Confidence can play such a big part in football, and results can be a huge factor in it. The managers of Rotherham United and Bradford City are doing their best to change the second part of that equation.

Thursday's 2-2 draw at the New York Stadium did not follow the formbook, or else the second-from-bottom Millers would never have taken anything off the leaders.

It ended with both Matt Hamshaw and Graham Alexander proud and disappointed at the same time.

Hamshaw was glad to see an attacking verve from his Millers which belied two wins all season, but gutted defensive mistakes did not allow them to hang onto the lead created by Denzel Hall and Martin Sherif's well-worked goals.

Alexander took heart from the never-say-die attitude behind a comeback that saw Antoni Sarcevic and Alex Pattison score, but was irritated by missed chances which made their goals only worth a point.

"You could see the confidence coming back in the players, you could see what we're about – we've just got to get a little bit better at kicking it into the stands," moaned Millers manager Hamshaw.

"Unfortunately we're getting punished for mistakes and sometimes when you're lacking a little bit of confidence that happens.

"But I just think confidence comes from in between your ears and you can believe what you want to believe. If you came to Thursday's game not knowing anything, you wouldn't think our players played with no confidence."

RESILIENCE: Bradford City have built a strong mentality under manager Graham Alexander (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

placeholder image — RESILIENCE: Bradford City have built a strong mentality under manager Graham Alexander (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

Unfortunately for Rotherham, young centre-backs Lenny Agbaire and Jamal Baptiste had bad nights.

"The two lads are devastated, they know they should just kick it into the stands and nobody would care less," said Hamshaw. "That's our job, to make them learn from that, and from my point of view make sure it doesn't happen again."

Bradford, who saw in-form Will Swan miss two good early chances and Pattison another shortly before his equaliser, showed the resolve teams on a roll tend to do.

"I love that about footballers and football teams that don't get swayed by bad timing of goals and go down under," said Alexander.

CONFIDENCE: Matt Hamshaw was pleased to see Rotherham United attack in a way that belied their form (Image: Jonathan Gawthorpe)

"The talk at half-time would have been start the second half well and it could get punctured (when Sherif scored in the 50th minute) if you've got a weak mentality.

"To keep going, keep attacking, keep creating chances, I love that about the character of our group. I love the fact that they just don't stop.

"We're not going to play well for 46 games but there's other aspects you can show to win a game.

"We've out-footballed teams, we've outrun teams and we never give in. We showed the full lot last season to get promotion and we're going to have to try and do it again."

EQUALISER: Alex Pattison (Image: Tony Johnson)

Both men are looking for the magic formula.

"I believe in being able to work well without confidence and without mood, without momentum, just those basic habits," said Alexander.

"It comes from a discipline, from a focus. It's not letting your mood affect your performance. It's really difficult to do that, as any sportsman or woman would tell you.

"The fans help us do that as well. I don't think they give up on us, which is a big thing. But it takes time to build that belief and it will always be tested."

As their place at the top of the table shows, Bradford have built it and now just have to preserve it.

“We go into every game believing we can win," insisted Pattison.

Rotherham are being sorely tested as they try to build their own belief. Continue the good from Thursday whilst working on the bad, and they might just come through this.