Graham Alexander says Bradford’s play-off aspirations ‘still in our hands’

Manager Graham Alexander believes Bradford are handling the pressure as they close in on the League One play-offs.

The fourth-placed Bantams drew 1-1 at home to Plymouth and have a five-point advantage in the top six with two games to play.

Alexander said: “It’s still in our hands. It’s still there for us to win the points that we need.

“It’s just handling the pressure of that and not looking over your shoulder too much. Sometimes chasing gives you that.

“I said to the players yesterday that we’re the team outside the top two who’ve won the most games in this division. We’re a good team.

“Obviously they’re in the chasing pack and we’re in the play-off positions and they’ve been on great form and scored a lot of goals.

“At 1-0 up early on, I think they probably have us in their sights. But I thought we played well and defensively we were so strong.

“They put you under a lot of pressure, they’re a big physical team, they get the ball forward, have set pieces and a lot of long throws.

“I thought the players were superb and the draw suits us more than it does them. I think it’s a good point.”

Plymouth took an eighth-minute lead, Brendan Wiredu volleying home from a Ronan Curtis corner.

Alex Mitchell cleared off the line to deny Stephen Humphrys from Bradford’s first effort on target.

But they levelled after 72 minutes when Conor Hazard parried Humphrys’ shot and Will Swan pounced on the rebound.

It leaves Plymouth four points behind Stevenage, who occupy the last play-off spot.

Head coach Tom Cleverley said: “The picture looks a little bit worse than it did at the start of today.

“I wouldn’t say we need snookers but we’re not far off. We still need to focus on doing our job.

“As someone who was 10 points clear in a league title race in April and then lost it in May on goal difference, we’ve got Mike Stowell who won the league with Leicester and now they’re in League One.

“There are more weird and wonderful things that happen in football than us making these play-offs.

“Bradford are fourth in the table largely from how good they are here. In isolation you’re proud of that performance.

“We gave them absolutely nothing until the moment we made four or five micro mistakes that lead to a goal. We reduced them to hopeful long balls up the pitch that we dealt with really well.

“Then the goal came and Bradford’s mentality changed to slow the game down. They were happy with the draw.

“I thought we did really to put them under pressure and try to create a moment but, ultimately, we couldn’t get the job done.”