GRAHAM Alexander will keep pleading his case with the refereeing authorities for fairer treatment for City’s strikers.

The Bantams boss spoke with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited last week in the wake of his angry blast after the Walsall game.

And he plans to get back in touch to push for a fairer deal for Andy Cook and Vadaine Oliver.

Alexander had heavily criticised referee Lewis Smith’s performance at Walsall, accusing his decisions of being “one way”.

He was again unhappy that Hampshire official Andy Davies did not clamp down on substitute Oliver’s shirt being yanked in an aerial challenge during Saturday’s stalemate with Wimbledon.

Alexander still feels that the City forwards are getting a rough deal when it comes to any form of contact.

He said: “I had a good conversation with the PGMOL last week about the game last Saturday and made my points and why I said what I’d said afterwards.

“There’s a bit of a theme with our big centre forwards, certainly Andy Cook and Vadaine Oliver.

“It happened again on Tuesday (at Mansfield), which I’ve spoken to them about again.

“I’m trying to show a balance where it’s not just because we got beaten at Walsall. We won 3-0 last Tuesday but there were still things going on.

“It happened again on Saturday with Vadaine when he was having his shirt taken off.

“It’s difficult. Vadaine was in the dressing room afterwards holding his head and asking me, ‘gaffer, what can I do?’

“I’m really struggling to find the answer to that, so he can get free and make the runs he wants to do to attack the ball in the box.

“We have to try and overcome it. But rather than blurting it out in the emotion after the game I’m going to try and go along the proper lines and speak to the people involved.

“I just want to ask them for their advice about how we deal with this.”

Alexander does not want to get a reputation as a serial complainer about referees and tried to dial down his frustration after the weekend draw.

But he admits that patience is running out.

“It can’t be allowed to continue where people can basically manhandle our strikers without any intention of playing the ball,” he added.

“Not only are things not being given but sometimes the free-kick’s going against us. That blows my mind.

“There was one on Tuesday that was frightening. But I’m not going to go on a rant.

“I learned my lesson last week and I don’t want to do that.

“I have full respect for the integrity of the officials, the referees and the linesmen.

Vadaine Oliver was booked during last week's game at WalsallVadaine Oliver was booked during last week's game at Walsall (Image: Tom Pearson)

“But there’s an issue that we have to overcome somehow, so I’m going to ask if there’s any guidance we can have. If not, then we’re going to have to find a way ourselves.”

Alexander was delighted that City stood firm against a physical Wimbledon side to claim only their second clean sheet of the league campaign.

Centre halves Cheick Diabate and Jack Shepherd were the stand-out performers in the manager’s eyes.

“I thought they were superb with what they had to deal with.

“Where they come from potentially playing in a back three to changing to a back four. They are two young centre halves with not a load of games between them, to be fair.

“They’ve really taken on board what we’ve been speaking about since the Walsall game.

“We have had to change our message a little bit because of the change of formation. I can’t fault them.”