Bradford v Leyton Orient: Bantams ordered to start killing teams off

If they had seen out those matches instead, rather than losing or drawing, they would now reside in the automatic promotion positions and be well placed ahead of the business end of the season.

Instead, they are in 11th spot, with their inability to push on and get a second goal after taking the lead being widely cited as a particularly sore Achilles heel.

It has been a frustration to everyone, players and fans alike and also, without question, manager Derek Adams.

The Bantams chief saw his side fail to put weekend opponents Crawley to bed and paid a heavy price by way of a painful 2-1 home loss to Town after taking the lead against the visitors at the Utilita Energy Stadium.

Adams insists that there are enough players in the building to enable City to aid themselves no end by finalising the outcome of games in a positive fashion in the weeks ahead.

Should they fail to do that, then it could well be the story of the club’s season come May.

Adams said: “We have looked at this season and we have good options in the squad.

“We have taken five in the transfer window to enable us to be stronger and certainly feel we have the players capable of getting into the promotion places.

“We have failed to kill off teams. As a manager standing on the sidelines, you want to get two, three and four goals. It is not always the case, but that is what you have got to try and do.

“We tried to do that on Saturday and created a number of good opportunities and weren’t able to take them.”

After Saturday’s punishing loss, City are least grateful for a quick-fire chance at recompense on home soil against an Orient side who had a fraught weekend themselves after a 2-0 defeat to Mansfield Town.

Adams added: “It was the manner in which we lost the game. We were in total control of a football match.

“We lost two goals which should never have happened.

“Sometimes, this happens and you learn from it.

“We cannot get those points back and our biggest problem this season is that we have thrown a lot of points away when we have been in very good positions.”

Last six games: Bradford WLWDWL; Leyton Orient LLLDLL.

Referee: D Handley (Lancashire).

Last time: Bradford 1 Leyton Orient 0; February 23, 2021; League Two.