GRAHAM Alexander was pleased City did not get frustrated in their comeback win over Aldershot.

The Bantams made it past the FA Cup opening round for the first time since 2020.

But they had to do it the hard way, trailing the National League side at half-time, before three second-half goals sealed the Valley Parade victory.

Alexander said: “It was a difficult game but the aim of the game was to be in the next round, which we’ve done.

“We made a few changes so I wanted to give the opportunity to some players who may have been frustrated about the lack of game time.

“It was their opportunity to show everybody what they could do and over the course of the game I think they did.

“I was obviously disappointed to go in 1-0 down but I’m delighted with the players for not getting frustrated.

“We spoke at half-time about not going chasing in the first five minutes and doing something stupid again.

“We had to have a control about ourselves and I felt we would have the quality to create chances to score again and we did that.”

Having missed chances before Jack Barham’s goal, City levelled soon after the break through Vadaine Oliver.

Aldershot defender Christian Maghoma then scored in his own net before Calum Kavanagh made sure with his first goal of the season.

“I spoke to Kav five minutes before he scored,” added the City boss. “I brought him over because he had snatched at a chance just before.

“I told him the most important thing was to win the game. The goal would come but don’t go chasing it.

“That’s the same for all the players. I don’t want them to do something on the pitch for any individual motive, it has to be for the team.

“I don’t know whether he relaxed or not but then the goal comes along. It’s probably one of the toughest chances he had where he scored from.

“It was a brilliant finish and he had a part to play in the build-up with a great pass for Lewis Richards.

“It’s not about individual landmarks or getting off the mark. But I understand strikers’ mentality – they live off goals.

“But it’s not something I overemphasise. It’s helping the team win in many different ways.”

Aldershot beat Swindon and Stockport last season on the way to the third round.

Boss Tommy Widdrington felt pride in their efforts at shocking the Bantams.

“I said to them before that whatever the result, you had to leave a memory for the people who’ve come up from Aldershot.

“The fans wouldn’t have expected Bradford to walk all over us and we gave them a scare.

“I don’t think we quite got what we deserved in terms of the good chances we created in the first half. We could have come off more than one goal to the good.

“You’ve got to give them credit because they have responded well. I’m sure Graham said they had to step it up in the second half and they did.”