Bradford City 1 Bury 1: Lack of finishing power costing Bantams dear

Bradford City's Nicky Law (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).

The Bantams have netted just 29 goals in 24 league matches and McCall, who takes his side to Northampton today for their third holiday fixture in eight days, was again left frustrated at seeing Bradford held to their fourth successive draw, against a Bury side without a win in 14 matches, including 12 defeats in a row.

He said: “There are a lot of good things about our squad and our team, but the most important thing we are looking to improve is in the striking area. That said, we haven’t got a magic wand that turns chances into goals.

“It’s not often we’ve been disappointed with the players, but at half-time we got into them a little bit. We were poor all over. There was a better response in the second half, but we still haven’t capitalised on some good opportunities.

“The longer it goes on the more tense the players get, the fans get and we get. We get anxious and snatch at opportunities.

“We’ve had enough opportunities, but we have not been clinical enough again. That’s down to a bit of confidence and belief, but we keep going.”

Scott Burgess put Bury ahead after 39 minutes, coolly lobbing the ball over the head of the advancing Colin Doyle after latching onto a long clearance just moments after Jordy Hiwula had seen his close-range shot blocked at the other end.

Bradford applied pressure from the start of the second half and were rewarded with an equaliser after 62 minutes.

James Hanson, who had seen visiting goalkeeper Rob Lainton make a diving save to keep out his downward header in the 25th minute, headed the ball into the path of Hiwula. His shot was blocked, but the ball rebounded to Nicky Law, who fired into the empty net.

City continued to dominate, but could not turn pressure into goals and have now gone five matches without a win.

Bradford City: Doyle, McMahon, Vincelot, Knight-Percival, Kilgallon, Marshall (Vuckic 81), Devine (Dieng 72), Cullen, Law, Hanson, Hiwula (McNulty 72). Unused substitutes: Sattelmaier, Darby, Meredith, McArdle.

Bury: Lainton, Soares, King, Bedeau, Leigh, Burgess (Mellis 67), Etuhu, Hope, Miller (Vaughan 66), Styles, Pope. Unused substitutes: Williams, Dudley, Walker, Cooney.

Referee: A Haines (Tyne and Wear).

Man of the match: Josh Cullen.