THE full Robbie Keane-style goal celebration will have to stay in the locker for another week for Calum Kavanagh.

Kavanagh had intended to mimic the Republic of Ireland’s record scorer with a trademark cartwheel after Saturday’s equaliser.

But he was a bit concerned about getting too close to the wall of the stand and reined himself in from going the whole way just in time.

Having bagged his fourth goal for the club to spark the successful fightback at Salford, Kavanagh is confident there will be plenty more opportunities to do the routine justice.

City can certainly sense there is a developing talent in the 20-year-old snapped up from Middlesbrough on deadline day in the mid-season window.

 

 

Boss Graham Alexander believes Kavanagh has proved a valuable addition.

“I think he’s got the ingredients we want in our team, the endeavour, aggression and work ethic and that quality when we need it.”

Kavanagh feels he is finding his feet in senior football after his first proper move.

With previous loan stints at Newport last season and Harrogate under his belt, the striker knew exactly what to expect from League Two – and has demonstrated he is up to the challenge.

“I want to be a goal-scorer,” he said. “I was at youth level, where I scored plenty, and I want to bring that to Bradford.

“That’s what I’ve been brought here to do and I’ve been quite pleased with how I’ve started.

“I’ve been through the experience of playing in this division twice already. I’ve learned a hell of a lot from those two loans and brought them here.

“I came to the club with a calmness and feeling comfortable with the level.

“I’ve settled in great with the lads. The staff have been great with me and so have the fans.

“It’s been a positive start and I’m hoping to finish the season really well and take that forward.”

Kavanagh showed a poacher’s knack for being in the right place to score after Matty Platt had won the goal-mouth header from Richie Smallwood’s free-kick.

“It’s something I’m trying to continue and add even more to my game,” added Kavanagh. “It’s one of my best attributes sensing where the ball’s going to drop.

“The ball went over my head and I was just thinking about the second phase. We won the first contact and I just had to adjust my body and put it into the corner.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Calum Kavanagh was in the right place at the right time to scoreCalum Kavanagh was in the right place at the right time to score (Image: Thomas Gadd)

A goal generated from a set-piece was an overdue sight for the Bantams, who have let too many corners and free-kicks go begging throughout the season.

Kavanagh admitted it is an area where they have been lacking.

“We work a lot on set-pieces and it’s something we want to improve on as a team and score more goals.

“We’ve got big lads in there and scoring from set-pieces is something you can do well with in this league.

“We’ve probably struggled, if I’m honest, and not been good enough from them.

“Whether that’s timing of runs, the delivery or whatever but the bottom line is we should have scored more goals from set-pieces. Hopefully Saturday was a good start.”

Ten points from the four games since Easter have kept City just about in the play-off picture. But the five-point gap to seventh would take some bridging at this stage.

Kavanagh said: “I’ve only been here since January and obviously my goal was to try and help the team get promoted.

“It was a tough ask at the time and the little dip of form with losing those four games last month kind of killed us.

“I was disappointed myself because I was away for two of them (on international duty).

“But I’ve come back now and we’re all really wanting to push on and build something for next season.

“Mathematically it’s not impossible for this season but we know it’s probably unlikely. We’re going to give everything we’ve got and hopefully that gives us a good chance next year.

“For me, personally, I will always push myself. It never means nothing to me, I always want to do well for myself and the team and score goals.”