Peter Taylor admitted he felt for his players after watching two points snatched from City’s grasp at Chesterfield.

The Bantams snapped their four-game losing run with a stirring effort against the leaders.

But Jordan Bowery’s stoppage-time equaliser cost them the chance to put some daylight on the bottom two ahead of this week’s clashes with Lincoln and Macclesfield.

Sympathetic Taylor said: “I’m really disappointed for them. I had a little bit of a pop over the second goal but I really feel for the players.

“They worked their socks off for everyone – themselves, the supporters, the club, everybody.

“It does feel a bit like a defeat but there were a lot more pluses out of it. The performance was decent and we scored two against the leaders.

“I thought we carried on from Tuesday night (against Crewe) and we covered the ground. If we keep doing that, we’ll be hard to play against.

“Hopefully we can kick on tomorrow night.”

City, who lost Leon Osborne with a hamstring injury in the first half, hit back quickly from going a goal down. Top scorer David Syers levelled with his eighth of the campaign before James Hanson’s header had them eyeing an unexpected victory.

Taylor added: “When you concede (first) against the league leaders, there’s the chance you could go on and lose by four or five.

“But we showed good character and got back at the right time, which may have unsettled them a little bit.

“It was a good game after that. You can see why Chesterfield have done well but I think we’ve shown at times we can be a very good away from home team by breaking out with the athletes we have.”

Jon Worthington again made a difference in midfield and Omar Daley’s pace caused plenty of problems after he replaced Osborne.

The Jamaican should be back in the starting line-up to face the in-form Imps.

“I thought Omar was really exciting,” said Taylor. “He causes some problems.

“Our crossing in the final third was better because we got the ball in a little bit earlier. Gareth Evans put in a tremendous ball for Hanson with the second goal.

“When you work with the players every day, you know they can do it.

“That’s where it’s even more upsetting and frustrating when they don’t perform.

“But they are good, caring lads who want to do well. You’ve always got a chance with an honest squad.”