JOHN Coleman praised Offrande Zanzala for keeping his season motoring, after breaking down on the way to Accrington Stanley’s game against Bradford City.

The striker scored in the 3-1 win over the Bantams to take his recent tally to four in as many games.

But there were fears that Zanzala, along with passengers Dan Barlaser, Luke Charman and Andy Scott, would not make it to the ground in time for kick-off after breaking down on the M6 near Liverpool.

“He never nearly made it because his car broke down on the way so there was a panic, because he had three of the other lads in the car,” said Coleman.

“We managed to get them here about 20 past two.”

The Stanley boss named Zanzala in his starting line-up after his two-goal display against Macclesfield Town in midweek, and added: “I don’t think Ozzy’s ever been as confident as he is now in his own ability, in his own body, and so if I’m not going to play him now I’m never going to play him.”

Billy Kee scored from the spot towards the end of the first half, with Zanzala making it 2-0 early in the second. Bradford pulled a goal back through Eoin Doyle before Sean McConville restored the two-goal cushion with a fine finish.

Coleman, who turned 55 yesterday, added: “Ten years ago we played Bradford around about my birthday and we were 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go and lost 3-2 and I was just praying a repeat wouldn’t happen today.

“The lads gave it their all. You need a little bit of luck along the way and we were mindful of the fact that in swirly conditions the ball can bounce for you or against you in both boxes.

“We were a little bit sloppy in the second half, when we went 2-0 up we took our foot off the gas. They upped their work-rate to be fair, they put a lot of balls into our box and we didn’t deal with one of them, which was disappointing.

“But give the lads their due they stepped things up and got the third and played on the front foot for the last 15 minutes and you weren’t watching it behind the couch.”