Bradford City v Doncaster Rovers: Bantams boss makes Tyler Smith prediction plus why Grant McCann's glass is half-full

The Sheffield-born forward, who spent a loan spell at the Bantams’ next opponents Doncaster Rovers in 2018-19, has netted 10 times this term - but has recently found himself out of the club’s league line-up.

The former Hull City and Sheffield United player, who joined Bradford on a three-year deal last summer, has not scored at league level since the Bantams’ victory against Rovers in the reverse fixture just before Christmas.

His main goal contributions this season have been reserved for the EFL Trophy. His total of six goals makes him the competition’s leading marksman.

Despite Smith’s recent lack of game-time in the league - his last start was on January 27 - City manager Graham Alexander remains confident that he will get opportunities to shine again between now and season’s end.

Alexander, whose side have been frustratingly thwarted by the weather on the past two weekends with their last league outing coming back on February 17, said: “Whenever I pick a team, I know I’m leaving good players out of it.

"I don’t say I’ve got 11 good players and the others are poor. You do feel like you’re rejecting them every time you name the team.

"But hopefully they’ll see we’ve had more than 11 players playing in our wins. It’s always been a group ethic.

"All I want is positivity and respect for their team-mates.

"Tyler has done a great job for us when he has been in the team.

"(But) I thought he was part of the team just slowing up. As I did with Cooky (Andy Cook) recently, I just wanted to give him a reset and a refresh.

"I’m sure he’ll have his opportunities again and I’ll expect him to take them because he’s a good player."

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Following an uplifting five-match unbeaten sequence, Rovers saw their colours lowered in Saturday's 3-1 loss at Walsall.

It represented their first defeat since losing 1-0 in their EFL Trophy quarter-final at Valley Parade on January 30.

Despite that setback on their recent visit to West Yorkshire, a much more competitive performance after a rough run of form at the start of the new year saw Rovers gain some confidence.

It was a night when veteran Richard Wood made his long-awaited first-term return and captained the side in his first appearance since November 28.

Regardless of events at Walsall, Grant McCann's side appear to be in a better place than they were a month-and-a-half ago.

McCann said: "I thought we played well for large periods of that night.

"The surface was not really conducive for (good) football. But I think we saw a bit of a turning point in terms of the appetite and fight, particularly after a couple of defeats that we had previous to that.

"What we have got in the changing room is good boys and people who want to do well as they can for the football club.

"We showed we could compete. I knew that anyway, it was just more the players believing it."