Bradford City 4 Stevenage 1: Andy Cook grabs hat-trick as Bantams march on

The Bantams made the perfect start, Cook putting them ahead in the first minute. Charles Vernam fed left-back Liam Ridehalgh on the overlap and his cross found Cook unmarked at the far post to head the Bantams into the lead.

Stevenage equalised against the run of play in the 17th minute when the Bradford defence failed to clear and Elliott List scored with a low shot from 15 yards.

City were given a great chance to restore their lead in the 30th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Luther Wldin tripped Vernam in the box, but Lee Angol saw his penalty saved by Joseph Anang. The miss was not costly, however, as Cook scored Bradford’s second with a left foot shot through a crowded goalmouth.

Cook completed his hat-trick - the first by Bradford player for almost four years - in the 38th minute when he chased a long ball out of defence from right-back Finn Cousin-Dawson and muscled his way past a defender before beating the advancing Anang with a right foot shot.

Niall Canavan netted a fourth goal, a close range header from substitute Ollie Crankshaw’s cross three minutes from the end.

Bradford: O’Donnell, Cousin-Dawson, O’Connor, Canavan, Ridehalgh, Gilliead, Cooke, Watt, Vernam (Lavery 79), Cook (Songo’o 90), Angol (Crankshaw 70). Unused substitutes: Hornby, Foulds, Kelleher, Evans.

Stevenage: Anang, Wildin, Vancooten, Cuthbert (Prosser 40), Coker, Carter, Taylor, Reeves, Lines (Osborne 50), List (Reid 64), Norris. Unused substitutes: Bastien, Daly, Smith, Marshall.

Referee: M Coy (County Durham).