Boss challenges his players to bounce back from Cup exit with positive performance at Bradford.

Steve Davis is expecting a response from his players at Valley Parade this weekend following the club’s disappointing exit to Eastleigh in the FA Cup first round.

The Railwaymen travel to Yorkshire aiming to follow up a superb 1-0 win over Sheffield United in League One last time out. A Ryan Colclough volley gave us a moral boosting first home win of the season. Three points at Bradford and results going our way could see exit the relegation drop zone.

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to Bradford, Steve told crewealex.net: “I’m sure there will be a response from the players because I know how much the Eastleigh defeat hurt them. They were disappointed to go out of the FA Cup against a club in a lower league than ourselves, especially when we didn’t appear in danger of losing it.

“Going Bradford provides a different type of test but one that they will embrace. We have told them if they can put two halves together like we did against Sheffield United then we are capable of beating anyone in this league on our day. Now they have proved it, it should give them confidence and something to build on.

“It isn’t as if they are going into the unknown. They have faced Bradford on a number of occasions and know their players. Mentally that will help them because they are familiar with what they are up against. They knew about Eastleigh and what their strengths and weaknesses were but they didn’t know the players that well because they had never played against them before.

The boss added: “Our centre-halves for instance will know all about James Hanson and what he can do. It is up to us to show some character again and nullify their threat and try and get a good result.”