MARK HUGHES praised Andy Cook after the striker reached 50 league goals for Bradford with a hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Newport.

The 32-year-old struck twice in the first half and again in stoppage time as City won on the road for the first time this season.

City boss Hughes, a former Manchester United and Wales great, said: “I was always a bit streaky when I was playing, but Andy is used to scoring week in, week out.

“At the start of the season he wasn’t where he needed to be. He wasn’t happy with his form but today he enjoyed the opportunities he got and the amount of chances that were created for him.

ON FORM: Bradford City's Andy Cook scores a hat-trick and his side's fourth goal against Newport County at Rodney Parade. Picture: Robbie Stephenson/PA

“He’s a confidence player and he was able to build a performance. It wasn’t just his goals I was pleased with, but his general play – and he’s gone home with the match ball under his shirt.

“At this level he is very difficult to stop. We’ve missed him and he’s come back and made a massive impact for us and everyone is delighted.

“We took them aback in the first half with the quality of our play and we knew there would be a response from them in the second half. They had a go and tried to ask questions with balls into the box.

“We had to defend correctly and be vigilant and we were able to do that. It wasn’t easy for us in the second half because we had to stand up the challenge and we did that quite comfortably in the end.

HAT-TRICK HERO: Bradford City's Andy Cook (front) celebrates after scoring his hat-trick against Newport at Rodney Parade, Newport. Picture: Robbie Stephenson/PA

“It was a great result for us and we’ll be very confident after that as we look forward to playing Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.”

It was quite the opposite reaction from Newport boss Graham Coughlan, who saw his side go 3-0 down inside half an hour. Cook’s first-half brace came either side of Rayhaan Tulloch’s goal before Omar Bogle gave County a lifeline which they failed to build on.

“We were poor and the first half an hour was terrible,” said Coughlan. “The goals that we conceded were unacceptable and it was a really bad day for us all.

“I feel for the supporters because the players left them short today, so I am really annoyed and frustrated.”

Newport County: Townsend,McLoughlin,Clarke (Seberry 74),Drysdale,Lewis,Morris,Bennett,Evans,Waite (Thomas 62),Wildig (Bondswell 62),Bogle.Subs Not Used: Payne,Rai,Wood,Maxted.Booked: Evans,Drysdale.Goals: Bogle 35.Bradford: Lewis,Halliday,Platt,Stubbs,Ridehalgh,Oduor (Osadebe 65),Gilliead,McDonald (Smallwood 87),Tulloch (Smith 86),Walker (Oyegoke 81),Cook.Subs Not Used: Doyle,Pointon,Afoka.Booked: Ridehalgh.Goals: Cook 14,Tulloch 26,Cook 29,90.Ref: Andy Davies (Hampshire).

“I don’t want to stand here and make excuses but we have a patched-up side at the moment and I need to get players fit and healthy. I need one or two back otherwise we will continue to labour and limp along.

“Having said that, some of the individual performances today were not acceptable or good enough.

“That is not me or this football club’s DNA – one or two of us went missing and shied away from a fight and a battle. That is what is sticking in my gullet and annoying me the most.

“We weren’t at the races today, we weren’t good enough individually and we weren’t good enough collectively. When they put it up to us and were on top, we went missing.”

Bradford City's Andy Cook finds scoring streak again as Bantams finally discover winning feeling on the road