Bradford City see in the new year with a bang

Turn the clock back a month or so and we couldn’t wait to wave off the old year with a two-fingered salute.

It was 12 months of misery, muddling and mainly murmurs of discontent.

Well that’s not actually true because December was not that bad at all. In fact, it’s fair to say the last 30 odd days – technically starting at the end of November with the goalless draw at Gillingham – have marked a major shift in City’s fortunes.

Phil Parkinson has talked from day one about the need for change and how it would not happen overnight. Patience is not a virtue in football but he has always held the conviction that the team will eventually emerge as a much stronger one.

As we head into a potentially hectic transfer window, the signs are looking promising.

City have won three straight for the first time in over two years. Should they bank another three points at the Don Valley this afternoon, it will be the best run since Colin Todd won the manager of the month for five victories on the trot way back in October 2004.

They have also stopped conceding goals. Shrewsbury’s hotly-disputed consolation on Saturday, courtesy of Marvin Morgan’s LA Lakers impersonation, was only the second that City have let in from five league games.

The confidence on the pitch is echoed by the mood swing off it. The opening tackle was greeted with a roar by the Valley Parade crowd, who proceeded to urge their team on with the same fervour that those players showed in shutting down their stunned opponents.

Shrewsbury came to Valley Parade with a defensive miserliness every bit as good as their hosts. Seven clean sheets in ten, only one loss in 11 – they were in fourth spot on merit.

But, until the generosity of first-year referee Dean Mohareb turned the game’s pattern on its head, Shrewsbury were second-class citizens from the opening whistle.

Steve Parkin had sized them up at Macclesfield the week before. The message he reported back was give them space at your peril.

So City hunted in packs to set about them. Just like Crewe five days earlier, Shrewsbury were not given an inch of breathing space to get the ball down and pass.

The front six chased and harried for every loose ball. No avenue was ignored, whether it was James Hanson beating down the path of the centre halves or Craig Fagan back-tracking to keep a tight leash on dangerous winger Mark Wright.

For too long, we’ve witnessed visiting sides do the same and put the Bantams out of their stride. How refreshing to see the home team dishing it out.

And when called upon, the City back four delivered once more. Andrew Davies seemed to be a magnet to the ball in the opening quarter of the game while Luke Oliver, standing tall at his shoulder, continues to look immense.

Shrewsbury’s vaunted backline looked far less comfortable. They had already survived three handball shouts – one in the penalty area looking very close – when City struck from a corner.

Davies headed goalwards, Nahki Wells tried to flick it in with his knee and Hanson rumbled through to nod his third goal of a profitable week.

A new striker remains top of Parkinson’s radar and it is thought that a bid has been made. Scunthorpe’s Chris Dagnall is one name that has popped up but the City chief is giving no clues away.

But while the chase goes on, Hanson is playing as well as he has done since he first quit the Eccleshill Co-op.

Having scratched around for a suitable partner to share the workload, he now seems to have found two. And what a difference that has made.

His double act with Ross Hannah was starting to show promise until the rookie’s hamstring went before the Plymouth game. But step forward Wells to vanquish the doubts that he could never be more than an impact player.

For the second game running both Hanson and Wells got on the scoresheet and once again a visiting back four found them far too hot to handle.

And Shrewsbury – until Saturday – boasted the second meanest defence in the division.

Parkinson and Steve Parkin have invested a lot of time and effort into working with the frontmen on the training ground. And City are starting to reap the benefits.

Parkin said: “One is very big, very mobile, wins lots of headers and gets in the box. The other is incredibly mobile and is good with both feet.

“That combination, and making sure they are on the move and not static, is something we’ve worked long and hard with, especially big Hans.”

Hanson, whose third goal in a week took his tally to nine, feels like a man who has finally found a winning lottery ticket after months of trying.

“The partnership with Nahki is working well,” he said. “He’s getting on the end of a lot of my flicks and both of us being on the scoresheet again is good for confidence.

“Then you’ve got Ross to come in and he’s a big part of it as well. Things are looking good and we want to keep it going.

“After winning three on the trot we can certainly start looking upwards. We’re closer to the pack in mid-table.

“You can feel the difference around the whole place and it’s a lot better environment to train in. It’s probably the best since back when Stuart McCall was here.”

Wells showed real composure to double the lead on the half-hour. Oliver’s header out of trouble was helped on by David Syers and suddenly the Bermudian was between two dozing defenders.

But there was still plenty to do and to think about as he bore down on Chris Neal’s goal. Wells, though, finished with aplomb and calmly lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

The well-earned standing ovation at half-time had barely calmed down when City struck a third.

Saturday’s game turned out to be Jack Compton’s swansong but it was a decent way for the winger to bow out. He deserved the assist for the skill that took him through two tackles and shot that stung Neal’s hands just as much as Fagan’s efforts earned the reward when he fired in the rebound.

At that stage, everything seemed perfect. Too perfect.

All that was missing was a Syers goal to crown his first start since August. He nearly got one with a waist-high volley – only to receive a shock red card 19 minutes from time.

Having blocked a cross in the six-yard box, he raced out to close down Nicky Wroe five yards outside the penalty area. It was a strong challenge but one made with the side of the foot and he won the ball.

Wroe got caught in the follow through – and broke a couple of metatarsal bones – and Mohareb went straight for his top pocket.

Only then did Shrewsbury start to look like a side challenging for automatic promotion. The extra-man advantage freed them from the shackles of City’s constant closing down.

Their late pressure pulled one back, though sub Marvin Morgan appeared to control Joe Jacobson’s cross with both hands before bundling it in.

As Mohareb’s control on matters disintegrated, Oliver was head-butted but no action was taken and Simon Ramsden was scythed down, which only warranted a booking.

But once the cloud of fury for the referee had passed over, the fans could again see a clearer vision of the route that City are hopefully taking.