Matty Lund expects Bradford City will be in for a battle at Rochdale

Matty Lund scored the second goal as Bradford City beat Portsmouth on Tuesday night (Picture: Bruce Rollinson).

After passing a character examination in successive fixtures against two sides with varying hopes of promotion in Portsmouth and Shrewsbury Town, City must now achieve pass marks against a side fighting for their League One lives in relegation-haunted Dale.

Former Barnsley manager Keith Hill’s side have shown their mettle in taking four points from their last two fixtures and Lund – who won promotion from League Two with Dale in 2013-14 – says that the visitors must replicate their resolute qualities of their past two matches in their quest to build some late-season momentum.

Lund, who came off the bench to score City’s key second goal in Tuesday’s morale-boosting win over Pompey, said: “We have got to show the fight that we have in the last two games. If we do not do that then we will get beaten.

“If we show that fight on Saturday I know we can play our football at the right times and score goals.

“I know that Rochdale is not an easy place to go because I was there for a few years and I know what it is like and it is a tough place to play.

“They will work hard and be up for the fight as it is a huge game for them. But it is a massive game for us and it is going to be an exciting one.”

Injury precluded Lund from involvement in the Bantams’ last Red Rose trip, a pitiful 5-0 defeat at Blackpool just under a fortnight ago witnessed by 2,500 aghast visiting fans, but the Manchester-born midfielder acknowledges that City owe it to the travelling supporters to provide some payback in their latest away assignment tomorrow.

The loanee from Burton Albion added: “I was not involved, but after the game the lads who have come in have really showed their work ethic and turned things around. We have got to keep showing it.

“We have got to show the away support at Rochdale – and there will be a few of them there – that we have really turned the corner.

“It is good we had two home games after the Blackpool game as it gave us a real intent to go and get the points we have. Hopefully on Saturday we can again show the fans.”