Stopping the League 2’s most potent finisher will be key to Gillingham bringing home something from their trip to Bradford City this Saturday.
Bradford’s experienced striker Andy Cook, who turned 34 today, has a habit of scoring against the Gills, with seven goals in the six matches he faced against them. On a games-per-goal ratio, he loves facing Gillingham more than anyone.
Cook scored against the Gills in his last two games at Priestfield and netted twice in a 2-2 draw at Valley Parade in April 2023.
On a rare off day, he hit a blank at home for the Yorkshire side last season and manager Mark Bonner will be hoping his team can keep him quiet again.
Bonner said: “Andy Cook has been brilliant in the box and got off to a great start in his goalscoring this season.
“They’ve got some good experience in their team as well, some good signs about them, good experience, good power. I think it makes for a really good game.”
Cook’s got seven league goals this term and two more in cup competitions. The Gills manager knows they have to keep him away from the ball as much as possible.
He said: “He’s just excellent on crosses so you have to try and stop the supply to him and to try and get control of him in the box.
“Even when you get control of him, a goal he scored against Newport which was on Sky on a Monday night a couple of weeks ago, he holds everybody off and scores a header that’s from behind him, to loop it over in the top corner, so even under contact he’s difficult.
“He’s certainly started the season flying and if you’re a striker now and you’re sitting on the seven goals he’s got you’re fairly happy. We’ll have to defend really well against him”
Bradford are up to seventh in the League 2 table and have won their last two games, beating Newport County at home in front of over 15,000 fans and taking maximum points off Tranmere last week in a 2-0 win. Cook scored both.
The Bantams have been dealing with a sickness bug going through their camp this week, however.
For the Gills, they are looking to bounce back from three straight losses.
Bonner said: “It’s a real good challenge for us off the back of a difficult couple of weeks against a team that have found very good form and have built a really good squad who will be there or thereabouts, I’m sure, throughout the season.
“They’ve been one of the more direct teams in the league, but they can mix their game up. They’re a really high-crossing team.
“I think it’s a really good game to look forward to because they’re going really well at the moment.
“These are games that you should really relish as a player because historical club, yes, but actually, more importantly, big stadium, really good atmosphere, the pitch is in much better nick than the last time we’d have been there. It’s certainly one to look forward to.”
