BRADFORD CITY boss Mark Hughes admitted his game plan went out of the window following “naive” Dan Oyegoke’s first-half red card but backed the on-loan defender to learn from the experience.

City slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Crawley after failing to recover from Will Wright’s 14th-minute opener and 20-year-old Oyegoke’s dismissal before the break.

Oyegoke, on a season-long loan from Brentford, picked up two yellow cards for fouls and was handed his marching orders in the 41st minute as Bradford’s season started on a losing note.

Hughes, whose assistant Glyn Hodges and Crawley boss Scott Lindsey were among 13 yellow cards handed out by referee Thomas Parsons, said: “The sending off cost us but Dan is a bright young man and he will learn from it.

FRUSTRATION: Bradford City manager Mark Hughes Picture Bruce Rollinson

“He was a bit naive but the point I made to the referee was that not all fouls are yellow cards

“Our game plan went out of the window; it cost us and we had to re-organise.”

Hughes was critical of his side in the manner that they conceded as Wright netted from 25 yards, and admitted: “We needed to get the wall right and we didn’t line it up correctly.

“There weren’t too many clear-cut chances in the game and all in all it was disappointing.”

Crawley Town: Addai, Wright, Conroy, Ransom, Gordon, Kelly (Lolos 46), Williams, Tsaroulla, Darcy (Henry 46), Orsi-Dadomo (Khaleel 90), Telford (Swyer 83). Unused substitutes: Grant, Ashby-Hammond, Omole.

Bradford City: Lewis, Taylor (Platt 69), Kelly, Ridehalgh, Halliday, Smallwood (Smith 69), Oyegoke, Oduor, Pattison (Gilliead 83), Cook (Derbyshire 69), Walker (Osadebe 83). Unused substitutes: Doyle, East.

Referee: Thomas Parsons (Manchester).

Bradford City boss Mark Hughes on where Crawley Town clash was won and lost