Bradford City manager Graham Alexander on why he substituted Bobby Pointon at half-time in the League Two game versus Notts County

Local lad Pointon made way at the break, despite arguably being City's best performer in a first half which saw them concede four unanswered goals and implode in a defensive sense.

The teenager was one of the few players to take the fight to Notts, but Alexander elected to sacrifice him at the break amid a change of formation.

Alexander switched to a three-man central defence with wing-backs, with substitutes Matty Platt and Ciaran Kelly playing alongside Sam Stubbs in the backline while Brad Halliday and Lewis Richards were deployed on the right and left-hand side respectively.

On the decision to bring off Pointon, Alexander commented: "We had to change the tactical shape and that was it.

"Because we wanted our wing-backs to be really aggressive in the press, we looked at the shape and unfortunately, for Bobby, there was no place for him.

"I said to him that it was nothing to do with his performance. We just had to change formation and use the players who could best adapt to it."

One major plus on the day in the East Midlands was the terrific support of the 2,276 travelling City contingent, who backed the side in tough circumstances during the second half with their backing not lost upon an admiring Alexander.

He continued: "It was brilliant to see and in the second half, I was lifted by the supporters getting behind the team as well and I am sure that the players were during that second half.

"But it is a two-way street. We have to give them some endeavour and they (will) go: 'That's a team who are fighting for the badge'. I thought we did that in the second half."