A fourth victory in five games lifted Bradford to 10th and if they win their game in hand at Barrow in midweek they have a chance of sneaking into the top seven on the final day.

Those hopes looked dead in the water when Walsall stormed into a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes as Ryan Stirk finished coolly and Mo Faal punished a mix-up between goalkeeper Sam Walker and Dan Oyegoke.

But Walsall old boy Andy Cook pulled one back and set up two for Jamie Walker to complete the turnaround.

Bradford City manager Graham Alexander. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

Walker was later sent off but Bradford survived a late onslaught, with Tom Knowles denied by the woodwork.

“We’re hanging around – we just have to go to Barrow and play like we did for the last 70 minutes here,” Alexander said.

“What will be, will be – I just want us to keep this run going for our own contentment, for the supporters to believe in us again.

“I’m not looking further ahead than that – we’ve parked the play-offs maybe five games ago.

“We just wanted to show we had character and personality to win games – I don’t see why we have to change that outlook now.

“I thought we showed that in abundance, not only scoring three goals but going down to 10 men for such a long period against a team that puts you under pressure.

“We got a bit of luck but fortune favours the brave and we were extremely brave. We were under the cosh for the last 20 minutes but the players stood up to it.”

Walsall: Smith, Daniels, Allen, Okagbue (James-Taylor 79), Comley (Tierney 59), Foulkes (Knowles 59), Hutchinson, Stirk, L Gordon, Faal (Johnson 74), J Gordon (Matt 60). Unused substitutes: Evans, Farquharson.

Bradford: S Walker, Oyegoke, Platt, Kelly (Oduor 82), Halliday, J Walker, Smallwood, Wright (Richards 89), Pointon (Tomkinson 73), Kavanagh (Gilliead 73), Cook. Unused substitutes: Doyle, Smith, Chapman.

Referee: A Herczeg (Durham).

Graham Alexander dismisses play-off talk after 10-man win at Walsall