Bradford boss Mark Hughes hailed Alex Gilliead’s versatility after the half-time substitute secured a 1-1 draw in opposition to Grimsby.
Gilliead, making his first look in virtually a month after recovering from a thigh damage, blasted in an 89th-minute equaliser with the hosts’ solely shot on the right track.
His spectacular strike cancelled out Danny Rose’s first-half opener for the Mariners and in addition denied Grimsby a primary win over the Bantams since 1998 – a run that now encompasses 19 contests.
Gilliead solely scored as soon as final season – additionally in opposition to Grimsby – however his introduction at half-time within the centre of midfield, regardless of being higher referred to as a winger, allowed the Bantams to search out some much-needed ahead momentum.
Hughes mentioned: “He’s an important athlete and we’ve got missed his versatility. When you possibly can’t name on that, you recognise what he provides you a bit extra.
“He will get a little bit of ribbing as a result of he doesn’t rating too many targets however that was an essential one for us. We have been poor within the first half – we had 4 dwelling debuts so there was a bit little bit of disruption to our enjoying 11.
“We wished to press however that by no means occurred and we tried to make modifications nevertheless it was clear extra radical modifications have been wanted at half-time. We went to 4 on the again and that helped us an important deal and we then actually pressured the problem and bought the objective we deserved.
“We would have liked wingers to cease their wing-backs and we have been significantly better within the second half. We have been on the entrance foot and I feel the gamers understood what we would have liked and did the basics higher.”
Grimsby boss Paul Hurst admitted it was a bitter tablet to swallow after he noticed Gilliead – a participant he has signed twice up to now for Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe – deny the Mariners a long-overdue three factors in opposition to Bradford.
He took solace, although, from his staff racking up a fifth league recreation unbeaten at a vociferous Valley Parade.
“He’s participant and made a distinction for them,” Hurst admitted.
“It’s only a disgrace that he wasn’t nonetheless injured for an additional week, nevertheless it was an important strike and he’s scored a pair in opposition to us now.
“They hadn’t had many photographs in any respect, nevertheless it was objective and it was an enormous enchancment from them within the second half. It was only a tough one for us to take with them scoring so late however, on the similar time, there have been a number of positives to take from the sport, particularly in our first-half efficiency and some extent at Bradford is a comparatively good end result.
“We’ve come right here a couple of instances and bought nothing, so we are going to take some extent and it’s one other recreation unbeaten, which is the signal of staff.”
