Mansfield Town v Bradford City - Anthony O’Connor wants response after ‘slap in the face’

On Monday, Harrogate Town inflicted the Bantams’ first home league defeat in just shy of a year.

Whereas City have played Premier League football this century, Harrogate have come up from the Northern Premier League but they are equals now. Centre-back O’Connor says it was a pity Bradford needed Monday’s televised defeat to remind them.

“Every game is tough in this league and there are no guarantees, but you have to be prepared to put in maximum effort,” he warned. “We were second best on Monday night and did not deserve anything, although it was not necessarily down to a lack of effort.

“We are aware of what happened, we have discussed it and we will hopefully put it right. The gaffer has brought in players who want to play for the club and want to work for each other. 

“We are a tight-knit group and have a good bunch, therefore we are desperate to make sure Monday was just a blip.

“It is a shame it needed a bit of a slap in the face and a wake-up call to tell us no game is easy but we have to put it to bed and make sure we are better.”

The November 24 game at Leyton Orient will now kick off at the earlier time of 7pm.

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James Mitchinson