker, who comes back into the side himself following a recent setback with injury himself, replaces Adam Clayton in midfield, with boss Mark Hughes claiming the 34-year-old could be back in about 2-3 weeks as the best case scenario.
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Meanwhile, manager Paul Hurst made four changes to his side that left him frustrated on Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw away at Crawley Town in the league, with Anthony Glennon replacing Danny Amos at left-back, Gavan Holohan and Kieran Green replacing Bryn Morris and Alex Hunt in midfield and a change in the attack at Ryan Taylor comes back into the side after missing the trip to the Boardfield Stadium at the expense of Otis Khan, who makes his way onto the bench.
The defensive duo of Michee Efete and Luke Waterfall have not made the squad following recent injuries to the pair of them, which involved the two missing the trip to Crawley in midweek.
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The Match
When the action got underway at the University of Bradford Stadium, there was already a shout for a penalty for the away side after just three minutes on the clock as Gavan Holohan made his way into the box following a cross from Anthony Glennon, with the Irish Midfielder going down under the challenge of Harry Chapman with referee Charles Breakspear waving away any possible claims.
Three minutes later, it would be Bradford who take the lead. Following a good initial save from Max Crocombe to deny Chapman in on goal, Andy Cook was on hand to set up Alex Gilliead on the rebound, with the midfielder making no mistake with a low drive that beats Crocombe at his near post.
The hosts nearly doubled their advantage on the tenth-minute mark as a corner from Gilliead found its way to the back post where Andy Cook was lurking, but the striker couldn’t quite hit the target as it sailed out for a goal kick.
Bradford continued their dominance in the opening stages, with a lofted free-kick delivered in from Richie Smallwood finding Jamie Walker inside the box as his header towards goal cannoned off the crossbar, only to turn around to see the referee had blown for a foul committed against the Scotsman in the build-up.
Despite the opening stages dominated by Bradford, Grimsby were awarded a penalty on 21 minutes as Harry Clifton went down under the challenge of goalkeeper Harry Lewis, with the referee pointing to the spot as well as brandishing the Bantams goalkeeper with a yellow card for his troubles.
That gave Mariners Midfielder Gavan Holohan to level the score from the spot. Following his two penalty conversions at Southampton in the FA Cup, Holohan made no mistake from 12 yards as he dispatched his penalty past Lewis in the Bradford goal.
Despite the setback, Mark Hughes’ men kept getting forward and top goalscorer Cook had a golden chance to regain the lead following a cross on the right from Gilliead, but the 32-year-old striker could only fluff his strike as the ball safely nestled into the hands of Crocombe in the Grimsby goal.
Grimsby were awarded a corner following a flick-on from Matty Platt on John McAtee’s through ball into George Lloyd. A short corner was played to the feet of Anthony Glennon as his cross at the back post found Niall Maher, but the defender’s header was comfortably held by Lewis.
Grimsby started to take a hold of the game at the end of the half with another corner following good work from Harry Clifton. Left-back Glennon found Holohan at the edge of the box from his in-swinging, with his header on target going straight down the throat of Bradford goalkeeper Lewis.
Grimsby would end the half strong and ended up taking the lead right on the stroke of half-time. Another corner whipped in from Glennon would find the head of Ryan Taylor, with the striker flicking it on into a dangerous area to Andy Smith inside the box, the Hull City loanee bundled the ball home to give Paul Hurst’s side the advantage at the interval.
Half-Time: Bradford City 1-2 Grimsby Town
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Following a slow opening few minutes of the second half with very little being created, the hosts would represent the first real opportunity as a good run from Walker on the right found midfielder Gilliead on the edge of the box but he couldn’t keep his shot down as his attempt flew over the crossbar.
A few short moments later, winger Scott Banks did well to beat Niall Maher on the right-hand side and drive into the box, with the Scotsman, on loan from Crystal Palace, hitting a strike on goal which forced Crocombe into a save at his near post.
The pressure from the home side would eventually tell as they found an equaliser just after the hour mark. A long ball from Sam Stubbs in the Bantams defence was flicked on before finding Jamie Walker in on goal, with Bradford’s number ten calmly finding the back of the net at the second attempt following a low-driven attempt parried away from Crocombe in the Grimsby goal to level matters.
In the 68th minute, Bradford thought they found the goal that would put them in front as another lofted free-kick from Smallwood found the head of Cook inside the box. Following a goalmouth scramble, Mark Hughes’ side think the ball has trickled over the line, only for the referee to give a free-kick to the visitors following a foul on Crocombe.
With all their dominance in the second half, the hosts would find the goal which their pressure deserved. With ten minutes left to play, a good ball in from the right-hand side was delivered in by substitute Matt Derbyshire, and striker Andy Cook was there to bury a first-time effort past Crocombe to score his 26th goal of the season in all competitions.
Bradford would eventually hold on to stop a run of four straight draws in the league as the club now sits six points clear in the playoffs, with a trip to Crawley to come in their next league fixture as they look to continue their push for automatic promotion.
As for Grimsby, defeat at the University of Bradford Stadium ends a run of three straight draws in the league for them, with Paul Hurst’s side sitting 15th in the League Two table with their next league fixture coming against league strugglers Hartlepool United at Blundell Park on Good Friday.
Full-Time: Bradford City 3-2 Grimsby Town
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