Bradford City boss Graham Alexander on dip in away league results ahead of League Two derby at Harrogate Town

The Bantams' away numbers were bettered only by the promoted duo of Stockport County and Mansfield Town last term and they only lost back-to-back league games on their travels just once in 2023-24 - it occurred last October.

Just three away matches into the current campaign and that 'feat' has already been recorded by virtue of successive losses at Grimsby Town and Walsall.

Events have not been kind to City, that said - certainly in terms of injury issues at the back and some tough refereeing calls.

Manager Graham Alexander is not discounting potentially implementing a change or two in terms of pre-match preparations for away games in the future if events persist.

What he is conscious of is the importance of his players getting back on the straight and narrow in terms of road form sooner rather than later.

Given a rough result last season at derby rivals Harrogate Town, there would be no better place to do just that - from a psychological perspective - than at Wetherby Road on Saturday lunch-time.

On the reasons for his side's recent away form in the league, he commented: "Try not to lose centre halves in the first 20 minutes in both those games.…

"We have to look at how we prepare. Both games we’ve travelled and been in a hotel and we’re looking at that to see if that has any impact.

"But it’s the same preparation that we had last season, there’s no difference there. We’re only three away games in, so we’ve had limited exposure.

“It’s something we were happy with last season – our preparation and obviously the results.”

As for any worrying on-pitch traits in his side's last two away games, Alexander says it's also too early to tell.

He added: "It’s not long enough to see if there’s a pattern. But there have been instances in both those games.

"In the Grimsby game, we didn’t compete at a level to win a game. At Walsall we did, but there were a lot of things that went against us that day.”