Carlisle United v Bradford City: Cumbrian cauldron won't faze Bantams insists Mark Hughes - and why Andy Cook is not worried by statistic

Less so, perhaps, for today's play-off opponents Carlisle United.

That is the view of Bantams chief Mark Hughes and statistics and recent scenarios bear it out.

City held their nerve in their final regular home game of the season against Leyton Orient recently and in Sunday's first leg instalment versus the Cumbrians at Valley Parade.

As they did in their late-season win at a fellow automatic promotion contender in Northampton Town.

Today's occasion is plus ca change for those in claret and amber. For Carlisle, maybe less so.

United's fifth home play-off semi-final is set to attract their biggest-ever Brunton Park crowd for such a game, beating the 12,873 attendance for the loss to Leeds United in 2008.

Carlisle also lost their first play-off game on home soil against Wycombe in 1994. In the others, they edged past Aldershot on penalties in their Conference semi in 2005 and drew with Exeter in 2017.

On the crowd aspect, Hughes, whose side will be backed by a sell-out allocation of 1,886 supporters, commented: “That’s not the norm for them, it is for us home and away.

“Invariably, playing Bradford is usually the biggest game teams have because we bring big numbers and teams (fans) want to see what we’re like as well.

“We’re used to that full house week in, week out. For Carlisle, that’s probably an exception to the norm.

“They’ve got to deal with that as well. It’s not something that will faze us.

“Every given day we have that, it’s nothing new.”

Should City, 1-0 up from the first leg, progress in Cumbria, there's a fair chance that a goalscoring contribution from their talismanic and prolific leader of the pack up front in Andy Cook might have something to do with it.

Cook's haul of 31 goals this term has featured a penchant for scoring against former employers.

He has already netted against five of his old sides in Mansfield, Tranmere, Grimsby, Walsall and Barrow in 2022-23.

Thus far, he has failed to score in three previous matches against the club where he started out as a professional in Carlisle. Today would represent the perfect time to change that.

On Cook not scoring against today's opponents so far this season, Hughes continued: “He’s not mentioned it. Usually if he’s a bit aggrieved, you’re made aware of it.

“I’m sure he’s quietly confident that if he gets a good opportunity, he’s more than likely to take it just because of the vein of form that he’s in.

“Clearly, he’s enjoying his football. When chances present themselves, he’s not over-thinking.

“It’s a natural finish, he’s not over-analysing what he’s going to do prior to taking the shot.

“It’s just free-flowing. Confidence is huge for any striker, more so for Andy because he is a confidence player who thrives off scoring goals.

“He has had a hell of a season, but we all want to finish it off as a collective, not just on Andy’s individual honours.

“He’s got the same mindset. He’s part of a good team that has enabled him to win these individual awards and he recognises that more than most.

“Andy has had a great season and it’s not over yet."