Mark Hughes already evaluating Bradford City players he wants to keep for promotion push next season

Hughes was disappointed with the nature of the goals his side conceded as they let a one-goal lead slip at Bristol Rovers in a continuation of their inconsistent form.

The Bantams have won two, lost two and drawn one of their last five games and with six games remaining, have little to play for in the final stretch of the campaign. However, it is a chance for the players to show Hughes they can be part of his Valley Parade plans.

“We keep stats and it was something like 600 minutes since we had conceded from a set-play,” he said, as Dion Pereira put the visitors ahead before a corner routine led to Sam Finley scoring a spectacular goal from outside the area with Connor Taylor then scrambling home the winner after Bradford failed to clear a free-kick.

“Their first goal was a great strike, but came from a corner and the second was a really scruffy one from a free-kick we should have defended better.

“Having got ourselves into a good position, it was a disappointing result. We might have nicked a point, but whether we would have deserved it would have been debatable.

“There are still players coming back from fitness, who I have not seen yet, and that will happen when they are ready between now and the end of the season.”

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Hoole, Taylor, Connolly, T Clarke (Thomas 69), Coutts, Finley, H Anderson, E Anderson, Nicholson (L Clarke 82), Collins. Subs Not Used: Saunders, Harries, Whelan, Ward, Loft.

Bradford: Bass, Hendrie, Songo’o, O’Connor, Foulds, Watt, Evans (Cooke 70), Pereira, Walker (Vernam 46), Gilliead (Lavery 80), Cook. Subs Not Used: O’Donnell, Ridehalgh, Kelleher, Delfouneso.

Referee: N Hair (Cambridgeshire).