Why Mark Hughes remains calm despite Bradford City's frustrating cycle of draws

Their tally of 11 last season - the second-highest in the division - was one of the reasons why they missed out on the top seven and in the present, it's a contributory factor to City not breaking into the top three.

While their away form is currently the best in the division, their statistics on home soil are disappointingly ranked as the 11th best.

On a night when three points would have moved Mark Hughes's side to within three points of the third and final automatic promotion place, they had to settle for another point in a stalemate with a direct rival in Carlisle, who find themselves now in third on goal difference.

It was fifth-placed City's second draw in succession on home soil and fourth on the spin.

At the business stage of the season, it can be a nasty habit.

Hughes remains calm, that said, with nine games to go.

The City chief, whose side are seven matches unbeaten, on the positive side, said: “We’ve just got to break this cycle of draws at the moment, which is a little bit frustrating for us.

“But I would be more concerned if the performances weren’t anywhere near where they needed to be.

“I was more than pleased with what we produced. We just needed that edge and little bit of luck to get the breaks going your way.

“Next time we play, which isn’t at the weekend because of the (Crewe) game being cancelled, hopefully we’ll get those.

“We’ve just got to go with the view that we’ve got to win every one and challenge ourselves to do that.

“If we do, then we’ll achieve what we want to.

“It’s a big ask, it’s not easy when a team are very direct like Carlisle were.

“It’s difficult to sustain pressure and keep momentum against them as whenever they had the opportunity to clear their lines, they put their foot through it and we had to start again.

“I’ve no complaints. I thought we were excellent, certainly in the second half when we asked questions of a very good team.”

City's degree of difficulty in terms of breaking into the top three has undoubtedly increased as a result of Tuesday's events.

His side's defensive resolve - their shut-out against the Cumbrians was their eighth in 13 matches since mid-January - remains a heartening facet for Hughes, who also possesses the division's top-scorer in his ranks in Andy Cook.

Hughes, whose side return to action against Grimsby on Saturday week continued: “It’s going to be important. We’ve talked about Cooky as well. He was still creative and made the best chance of the game.

“Even if we don’t get him on the scoresheet, he was always affecting the game.

“We just have to have more guys chipping in as well, which is probably what we’ve lacked.

“But if we have a solid defensive base and are able to bang out clean sheets, that’s clearly going to help us."