Jamie Lawrence believes Bradford City must stand up and be counted for the rest of the season if they are to survive in the Premiership.

The Bantams' defeat at bottom club Sheffield Wednesday last weekend has placed even more importance on tomorrow's clash with Watford.

Anything less than a victory is unthinkable if City are to prove the critics wrong and get out of trouble.

The confidence of players and fans alike was understandably hit by the defeat at Hillsborough but Lawrence says the squad has enough resilience to hit back.

He said: "The important thing is that we have to be strong-minded now. Losing at Southampton and Sheffield was a big disappointment but we have to react in the right manner.

"It is a mental thing. You have to get defeats like those out of your system. You have to come back fighting because if you don't, you won't make the grade at this level.

"I have had a lot of knock-backs in my life but I think they have made me a stronger person because I know how to come back from those knocks.

"This is the most important game of the season. It will be frantic and we need to be strong. It is my sort of game.

"Confidence is still high among the lads. We cant let people get to us, we have not become a bad side overnight. We have to have that belief that we are good enough.

"We have to work harder. We are not kidding ourselves, we haven't got the ability of a lot of other sides so we have to match that."

Lawrence had City's only two on-target efforts at Wednesday and impressed in the first half with his direct running.

He is hoping to retain his place in the City side for tomorrow's game which he ranks as one of the most important since he joined City in 1997 for £50,000.

He said: "I felt stronger than I have done for the rest of the season at Hillsborough. It takes time to get match-fitness back after injury.

"The Wolves game last season was the most important one since I have been here but this one is very, very big. We have to get it right tomorrow.

"We are very good at home and I think we can take anyone on here so the games in the next few weeks should not unduly worry us.

"I can't understand why we have been playing well here but not so well away. We had a bad day down at Watford when we lost 1-0 so it would be nice to avenge that.

"It will be a tough game though and we know we have to get in and among them from the first minute.

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