Graham Alexander says Bantams stayed calm in rough patch

The Bantams recorded successive victories for the first time this season as they followed up beating Newport with a first away three points since the opening day.

Saturday’s 2-0 win at Tranmere lifted Alexander’s side into the play-off places and continued to put the recent rough patch behind them.

But Alexander stressed nobody will be thinking any differently on the back of a very good week.

“We’re not going to change how we are inside,” he said.

“We were composed when it wasn’t going so great. We understood the difficulties we had in that period so we didn’t lose our heads or panic.

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“We knew there was a good team and squad here but we were depleted at the time.

“You either get the players back and make it stronger or you have time to work with those who have come into the team.”

The City boss highlighted centre halves Jack Shepherd and Cheick Diabate and how the loan duo have learned fast from the selection and formation turmoil caused by a glut of injuries.

Alexander added: “We worked with Jack and Cheick especially who were just thrust into the team.

“But they’ve had a few games now and we can improve them on the training pitch and with the analysis and stuff like that.

“They can feel more up to speed because they were probably undercooked a little bit because of lack of games. It’s just bits like that.

“I still believe this squad is a good one with competition all over the place and players who can play in a couple of different positions.

“They deserve the six points in two games because they’ve worked exceptionally hard in trying to improve from where they were three weeks ago.”

Having picked up only one point from their last four away trips, Andy Cook’s double at Prenton Park clinched a first win on the road since Stadium MK over two months ago.

That was despite losing Neill Byrne just before the game through sickness – which meant a late recall for Brad Halliday in an unusual central-defensive role.

Alexander said: “We’ve lost centre halves right at the start of those games and then we lose one in the warm-up.

Jack Shepherd, left, went off in the second half with a dead leg (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“But the players have stood up and maybe learnt a few lessons with how we started those particular games with a bit of disruption.

“I think we were a little bit more composed. It was more, ‘okay, that’s happened but we’ve still got a good team out there’.

“Every credit to them for that. A clean sheet was really important as well.

“You need them if you want to be successful. We can’t just outgun teams.

“We want to be an attacking team and we’re quite happy with our output. But we don’t want to be cheap at the other end.”

Shepherd came off early in the second half after feeling the effects of a shuddering challenge on ex-City striker Omari Patrick.

“He made a brilliant tackle in the box and felt it.

“He had a dead leg probably about three games ago and it really hurt him. I think he got hit on it again and he just couldn’t sprint, although the rest of his game was fine.

“They had a bit of pressure and were turning us a lot and we just needed somebody who could run at the pace required. That’s why we brought on Lewis (Richards).”