Bradford City 0 Torquay United 3: City were outplayed concedes frustrated stand-in chief Jackson

Nor did he deny that City were beaten by a better side, whose crisp passing and swift counter-attacking proved too much for the Bantams to handle.

Jackson, who took over when Peter Taylor left the club at the end of February, said: “It is the first time since I took over as manager that we have been outplayed for most of the game. We also gave them two soft goals. I am disappointed not just that we were beaten, but how we were beaten.

“I was full of confidence going into this game, especially with the way we played at Macclesfield, but we were so good at Macclesfield and so poor today.”

In-form Torquay, who have lost only two of their last 16 matches, went ahead after 31 minutes, a minute after goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin had dived full length to keep out a downward header from defender Guy Branston.

The visitors were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and, when Eunan O’Kane played it short, left-back Kevin Nicholson hammered the ball through the defensive wall.

Chris Zebroski and Jake Robinson wasted great chances either side of half-time before Torquay increased their lead on 59 minutes, Gavin Tomlin tapping home from Jake Robinson’s cross.

City were so ineffective that they did not have a shot on target until the 68th minute when David Syers forced Gavin Bevan to turn over his fiercely struck 20-yard effort.

Torquay put the result beyond doubt in the 79th minute when substitute Billy Kee completed a flowing move by turning the ball in from O’Kane’s cross.

Bradford City: McLaughlin, Bullock, Williams, Oliver, Threlfall, Adeyemi, Syers, Worthington, O’Brien (Dobie 77), Evans (Speight 57), Flynn. Unused substitutes: Pidgeley, Osborne, Chilaka, Horne, Flett.

Torquay United: Bevan, Mansell, Robertson, Branston, Nicholson, Robinson (Halpin 88), O’Kane, Tomlin, Oastler, Laythorpe, Zebroski (Stevens 82). Unused substitutes: Potter, Rowe-Turner, Ellis, Murray.

Referee: P Miller (Bedfordshire)

Man of the match: Jon Worthington.