CITY 2 SALFORD 1

AS THE fog rolled in at Valley Parade, maybe a hint of clarity peeped through on City’s season.

A first home win for three months, a jump of four spots in the congested League Two table and the picture suddenly looks a little brighter.

Two wins out of three to start 2022 and an average of two points a game. What a difference a week makes after the misery of Brunton Park.

The only player who looked toothless this time was the winning goal-scorer Paudie O’Connor, literally, thanks to coming off second best with Brandon Thomas-Asante’s elbow.

Like a proper old-school centre half, O’Connor received running repairs to mop up the blood while the missing gnasher was carefully retrieved by physio Chris Royston.

Forget the tooth fairy, the Irishman’s reward for his bravery to play on was the late header that confirmed City’s come-from-behind win to provide the antidote to those Carlisle blues.

They had played more than a half with a man advantage, admittedly, but as has been shown that is never a guarantee for success. Think back to the Walsall game that Callum Cooke name-checked in the post-match footage on the club’s social media feed.

This was a significant result in more ways than one.

A response from the previous Saturday was imperative to prevent the discontent from the away end in Cumbria from spreading.

A reaction to falling behind – something that never happened in that game – was a big test for a team whose character had been called into question.

A proper fightback, not just in rescuing yet another 1-1 draw but pushing on to turn the second-half pressure into three points.

At the heart of it was Jamie Walker, the newly-arrived Scot whose first impression demonstrated that his loan capture can live up to the pre-match hype.

Brave on the ball, sharp with his passing and full of running, he did not appear to be a player under-cooked by his lack of involvement with Hearts this season.

Cramp may have claimed him before the end but the standing ovation from his new Valley Parade fan club was well earned. Another full week of uninterrupted training should, hopefully, bed him even better before City’s next challenge at Rochdale.

Walker’s performance vindicated City’s move to widen the net with their scouting.

Last January’s influx of players all concentrated on England. But the changes prompted by Derek Adams to bring in scouts scouring all the home nations look to have paid dividends with Walker.

He was one of five changes to the team – two enforced with the injuries to Oscar Threlkeld and Andy Cook.

While Threlkeld missed out altogether against his old club because of damaged knee ligaments, Cook was a brooding presence among City’s subs.

The strength of the back-up personnel available prompted Adams to describe them as the “strongest bench in League Two today”. They would certainly have a decisive say on proceedings.

Often criticised by supporters for leaving his changes too far into the game, the Bantams chief went early with introducing Cook and decisively with Cooke in the closing stages.

Both times, goals followed within a couple of minutes with the new men heavily involved.

It ruined Gary Bowyer’s return – although he needed to look a lot closer to home for the main cause of Salford’s undoing.

Thomas-Asante had bullied City’s backline for the first half and took advantage of another moment of defensive slackness to fire the visitors ahead.

Niall Canavan slipped as they fought for Matty Lund’s lofted pass which allowed the forward to bustle into shooting space and drill an effort through O’Connor’s legs and beyond a partially-unsighted Sam Hornby.

Salford had won the last four meetings, with City failing to score in any of them, and one more uncomfortable afternoon beckoned.

But then the scorer flung an elbow at O’Connor’s mouth and referee James Oldham, who stood out with one of the better displays of officiating seen at Valley Parade so far, reached straight for his red card.

City had hardly laid a glove on Salford at that stage – the only threat to keeper James King coming from an Elliot Watt drive that needed two grabs.

The lack of noise from the stands reflected that as the chill set in from the increasingly gloomy weather.

But things picked straight up attacking the Kop after the break.

O’Connor was kicking himself for not making more of a far-post header from Levi Sutton’s cross before Adams sent for Cook.

Sutton was moved to right back to offer more attacking presence down that flank as City went two up top with Cook joining Lee Angol, who had made little impression.

But Salford could have doubled their advantage before the switch had come into play.

Ash Hunter, a regular irritant of City’s down the years, burst away on the counter-attack from a home corner but dragged his shot across goal and wide.

The Bantams took full advantage of that escape by levelling from the next attack.

Credit Walker for showing that sprinting ability that Adams would later praise, rapidly closing down the space to nick possession from left back Donald Love inside Salford's half and releasing Alex Gilliead to cross.

Cook got a head to it but the last touch to carry it goalwards came off unsuspecting Ammies debutant Ryan Watson as the ball looped over King.

Like any striker, City’s top scorer was adamant that it should go down as his ninth goal of the campaign.

That looks unlikely however much the big man tried to plead his case but there was no disputing that the hosts were now firmly in the ascendancy.

With Charles Vernam also looking a lot more like his old self, City pushed forward for a winner.

Adams made his second switch to summon Cooke with eight minutes of the 90 to go.

Applause rang round the stadium as a tired Walker made his way off after putting everything into his first outing for his new club.

Dropped from the starting line-up to accommodate Walker, his replacement wasted no time in getting Carlisle out the system by laying on the cross that O’Connor flicked over the keeper and inside the far post.

Joy and relief flowed in equal measure, O'Connor's happy ending after a painful start reflecting that of his team's.

Bowyer, who had been greeted before kick-off by respectful applause from the main stand, was now targeted by some more earthy chants from the North West Corner – which he was not pleased about.

But City could finally savour that winning feeling at Valley Parade for the first time since October 2 having fought hard to put one over the club they had never beaten before.

Whatever the forecast, it had turned out nicely in the end.