Bantams boss hoping for Yorkshire derby boost to away form

City make the short trip to Harrogate having lost back-to-back league games on their travels for the first time in his reign.

Previously, they had been beaten just four times away in 15 attempts - winning nine of them.

Only promoted duo Stockport and Mansfield finished last season with a better away record.

But an opening-day win at MK Dons has been followed by setbacks at Grimsby and Walsall.

Injuries have played a big part – losing Aden Baldwin in the opening minutes at Blundell Park and fellow centre halves Neill Byrne and Ciaran Kelly by half-time against the Saddlers.

But Alexander is determined to buck the trend at this early stage.

Heads go down after City concede during the loss at Grimsby (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“We have to look at how we prepare,” he said. “Both games we’ve travelled and been in a hotel and we’re looking at that to see if that has any impact.

“But it’s the same preparation that we had last season, there’s no difference there.

“Each group has different dynamics. We want to try and change that.

“It’s too early to tell. We’re only three away games in so we’ve had limited exposure.

“Our preparation and obviously the results were something we were happy with last season.

“We’re trying to correct our long-term home form. We’ve made strides into doing that and we might get both together.

“It’s not long enough to see if there’s a pattern. But there have been instances in both those games.

“The Grimsby game we didn’t compete at a level to win a game. At Walsall we did but there were a lot of things that went against us that day.”

Harrogate was City’s final defeat last season – the 3-0 drubbing in March proving a “catalyst” moment for Alexander. His team won six of their seven remaining games from that point.

“It was a terrible day for us – not a good performance and certainly not a good result in front of brilliant support from our fans.

“I remember it was a long drive home on my own in the car. I just sat there in silence and really thought about what we had to do from then.

“I’d had enough time here to understand the squad and the challenge ahead and what it meant managing Bradford.

“I made some decisions that night in my head I needed to follow through and change things in a meaningful way.

“The results from then to the end of the season were excellent and that was down to the players playing in that way and we want to continue that.

Graham Alexander claps the City fans after the Walsall defeat (Image: Tom Pearson)

“I believe we’ve had our challenges this season with missing a lot of players. But I think the performances have been just on the edge of that – but not as high as they were at the end.”

Harrogate have an impressive history against City with six wins from their nine contests.

Simon Weaver’s side will be pumped up again to put another dent in their neighbours’ ambitions. But Alexander stressed that the visitors will be just as motivated.

“We go into every game with the same motivation – whether it’s the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, a pre-season friendly or a league game against a local rival.

“I don’t think anyone is good enough to turn the tap on and off.

“I’ve learned over the years just to focus on your own performance going into every game.

“There are different things you have to take into account going into a derby, the emotions and keeping your focus.

“But once you cross the white line it’s a game of football like any other.”