BARROW’S need for a morale-boosting victory is as great as their hosts tonight.

The Bluebirds were sitting pretty at the top of League Two in late September after 16 points from the opening seven games.

But the 10 since have produced just the one more win – and none in their last seven outings.

That has seen Stephen Clemence’s side drop into the bottom half, although they would overtake the Bantams with three points at Valley Parade.

Barrow have not played for 10 days since a late loss at Chesterfield and Clemence hopes that has helped clear heads for the City clash.

“It’s given us a good opportunity to work on things we can really improve on,” he told the club website. “We’ve identified some areas where we can better.

“We started the season ever so well but in the last period of games, we’ve still done okay but come out the wrong side of things.

“We’ve tried to change our style of play from the past couple of seasons. We haven’t been that far away but because the run of results haven’t been good, you start thinking that everything’s not right.

“We have been a bit unfortunate but you have to make your own luck and have to make sure you come out the right end of these tight games.”

Key trio Ged Garner, Emile Acquah and Kian Spence are all closer to returning and could be involved.

And Clemence insists the Cumbrians, who won at City last season in Graham Alexander's first game in charge, will arrive in West Yorkshire in confident mood.

“It’s a game to look forward to as a football player. You’re going to be up against it and our first job is to quieten the crowd and can we get in front?

“We’ll try and take the game to Bradford. It won’t be easy, but we’ve got a plan in place and will go there and try and win it.”

Midfielder Charlie Kirk added: “We’ve been in pretty much every day since the Chesterfield game but I think we needed that mental reset.

“We’ve got to go there and silence their fans. We know what kind of game we’re going to get.”