Why Bradford City are still singing, even as injuries rain down on Valley Parade

Antoni Sarcevic: "hamstring strain out for a few weeks".

Lewis Richards: Season-ending operations on his hamstring and shoulder.

Alex Pattison, pictured: "He's had his appendix out. That came out of nowhere."

Ciaran Kelly, Tyreik Wright and Callum Johnson were back this week, but none will be fit to play at Priestfield.

"It never rains but it pours," says manager Graham Alexander.

But the momentum second-placed Bradford have – four straight wins, 38 points from 45 since Christmas, one goal conceded in 12 games, Sarcevic named as League Two’s player of the month for February, Graham as the manager – has them singing in the rain.

The chopping and changing which would weaken most teams might even be helping the Bantams.

"They're a good group around each other anyway, they enjoy each other's company and the staff's," stresses Alexander. "There's a zip around the place.

"There's the usual noise (in the dressing room), the music is blaring. It's a good environment, which it has been all season, to be fair, even in difficult moments.

"When you're in a rich vein of form and everyone is contributing, it's not half of the squad, it's everybody – it's good to see."

On Tuesday, George Lapsile became the 23rd player to start in Bradford's 13 league this year, and two goals showed the midfielder's importance.

The injuries have made Alexander manage differently – maybe better.

"Over the last couple of months I've changed the team and rotated a winning team, that hasn't been the case in the past," he acknowledges.

"I would have expected in previous times when I was having a successful team there'd be a few players on the outside of it who felt separated from it maybe.

"I've just felt with what we've had to do with the squad in the last couple of months it's given everyone value, everyone the opportunity to contribute.

"I believe there's more 'on the boat'.

"I was accepting of that (attitude from the players left out) because I wasn't a happy bunny if I wasn't playing but using so many players throughout this period, I think everyone's together and I don't see any small groups talking to each to each other.

"I see different people sitting with each other every day.

"We believe it's not just on the pitch that you can help a winning environment. Before the game on Tuesday Cooky (the injured Andy Cook) and Sarce (Sarcevic) were around the boys."

Injured players are also sitting in on team and unit meetings – and, importantly, not just sitting in.

"I believe that's why players have been able to come in, because the way we want to play is for everybody," says Alexander. "Their knowledge of our game is really good to hear and they might add something we're missing. They might see something a little bit different to us."

When even injuries can be good news, something is going well.