Peter Taylor ripped into under-performing City after they blew a lead to lose at Port Vale.

Second-half goals from Marc Richards and Rob Taylor sunk the Bantams after Robbie Threlfall’s free-kick had blasted them in front.

It was a real anti-climax after the thrilling Yorkshire derby win over Rotherham and Taylor was in no mood to defend his players.

He said: “That wasn’t good enough on our part and we have got to be honest about it.

“Port Vale deserved to win. There were too many people in our side who were five or six out of ten.

“There might have been a few heavy legs but that’s why we deliberately didn’t do anything with them in training on Monday because of the amount of football and travelling that they’ve had.

“It’s not an easy one to accept as a manager because I look at the players and feel they can do a lot better than that.”

Taylor was unhappy with both Vale goals. The first came from a mistake by skipper Simon Ramsden and he felt Matt Glennon should have done better with the long-range winner.

He added: “It’s frustrating because the goals were very poor.

“Matty said there was a deflection for the second but, for me, from that distance you should still be able to recover.

“There are loads of times when you don’t play well and you’re winning but you’ve got to improve in the second half. We didn’t do that.”

Taylor, who will watch the likes of Peter Thorne and James O’Brien in the reserves’ match against Huddersfield today, has no plans to add to the five signings he has made.

And he has shot down suggestions that the chairmen have made more cash available to him than they had for his predecessor Stuart McCall.

“I don’t think that’s the case.

“People don’t realise we have got certain loan signings here that we are not paying a penny for.

“It’s called contacts and you speak to people for some favours.”