GRAHAM Alexander admitted City’s first home defeat since March was a “punch on the nose”.

Doncaster took the Yorkshire derby honours with a 2-1 win at Valley Parade this afternoon.

Andy Cook’s 10th goal of the season gave the Bantams late hope of a comeback but they could not find a second.

Alexander said: “They kept going and never gave anything up at 2-0. The response from the supporters was the same.

“It’s a punch on the nose and we have to take it. We’ve had a brilliant run at home - seven months since our last defeat is some going.

“We’ve just got to make sure we respond as we always have and that’s in a positive fashion in the next game.”

The Bantams chief was unhappy with the manner of both Doncaster goals.

The first came from a City attack as they allowed the visitors to break from a long ball up the pitch.

Veteran striker Billy Sharp added a second 10 minutes later when he was allowed to score unmarked. The 38-year-old has now scored eight times in nine outings against the Bantams.

“The goals have really hurt us,” said Alexander. “They were two really poor ones from our perspective.

“The clearance for the first one should be dealt with. It’s three against two and we don’t make any contact on the opponent at all through the move.

“There had been a few warnings but that was probably the least dangerous one because it was just a big clearance. We’ve just not dealt with it.

“With the other one, we’d talked about our press and one of the lads has unfortunately just switched off and they’ve broken through.

“But we’ve still allowed a top striker a free run into the box into the middle of the goals. We don’t see our centre forwards being allowed to mosey on in the box unchallenged.

“If you saw the state of Cooky’s shirt every game, you’d realise the amount of contact he takes.”

Alexander made all five subs at once in the closing stages as City launched a late rally after Cook headed home Lewis Richards’ cross.

“We wanted to go for it. There’s no point in going half-hearted.

“There were lads on there who were fatiguing. Lads who’d come into the team like Jay Benn and Tyreik Wright.

“The amount of high-speed running they did, even in the first half, was more than some players get in the whole game.

“We knew there was a risk with them blowing up and I didn’t want to have to bring them off injured.

“When we were talking about making one or two subs, I just decide we might as well go for it.

“The players need to see that we’re still in this and the supporters do as well. I think the team and fans responded in the best way possible.

“We showed that we were going to fight to the end. We just ran out of time.”