CITY 2 BLACKPOOL 1

ELEVEN weeks earlier he had been just another face in the Wembley crowd.

Omari Patrick had watched the play-off final from behind the goal in the City end because he wanted to feel the buzz of the fans.

He knows all about that now.

Many of his neighbours that day in May were no doubt on their feet on Saturday in adulation of the club’s latest scoring hero.

With one sweet swish of his right boot, Patrick was propelled from an extra’s role to that of the leading light in front of an adoring new fan-base in the Kop.

Stuart McCall smiled when Luke Medley’s name cropped up in the post-match press conference.

The very same thought had crossed his mind 24 hours previously when he was day-dreaming about Patrick scoring on his debut.

Medley, you may recall, announced his arrival on the scene in equally spectacular fashion with a stunning debut winner against Wrexham in McCall’s first managerial spell.

But this is a different era, very different team – and in Patrick there seems to be an exciting talent with plenty of substance.

Medley disappeared off the map almost as quickly as he came; you sense this lad is likely to be around a lot longer.

It’s easy to become cynical in the football industry but cut away all the nonsense and the beautiful game remains.

The sight of Patrick’s ear-splitting grin afterwards was an uplifting reminder of that.

“It definitely made me dream,” he said about that Wembley experience. “I kept thinking, ‘wow, this could be me next season.’ It was a big eye-opener.”

League One’s eyes are certainly wide now at a prospect who could have a big bearing on City’s early fortunes while the other strikers play catch-up from injury.

Patrick’s magic moment should not mask over a difficult afternoon as the Bantams made hard work of overcoming newly-promoted Blackpool.

They were much better after the break to do enough to kick off the league campaign with a win for only the second time in nine years.

But the first half had been an underwhelming watch; the momentum not helped by a nine-minute delay following the sickening clash of heads involving Adam Chicksen, whose debut could not have been more contrasting to Patrick.

No blame should be attached to Blackpool’s Oliver Turton for an innocent collision as both jumped for a header.

But the City left back was knocked out cold before he was stretchered off – thankfully recovering well enough to be released from the Bradford Royal Infirmary a couple of hours after the game.

Credit also to Blackpool duo Will Aimson and Kyle Vassell for their immediate attentiveness in identifying the danger and putting Chicksen in the recovery position.

City were forced into an early reshuffle, highlighting McCall’s well-publicised concern about the lack of defensive numbers currently.

Yet the hold-up probably did his side a favour after Blackpool had started much the brighter.

Matt Kilgallon, another stand-out from pre-season, continued that form with two early goal-saving tackles inside his own penalty area.

But City’s biggest danger was completely self-inflicted as Colin Doyle had an aberration dealing with Mark Cullen’s hopeful cross.

The keeper claimed he lost the flight of the ball in the sun, allowing a harmless situation to escalate as he spilled it towards his own line. Video replays showed he reacted just about fast enough to claw it back into play.

The diamond set-up that had served City well at Halifax the previous week was retained. But Chicksen’s departure meant tweaks all round – and Romain Vincelot back into the centre of defence with the game not even a quarter of the way through.

Timothee Dieng filled in his midfield holding role effectively and had an assist in the opening goal just before the break. The Frenchman flicked on Nicky Law’s free-kick and Nathaniel Knight-Percival ended a year-long wait to get on City’s scoresheet with a far-post prod.

But it came against the run of play and Blackpool will feel justice was rightfully restored within two minutes when Colin Daniel lashed home an angled drive to level.

It was a quiet home dressing room at the break with most thoughts turned to Chicksen’s condition. As McCall said later, most of the big voices in the group have moved on.

But there was a determination to win for their injured team-mate and the tempo clicked up a gear when they attacked the Kop.

The crowd, probably closer to 17,000 rather than the 20,000-plus officially announced, sensed the greater urgency and sparked into life. They too had been muted by the injury break and the stop-start nature of the first half.

And Valley Parade erupted just before the hour.

Shouts for hand ball were waved away by Premier League referee Roger East but Blackpool failed to clear their lines.

Law intercepted to feed Jake Reeves, whose non-stop running seems to have earned him the status of fans’ favourite already.

His through ball clipped a Blackpool heel but Patrick had already anticipated the path of the pass. The deflection helped his cause by partially wrong-footing keeper Ryan Allsop and a first-time strike from 20 yards was net-bound the second it left his boot.

The rookie striker was swallowed up in celebration by Kilgallon as the ground rose as one to acknowledge a goal to remember.

Patrick, a bit cautious up to that point, noticeably grew in stature.

Dominic Poleon’s lively arrival stirred his game further and twice he could have added an assist to his goal as the substitute missed chances to put the result to bed.

That could have proved costly when Blackpool threatened late on. Doyle made up for his previous blemish with a good block from Armand Gnanduillet, the rebound pinging back off Nathan Delfouneso and dropping the wrong side of the post.

“We played far better in the first game at home last season against Port Vale and drew 0-0,” said McCall. “But second half we got better and just about deserved it in the end.

“We’ve got to improve and I’m sure we will. But the bottom line is we finished stronger and ended up with the three points, which is key on opening day.”