GARY Bowyer insists City must stick together to negotiate the current testing spell slowing down their promotion push.

Fans booed at the end of today’s goalless tussle at Carlisle as the Bantams were held to a fourth draw in five games.

They had the chances to win it – with Paudie O’Connor guilty of a glaring miss late on – but Bowyer was targeted by frustrated away supporters.

The City chief praised the character of his side after losing Harry Pritchard in the warm-up with a back spasm.

That was the latest setback after Jake Reeves had pulled out late with illness from the virus that has hit the squad.

Bowyer said: “We’re having a spell where those things aren’t going for us.

“This is where you really find out the mindset and mentality of your group. You have ready-made excuses but we won’t use them.”

Asked about the dissent from the away end, he added: “I get it, I understand it. We all went there wanting to win.

“But we’re sat fifth in the table with a game in hand and when I look at the teams around us, I don’t see them having to do what we are quite consistently with injuries and illness.

“We’ve just got to come through this period, sticking together and riding it out.

“The thing for the supporters to take is looking at how the players go about it. They are not using any excuses with what’s happening.

“The players who are coming in are showing some real fight and I’m pleased with the character we’ve got in this dressing room.

“Last season allegations were thrown at them and you can’t do that with this group because of how they’ve been.”

Chris Taylor was drafted in from the bench when Pritchard started feeling some discomfort. Matty Palmer made his first start for three months in place of Reeves.

“It’s not a healthy dressing room because of what we’ve been through,” said Bowyer.

“James Vaughan went on for 15 minutes and that was probably the maximum he could do. We’re just making a call now on what we do with the rest of them.

“The attitude and application of the players, no matter who comes in or the changes made, has been fantastic.

“We’re all frustrated, of course, but we’ve come away from home and kept a clean sheet with 57 per cent possession.

“We’ve hit the foot of the post, we’ve hit the bar and it’s just not quite dropping for us in the right way.

“There are lots for me to have taken from this period over how the character of the squad has been.

“Paudie’s chance just sums up a little bit where we’re at. But we’ve got to keep sticking together with it.”