Graham Alexander is confident that rather than feeling sorry for themselves at Barrow on Saturday, his Bradford City players will use their disappointment to ensure they do not miss out on Wembley again.

Bantams fans ought to have spent the last couple of days planning trips to world football's most famous ground after Wednesday's Football League Trophy semi-final at home to Wycombe Wanderers.

But after totally outplaying the Chairboys for 90 minutes, Matt Butcher's stoppage-time goal condemned them to a 1-0 defeat.

It comes nine months after Ben Barclay's extra-time goal for Carlisle United denied them a place in the League Two play-off final.

So close: Bradford City captain Richie Smallwood consoles Sam Stubbs at the final whistle as they lose the chance to go to Wembley (Picture: Tony Johnson)

placeholder image — So close: Bradford City captain Richie Smallwood consoles Sam Stubbs at the final whistle as they lose the chance to go to Wembley (Picture: Tony Johnson)

So Alexander expects to see extra determination to ensure his team finally gets to play under the arch in May, in this year's play-off decider.

Winning their last three league games has lifted the Bantams to 13th in League Two, two points outside the top seven.

“There are two options," commented Alexander. "We feel sorry for ourselves and sulk or we use it as fuel. I know which one I’ll be using and we’ll have to make sure the players do that.

“I think that will be the case after looking into the players’ eyes and what I’ve learned about them in the last three months.

FAITH: Bradford City manager Graham Alexander

“There is something right in front of us. It’s going to be a battle.

“There are still plenty of opportunities and games but there are loads of other teams in that group. They are all thinking the same.

“We have to make sure we come out on top of that group come the end of the season after 46 games.

“What I’ve seen from the players in the last three months, we’re certainly more than capable of that.

“We’ve just got to make sure we’re fully focused on the future and not what’s just gone.

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“These are the games you want to be involved in, even if sometimes they don’t go your way. Luckily enough for us, we still have the potential opportunity to be involved in games like this again this season.

“But there’s a lot of hard work that goes into that, a lot of discipline away from the club in how you live to get across that white line.

“If we can do that, we’ll give ourselves the best chance of making it a successful season.”