Robbie Blake has been ruled out for the rest of the month as Bantams boss Nicky Law hots up his hunt for a loan defender.

City's top-scorer tore a stomach muscle as he stretched to shoot in the FA Cup defeat at Walsall.

And the club fear Blake - who has netted 12 goals so far - will be injured for at least three weeks.

His absence adds to the mounting problems for new boss Law ahead of his first league game in charge against Portsmouth at Valley Parade on Saturday.

Law was today hoping to bring in a centre-half to cover injuries to Robert Molenaar and Andy Myers.

He said: "It's all hands to the pump at the moment.

"We've got a small squad anyway and injuries have really taken their toll.

"I'm waiting to hear back on a couple of players and if not there's the option of Stephen Caldwell if he is keen to come back.

"But obviously losing Blakey as well is another big blow.

"With an injury like that you need 48 hours to let it settle before you know anything definite - but we're looking at at least three weeks."

Jamie Lawrence and Gunnar Halle both came through the reserve game at Bolton last night and the consistent Norwegian will come straight back in after recovering from a badly-gashed knee.

But Lawrence, sidelined since September following a groin operation, is short of match-fitness and Law does not want to rush him back in.

Law cancelled the squad's day-off yesterday to haul them in for extra training following the cup exit in the midlands.

"The mood was quite positive and everyone realises there is a lot of work to do. Walsall was very disappointing but I'm not going to get too downbeat.

"It did surprise me how nave we defended at times on Tuesday.

"You expect players of the calibre we've got to know better but it's probably an accumulation of things and it won't change overnight.

"One thing that has to change and will change is the fitness levels. And they will get fitter.

"But it's not as if we are bottom of the league 12 points adrift.

"We're stuck in a bad run but we've just got to look for that one result to start stabilising things."

David Wetherall has begun running again after seeing a specialist in Copenhagen to check the progress of his long-running groin trouble.

The City centre-half, who has not featured since October, has been advised it will be another month before he is able to start playing again.