Bradford City defender Andy O'Brien has pledged to get to grips with his game to prevent him seeing red again this season.

The 19-year-old was sent off for two holding offences against Grimsby striker Jack Lester during their recent 2-1 FA Cup third round win.

The result is a one-match ban for the teenager, who has been in top form in recent weeks, to rule him out of Saturday's clash with bottom club Crewe when City will be looking to cement their promotion bid with a victory.

O'Brien said: "It was very disappointing because I felt I hadn't done anything wrong. I thought Lester was as guilty of the offence in both incidents as I was.

"But as tends to be the case now, I was the one to get punished for it. In the initial incident he was holding on to my shirt so I got hold of his arm to throw him away.

"It is ironic because I actually said to the referee in the first minute that he should watch the holding and pulling. Unfortunately he just laughed. It is a learning experience if nothing else.

"Pulling is now a booking offence and last Saturday at Stockport, Gary Walsh was telling me to be careful.

"I think with 20 minutes to go the referee was ready to book me because he had given a few fouls against me.

"It would have been frustrating to be booked again because I felt I had not put a bad challenge in all day. But that appears to be the nature of the game now with the benefit of the doubt going to the strikers.

" I will have to change my game or I will be seeing more red cards. It is annoying because getting close to opponents is part of my game."

O'Brien's dismissal was the first of his career and came just two months after he gave away a last minute penalty for pulling Norwich's Iwan Roberts in the 2-2 draw at Carrow Road.

Meanwhile, Gareth Whalley is relishing the chance to play against his old club this Saturday.

The 25-year-old midfielder joined City in a £600,000 deal from Crewe during the summer and said: "They teach you how to play football properly and coach you as to what the game is about.

"They are struggling at the mo-ment and I think they will find it hard to get out of trouble though. I spoke to a couple of their lads over Christmas and some seemed to think they would get out while others weren't so sure."

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