By Jason McKeown

A cartwheel. Followed by a forward roll. Followed by knees bent and two hands thrashing up and down as though he was banging on an imaginary drum. Calum Kavanagh has scored again and the young striker’s exuberant repertoire of celebrations told you everything you need to know about the self assurance he’s rediscovered in his game.

Alex Pattison had crossed, Gabriel Breeze had come out and got nothing, leaving Kavanagh unmarked to stab home the ball. A fifth goal in eight appearances, for a young guy who prior to that had netted just once in 18. The weight of the world was on his shoulders, but now Kavanagh looks unburdened and happy. Gleefully enjoying scoring at a ground where his old man commands long-lasting affection. Wildly celebrating in front of a sold out Bradford City away following, whose numbers included a spectating Andy Cook.   

“I am not Andy Cook” declared Kavanagh in the build up to this. He’s right. But with his confidence levels returning, he is suggesting he can fill those mighty big Cook shoes by leading the line in a way that suits his specific strengths. And those strengths are increasingly suiting an evolving Bradford City. The team are finding a way to perform effectively without the guy who’s spent years propping them up. Victory here made it seven wins in nine. And it’s three on the bounce since Cook’s season was ended.

Indeed the team, like Kavanagh, are showing increasing degrees of conviction in how they operate and who they are. There are better footballing sides in the division for sure, but in this 3-4-3 City are currently dripping with purpose and savviness. They look comfortable in their own skin. They know how to win football matches – and that includes carving out hard-fought victories like this. They have an identity that is building buy-in and an ascent up the league table.

The opposite, you might say, of their hapless hosts, Carlisle. Bottom of the league with only two wins in their last 18 games, United are in a mess. Adrift. Staring firmly into non-league abyss. What a contrast to the upwards buoyancy of the last time they welcomed City to Cumbria, triumphing in the second leg of the 2023 play off semi final and booking a place at Wembley at the Bantams’ expense. The sight of Ben Barclay getting subbed here, to home fan jeers, said much about the club’s fall from grace. Barclay was the Carlisle hero of that play off day, scoring the winning goal. Now he’s the latest fall guy.

To their credit, Carlisle had a real go in the first half. They were the better side over this period, shaking off the gloom to show positive intent. It’s a January window of dramatic change with nine arrivals already, leading to four debuts and a further two first home outings. Half the team had never turned out for Carlisle at Brunton Park before. None of the starting XI had started the reverse fixture at Valley Parade last September.

The influx of new faces might yet save them, but you definitely fear the worst. They’ve largely gone down the route of signing unproven EFL players. Kids on loan from Manchester United and Newcastle. Others have joined from non-league or from over the Irish sea. And sure, Carlisle made some terrible misjudgements in the summer in signing experienced-but-arguably-past-it players. But this 180 degree turn is an unconventional way to strengthen for a relegation battle.

It sums up the club and their questionable grip of reality. Mike Williamson is a manager of great potential. Give him a clean slate and a summer to build, and his principled passing football approach would probably deliver success. But as they passed and passed the ball around here and asked 21-year-old Manchester United loanee Joe Hughall to lead the line, they seem to be a club attempting to defy all convention in how you get out of a relegation blackhole. And good luck to them. Maybe it all work out. But the irony looking at Carlisle showing promise but little penetration, before they ultimately faded badly in the second half, is that they probably need someone like Paul Simpson – the guy they sacked for Williamson – to come in and save them. Little about their plan to stay up makes sense.

I guess you have your principles, Carlisle. But we’ll take the points, thank you very much.

Carlisle’s initial exuberance asked questions of City for sure, but even in the home side’s best spells the visitors had the better chances. The Bantams should have gone ahead from their first real attack, 12 minutes in, when Kavanagh found Bobby Pointon before running into space outwide to be picked out with a return pass. From there Kavanagh beat his man and crossed, where the onrushing Pattison was left with just the keeper to beat. Somehow Pattison side-footed it wide when it looked easier to put it in the goal. If anything, he was trying to be too clever in his placement. Pointon later went close with a header well saved and Antoni Sarcevic couldn’t convert the rebound from an angle.

Carlisle did almost score from a corner, with a scramble in the box seeing Sam Walker come out and miss the ball, leading to a back header from Hughall creeping towards goal, only for Ciaran Kelly to head it off the line. The Carlisle winger Jordan Jones was excellent and gave Brad Halliday a hard time. But for all the initial potential Carlisle showed, there was a quiet poise shown by City in the way they stood up to the home busyness. As the minutes ticked by Carlisle’s liveliness faded, and the visitors edged control.

In the second half that authority was almost total. They started much better, pushing United back, and it didn’t take long for Kavanagh to strike. The goal was another good example of the effectiveness of City’s press. Pattison had an initial crossing opportunity that was cleared, but Pointon and Sarcevic kept it alive, before Richie Smallwood brilliantly worked the ball back to Pattison to cross for Kavanagh.

In a game of fine margins, Kavanagh was that difference maker. Both sides basically played the same system. The midfield war of attrition negated the influence of Smallwood – who had one of his quietest games of the season – and restricted Pointon and Sarcevic’s involvement. But Hughill was not on the same level as Kavanagh – he touched the ball just 22 times – and the way City’s central striker led the line and stretched the play ultimately gave City the greater edge.

It meant that Carlisle’s efforts to come back were limited and lacklustre. It’s true that Walker – very much back on form – had to make a couple of good saves. But they were both pot shots from distance. There was no period of sustained Carlisle pressure. No spell where City looked like they were hanging on. New Carlisle signings were taken off, other new Carlisle signings brought on. Dices rolled, but without any change in fortunes. From minute 65 to the final whistle, Carlisle had just one shot and won only two corners. These are not the stats of a team knocking loudly on the door for an equaliser.

Prior to today Carlisle had lost 10 of their 16 home games this season, league and cup. They don’t get battered, but they don’t avoid defeat very often either. The boos that accompanied the final whistle must be a familiar sound in these parts.

But for City, it’s very much onwards and upwards. Away form has become a concern – so a first victory and first clean sheet on the road in three months is significant. They played some good football in a measured way. The link up play between Lewis Richards, Pointon and Kavanagh a real joy. The impact of Pattison and Sarcevic on this side there for all to see. They have a plan and they’re sticking to it, with encouraging results. It is a long while since we could reflect on a Bradford City team as well coached as this. Graham Alexander must be so encouraged by what he is seeing.

So far, they’re doing it with the January arrivals biding their time on the bench. And they’re also doing it without Cook. The New Years Day ACL injury at Barrow threatened to cast a big shadow over Bradford City’s season, but Kavanagh is emerging from the darkness to revel in taking centre stage.

Categories: Match Reviews

Tags: 2024/25, BCAFC, Carlisle United, League Two