HARRY Lewis insists City have the numbers to handle the fixture backlog caused by a run of postponements.

Saturday’s home clash with Carlisle joined the list of winter casualties after failing a pitch inspection three hours before kick-off.

It was the third Bantams game to fall foul of the plunging temperatures in the last month and they face another blank weekend coming up because scheduled opponents Walsall are in FA Cup fourth-round action against Leicester.

The rearranged visit to Stockport tomorrow, another fixture that had to be put back due to the home side’s cup involvement, is the first of four midweek games on the horizon.

Carlisle will now be added to that list and it promises to be a hectic run through February and March.

Lewis, though, believes that Mark Hughes has the squad depth to cope with an increased workload.

He said: “The gaffer is really happy with the options that he’s got here. I’m sure there will be bits of rotation - they’ll have to be because we want boys to be fresh.

“You’ll have to rotate players but that’s why we’ve got so much quality and so many options in the squad.

“Stockport is another massive game coming up. We’re well aware that they are high on form at the minute.

“It’s another big game and then there’s no game next weekend as well. A few more days for the new signings to settle in is not necessarily the worst thing.

“We’re aware of the league position and the circumstance in League Two at the minute. It’s very congested.

“They are all big games for us now. Between now and the end of the season, every game feels like a ‘must-win’.”

Stockport, whose trip to Crewe was another of the nine League Two call-offs on Saturday, have won eight of their last 11 league games after a slow start. They are three points behind City, who they beat 1-0 in October, with a game in hand.

“Definitely there’s a feeling that we owe them one after the disappointing result at Valley Parade earlier in the season,” added Lewis. “We’ll be looking to rectify that.”