CITY 4 FOREST GREEN 1

NO MORE secret targets – it’s surely full steam ahead for the play-offs for the Bantams now.

However much the management may try to keep goals and aims under wraps, the cat is out the bag after a thoroughly-entertaining Good Friday.

City claimed a fifth win over top-six opposition under Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars’ watch – and cut the gap to stumbling Newport in the last play-off spot to just three points in the process.

This strange season of highs and lows could be bubbling up towards a rollercoaster finish.

Andy Cook’s second-half double took his tally to seven since January – joint top scorer now with Lee Novak.

Mansfield must be feeling pretty stupid to let him out on loan.

Elliot Watt was restored and re-energised and netted the classy opener and Danny Rowe, not to be outdone, put the lid on it in stoppage time.

The margin of victory may have flattered against opponents who had just as many chances. But Bantam smiles were rightly broad as they contemplate the potential excitement to come.

Watt’s return had been the only change from Colchester. Levi Sutton’s absence from a knock he picked up in that game meant he missed out for the first time since the change of managers.

The eco-friendly visitors may have worn a kit highlighting the cause to save ocean wildlife but saving their automatic promotion hopes was top of Forest Green’s agenda.

They arrived at Valley Parade without a goal in three games and facing the rest of the season without prolific top scorer Jamille Matt.

And it soon got worse when City struck the opening blow on 11 minutes.

Clayton Donaldson, reprising the number 10 role he played so well in Essex, chased down the first home corner.

The kick from Gareth Evans was half-cleared as far as Watt, lurking on the edge of the box, and he swept a confident left-footer through the gaggle of players and in off the post.

It was the perfect start for the Bantams but their advantage could have disappeared twice within the next three minutes.

Nick Cadden headed Aaron Collins’ deep cross into the mix where Isaac Hutchinson’s shot on the turn squirted wide. Then Elliot Whitehouse nodded over the bar from a Collins corner.

But City were causing their share of problems for Forest Green, pressing them in midfield to nick the ball back and look to exploit a jittery defence.

Trueman has been on at the team to produce more from set-pieces and City’s second corner almost saw a second goal as Cook’s header flew just over.

The striker then capitalised on smooth link-up play from Donaldson and Kian Scales to slip in on goal. His close-range finish was struck with venom but keeper Lewis Thomas was equal to it with a fine block.

Donaldson had carried on from where he left off the previous week and a lot of City’s attacking intent went through the veteran.

It was certainly entertaining stuff as Scales burst into the box only to lose his footing at the key moment.

Then Cook threatened to score goal of the season from just over the halfway line.

Spotting Thomas lurking off his line, the striker chested down a loose ball and then unleashed an audacious half-volley that had the keeper scrabbling – and praying - as the shot cannoned off the bar.

The chances continued to stack up as Forest Green failed to deal with another Evans cross. Again, it fell to Watt 18 yards out – but this time he skied the effort into the TL Dallas Stand.

The midfielder’s frustration was matched in front the dug-out where Trueman threw his head back in frustration.

His opposite number Mark Cooper was screaming at fourth official Darren Drysdale after Forest Green had a penalty shout waved away right on the break.

But City nerves eased with an insurance goal two minutes into the second half – and it came from a Forest Green throw-in in City’s half.

Dominic Bernard took it and then strangely decided to loft a pass back towards Bailey Cargill just over halfway.

The centre half’s misplaced header fell to Cook, who then held off Cargill’s vain attempts to repair his error. It was hard to tell who got the decisive prod past Thomas but the on-loan City man was confidently claiming his first goal on home soil.

Forest Green came back strongly – and Richard O’Donnell had to be on full alert to keep them at bay.

He plunged across his line to stop Nick Cadden’s cross-shot creeping in and then twice threw himself at Taylor Allen to deny the substitute in the six-yard box.

“Control the game!” bellowed Niall Canavan as Forest Green won a flurry of cheap free-kicks around the City box that came to nothing. The visitors weren’t slow at falling over.

Any lingering doubts were put to bed when Cook grabbed his second after being set up by Watt and Billy Clarke, on for his 450th career appearance.

Former Guiseley youngster Jake Young did pull one back from long range for Forest Green - which didn't please the two City bosses - and it could have got tense if Whitehouse had not screwed a volley wide straight after.

But Rowe restored the three-goal margin with a stoppage-time finish from a tight angle to seal a Friday that was more of an excellent one than just Good for the Bantams.