Valley of tears

Call the players in on Good Friday, put them up in a hotel overnight, even take them on a 150-mile round trip in the team coach if necessary.

Do whatever it takes to convince them that they are not playing at Valley Parade.

Unfortunately, the Bradford and Bingley Stadium is more of a sand castle than a fortress these days.

Millwall, as they did a year ago, came and conquered with a last-minute winner. They were the seventh visiting team to triumph this season - and there were 12 in 2001-2002.

The powder-puff home form has Nicky Law mystified, especially compared with a seven-win away record that any of the play-off pack would be happy with.

"I can't put my finger on it," admitted Law. "It's not a fear factor because there is nothing to be frightened of. Maybe it's a mental thing and the pressure is slightly off us away from home.

"It was just like the Walsall game here. When we're at home we can't turn that superiority into goals."

A cynic might suggest the lack of atmosphere doesn't help. Saturday's 1-0 defeat had that lethargic end-of-season feel about it in the stands as well as on the pitch - for the first half-hour at least.

The players have become as frustrated as the fans and a run of only one win in seven home games has got the dressing-room searching for reasons.

Andy Gray said: "Talking about it among the team, I think it's when teams sit off us and we have to take the initiative, then we seem to struggle.

"Away from home teams come at us and we can hit them on the break.

"But our downfall all season has been our inconsistency. We can go to the hardest places in the league and play against the best teams and do well but then we find it hard to break down the lesser sides."

Since Ipswich were seen off on February 1 on Danny Forrest's dream start, Brighton, Walsall, Reading and now Millwall have taken the spoils from trips to West Yorkshire.

And what really infuriated about this latest setback was the late, late timing of the only goal. In the words of both managers, it was a game with "0-0 written all over it". And that normally means that someone is going to sneak one in stoppage time.

City switched off fatally in the closing stages, just as they did a week before at Norwich.

The warning light should have been flashing after 15-year-old substitute Moses Ashikodi spurned a glorious chance to make Football League history as the youngest ever scorer.

He skied from six yards out after Millwall skipper Stuart Nethercott had headed a late corner invitingly into the six-yard box.

But City did not heed the lesson as Millwall threatened once more. Dennis Wise's corner was not properly cleared by Mark Bower and when Andy Roberts curled a cross to the far post, Neil Harris had slipped away from his marker Andy Myers to bury a free header.

Cue more grumbling and hand-wringing in the home sections. And more barbed comments from Law about the standard of the men in the middle.

This time it was Hull referee Paul Robinson in the firing line for Law's regular jibe at the level of officialdom.

Robinson didn't endear himself to anyone for his over-fussy approach and insistence on every free-kick being taken from the precise blade of grass.

But it was his late call, or rather non-call, when Danny Cadamarteri clashed with Millwall keeper Tony Warner, that angered Law.

The City substitute, just on for his first run-out in eight games, was clattered by Warner in the corner of the box as both disputed a high ball. Cadamarteri went tumbling - and Robinson played on.

"Once again 10,000 or so people are astonished by the performance of the officials,"moaned Law. "I know I say it every week but nothing changes.

"These aren't just the comments of an angry or frustrated manager because his team have lost the match. There was a lot more to it than that.

"Their keeper made a great save at the end from Andy Gray but I wonder if that had gone in whether it might have been given offside."

Warner's plunging reaction stop to foil Gray's last-minute header was as close as City came, although Nethercott saved his side with a clearance off the line in the first half to deny Forrest, whose follow-up was only a slither wide of the far post.

Millwall had been the better side in a featureless opening 45 minutes, dictating the slow tempo with Denis Wise keeping things simple and effective in midfield.

The surprising return of Lewis Emanuel on the left gave City more balance but Ben Muirhead found it hard going on the right where he was pegged back frequently. Muirhead looks a real asset with his pace powering forward but his game is not as strong defensively.

Law decided enough was enough after 35 minutes and threw in Myers, still not fully fit but at least able to give the Bantams a more even shape on both sides.

The Bantams boss said: "Young Ben got a bit dominated and it wasn't going to be a game when you could get the ball down and pass. He was pretty null and void."

Aidan Davison saved two volleys from Paul Ifill and then superbly from eight yards to deny Harris before City clicked into gear.

The second half threatened a goal throughout but Gray, Paul Reid and Claus Jorgensen couldn't convert chances.

And a slack moment at the back meant that miserable home run goes on. Pictured is Danny Forrest, challenging Millwall's Darren Ward for the ball.