Bradford City 2 Tranmere 0: Jamie Walker and Andy Cook help solve the puzzle for Bantams

As far as Bradford City are concerned, the club being held hostage in League Two is a case that everyone connected with the claret and amber is desperate to crack - and nothing to do with placing a phone call into private investigator Jim Rockford for help.

It has not been an open and shut case.

At the minute, City are going the right way again at least at a time when successful sides start to make a move.

After making a statement in Saturday’s fine win at Stevenage, this was about business. City have won just six home league games out of 15 this term and that ratio needs to improve if their penance in the fourth tier is to end in May.

This was one particular job done and it’s onto Barrow on home soil on Saturday.

The first half was pretty uneventful and lurching towards disappointing from a City perspective, but just when frustration was starting to seep in among home supporters, Jamie Walker provided an antidote.

An intelligent player blessed by quick-thinking and an ability to solve the puzzle, the Scot looked a class above League Two when he is fit and firing and to be playing below his level in truth.

He kept drifting into pockets of space and corridors of uncertainty and showed what he brings to the table just before the break - for his second goal in successive games.

It is to be hoped that he can now have a sustained impact and finally enjoy his time belatedly with his season finally starting to get moving.

He was the one player who Tranmere had trouble with fathoming out. Expect others too in the future if this continues.

Defences already know plenty about Andy Cook and his former clubs certainly have done of late.

After his goal in the last home match against Mansfield, he added another at a timely moment to break the will of Rovers, who again suffered a 2-0 reverse in Yorkshire, seven days on from their defeat at Doncaster Rovers.

Cook rose highest from Adam Clayton’s outswinging corner and his looping header sailed into the net almost in slow motion.

It took his season’s tally to 19 and followed up his brace on the Wirral in September.

Earlier, Walker's opener came when the ball was worked into space for Liam Ridehalgh and the former Rovers player’s left-wing cross found its way to Walker, who cut inside before rifling a fierce low drive from just inside the penalty area, which took a slight deflection before nestling in the net.

It was first strike on home soil since May.

Walker’s opener was very welcome in a first half when the main development was one they could have thoroughly done without.

Racing back to prevent a Tranmere counter down the left led by their marauding full-back Ethan Bristow, Matt Derbyshire, on home debut, pulled up by the half-way line and his reaction instinctively told you that he had suffered a hamstring injury.

Tranmere had moments of joy out wide in transition, but they themselves suffered an injury blow when one of their more dangerous raiders in Kieron Morris hobbled off.

Before Walker’s goal, he had, not surprisingly, been involved with the hosts’ most fluid moment with a slick passage of play ended in him firing over a crisp strike.

A couple of threatening low crosses from Bristow aside, the hosts backline were relatively untroubled in the opening 45 minutes, while mindful that 1-0 at home is often not a straightforward scoreline as far as City were concerned, certainly this term and several recent ones before it.

The goal at least provided the Bantams with more visible confidence with Mark Hughes no doubt preaching the importance of moving the ball quicker at the interval and getting Walker on the ball as much as City can.

That said, Hughes’s devout wish would have been a second goal, however it arrived.

It almost did when Richie Smallwood’s swinging free-kick flicked on by Sam Stubbs to the feet of Matty Platt, whose bundled attempt was saved by Mateusz Hewelt.

The scoreline was still Tranmere’s friend, comparatively and some sloppy play which started to creep into the Bantams’ play, was further entitled to enthuse them.

A big chance came midway through the half when Regan Hendry’s free-kick from the left was not cleared and the midfielder latched onto the loose ball, untracked, and drilled a low shot inches wide.

Anxiety was again starting to become palpable among home punters. Cook put an end to that.

Bradford City: Lewis; Halliday, Platt, Stubbs, Ridehalgh (Kelly 76), Clayton; Smallwood, Gilliead; Walker (Nevers 86); Derbyshire (Eisa 26), Cook (Oliver 86). Substitutes unused: Doyle, East, Chapman.

Tranmere Rovers: Hewelt; Dacres-Copley, Davies, Jameson, Bristow; Morris (Chalmers 37), O’Connor, Hendry, Hawkes (Turner-Cooke 62); Saunders, Hemmings (Mumbongo 62). Substitutes unused: Murphy, Merrie, P Lewis, Burton.

Referee: T Parsons (Lancashire).