Bradford City 1 Gillingham 0

 It has been the ghost shirt rarely seen at Valley Parade.

The number 11 has started only 53 league games in over five years.

Chris Brandon, Alex Rhodes and Owen Morrison all struggled to make more than fleeting appearances. Only Lee Holmes had a decent stab at it and he was on loan and gone within five months.

And Scott Neilson, who started this season with the jersey, was sold to Crawley within a couple of weeks.

So let’s hope Lee Hendrie does not believe in omens.

His open-ended deal is of the “suck it and see” variety. Wayne Jacobs reckons he’s here for six months, Hendrie himself believes it’s up to January.

It could stretch to the end of the season or the end of next month. There is leeway on both sides to change as circumstances pan out.

But there is no doubt about Hendrie’s commitment to the cause while he is here.

The player still nurses the hurt of recent rejection at Sheffield United and Derby. That burning sense of injustice should stoke up his efforts in claret and amber.

First impressions on Saturday were very favourable. A few quality passes, a near-miss with his head and, more importantly, a desperately-needed home win.

Hendrie played the whole second half – his first real action of any sort since early May.

“It might take me two or three games,” he said afterwards. “I have missed a pre-season and you do find yourself playing catch-up.

“I’d get the ball and think I’d have more time but I’d be doing one thing one minute and then get smashed by somebody the next. The timing will come as I play more at this level.

“I had to get my second wind but it felt brilliant just to be out on the pitch again and the fans gave me a great reception. That was a big thing for me.

“I felt a bit nervous but that’s natural and it’s good to be like that. I can’t wait to get to the stage when I’m fully confident again and the fans made me feel like that towards the end.

“The contract just depends on what happens and if (the club) want me here. I’m not even looking at that.

“I’m here until January at the moment and until then I’ll try and enjoy it and bring something positive in.”

Hendrie had no part in Steve Williams’ late, late winner but showed his quality with the way he’d make space for himself to get the ball and then look to spread the play.

The pass he slipped through for Gareth Evans right at the death should have earned an assist but the sub slid his shot the wrong side of the post.

And Hendrie could have had a goal himself with a header that flashed over the bar from Lewis Hunt’s cross.

He added: “I’m disappointed with that. It was just a little glance but I’m not one for heading the ball!

“Maybe I should have scored myself but I tried to get in some good positions. Sometimes I will shoot but usually I’m looking to give that pass.

“The lads will get used to the way I play. I’ve already told the front boys that every time I get on the ball and start running at the defence to just go and I’ll try to slide you in.”

Hendrie’s presence may have raised a few eyebrows but the biggest surprise Peter Taylor sprung on Saturday was throwing Luke Oliver up top on targetman duties.

It did allow Taylor to revert to 4-3-3, with Oliver flanked by Jake Speight and Louis Moult given a start ahead of Evans.

Williams also found himself back in from the cold alongside Shane Duff at the heart of the defence.

That pairing completely snuffed out the battering ram threat of Adebayo Akinfenwa. At the other end, Oliver enjoyed himself in the air against two centre halves who were each giving away at least half a foot in height.

Oliver could have scored twice in a bright City opening.

Robbie Threlfall’s free-kick swung in from the right was nodded into the side-netting and behind with keeper Lance Cronin floundering. Then Luke O’Brien’s cross from the left was headed just wide of the other post.

Having failed to find that early breakthrough, City seemed to lose heart, despite the best efforts of the crowd to encourage them to keep passing.

Gillingham, without an away win for 26 games, had their moments but a lack of conviction betrayed their low confidence from so many unsuccessful forays outside Kent.

Taylor shuffled the pack at half-time. Speight, troubled by a heavy cold, and Threlfall were sacrificed for Leon Osborne and Hendrie.

The atmosphere picked up with the sight of the new boy and even more so when Osborne found himself on the wrong end of a couple of borderline challenges.

Gills skipper Barry Fuller meted it out but Osborne was the first name in the book for retaliation. Fuller’s own yellow card towards the end was long overdue.

As the crowd came into it, so did City, and Hendrie had two goes at breaking his duck.

But neither keeper had been unduly called upon. Cronin got fingertips to Osborne’s cross-shot that was going wide anyway and Jon McLaughlin didn’t have to move to pouch a wasteful free header from Stanley Aborah.

Then City got their break in the second of the three added minutes.

Given a soft foul, Luke O’Brien’s free-kick was headed clear of danger by Josh Gowling. Tommy Doherty chased towards the right touchline and swung it back in first time on the half volley.

It should have been Cronin’s catch at the far post but the keeper was spooked by Williams, who bundled the ball into the roof of the net.