Not all doom and gloom!

True, City may have lost again - that's five in a row, six out of seven in the league, or seven in eight overall depending on the degree of pessimism you choose.

This latest London setback also anchored the Bantams in the lower reaches of the table and no doubt tightened a notch or two on manager Jim Jefferies.

But through the dark, menacing cloud that has taken up residence over Valley Parade this month there is one glint of bright light.

Matthew Etherington's brief cameo as a second-half substitute may not have saved City from yet another loss. But he offered a bit of everything that has been so patently lacking since their fortunes went pear-shaped.

Pace, width, willingness to take defenders on, the ability to cross a ball - these have seemed mystical qualities during the autumn malaise.

This weekend the clocks are turned back. Etherington's brief entry into City's life last night was a throwback to the wing-play they have not been able to call upon since Peter Beagrie in his pomp.

Let's not build the kid up too fast, he's no miracle worker. But the cross for Gary Locke's goal and the other touchline-hugging forays he attempted in the closing stages gave City a much-needed extra string to their bow.

Jefferies said: "He's got a lot of potential and every time he got the ball you could see something was going to happen.

"He only met his new team-mates in the morning so it was only right we put him on the bench. But the difference he gave to us when he came on was obvious.

"We're grateful to Tottenham for letting him come here on loan and we'll try to keep him as long as we can."

The 20-year-old, who can't get a game at Spurs, is initially at City for a month - and what a crucial time that will be as the slump rolls on.

Last night was Crystal Palace revisited as City once again had twice as many shots at goal as the home team. But again the final damning verdict was the same.

They had already suffered a morale-busting blow before kick-off when Ashley Ward took a whack on the ankle in training. His absence proved crucial as the gilt-edged chances were to go begging.

Chief culprit was the luckless Andy Tod, Ward's understudy up front, who worked his socks off but couldn't buy a goal.

His best chance came before half-time when Tod found himself alone in the six-yard box on the end of a peach of a crossfield ball from the enthusiastic Gunnar Halle. Goal surely - instead his weak glance rolled the ball a yard or two wide.

That followed another big miss when Gary Locke broke through. With only keeper Tony Warner to beat, he miscontrolled and instead was forced to slip the ball leftwards Gareth Whalley who was flagged offside as he tapped in.

Locke admitted: "I should have scored. My touch was terrible and instead of being able to shoot I slid in with the keeper and had to knock it to the side.

"Tody as well probably should have had a goal but that's the way it's been going. Possession-wise we are dominating which makes it so disappointing."

As is the way when you're down, the first shot against City went in as Richard Sadlier broke the deadlock after 32 minutes with a sharp swivel and drive that gave Gary Walsh no hope.

But Walsh did make amends in spectacular fashion right on half-time when Millwall were awarded a penalty for David Wetherall's hold on Sadlier.

City were furious, claiming the striker had handled as he eluded Wetherall, but Walsh ensured justice was done. He saved twice from penalty taker Steve Claridge, denying the veteran's spotkick and follow-up, and when Sadlier tapped in at the third attempt the flag was up.

"We thought the penalty save maybe a sign of our luck changing," said Jefferies. "We came out of the dressing room all fired up for the second half really believing we could get something out of it."

Instead, it was Millwall who struck again when Tim Cahill was given the freedom of the penalty area by a defence waiting vainly for offside and planted a header past Walsh.

That was the signal to throw on Etherington, hardly the ideal launchpad.

But with his first touch he floated a dangerous ball into the far post and four minutes on, he beat his fullback and swung in another cross which Locke deposited.

Suddenly there was hope and Locke centred for the luckless Tod to head against the inside of the post, with the ball rebounding into the arms of an oblivious Warner.

Then Halle picked out Tod at the near post where his point-blank shot was blocked before he nodded the rebound over the bar.

But six minutes from time, City's hopes were extinguished after a mix-up between Etherington and Myers on halfway. The winger laid the ball back but the full back had already over-lapped and Steven Reid seizes on the confusion.

Two passes later, Walsh is picking it out of his net once again as Cahill celebrates his second.

It was a cruel way to sign off yet another night of frustration for City. But at least there's a glimmer of something better to come.