Mark Bower offered no excuses after City's FA Cup hopes were shattered in cruel fashion by two Barnsley goals in extra time.

The Bantams were within touching distance of a third-round clash with Walsall when David Wetherall headed them 3-2 ahead in last night's replay.

But the Tykes hit back with only 12 minutes left to force the extra half hour and then scored two more through winger Martin Devaney to run out 5-3 winners in front of a Valley Parade crowd of only 4,738.

City centre half Bower, who headed his first goal of the campaign to level at 2-2, said: "For 90 minutes you couldn't really split us and both sides had spells on top.

"But once it went into extra time, whoever scored first was going to win it. As soon as they went ahead again I think the writing was on the wall.

"We've had two long trips the week before and possibly that caught up with us a bit but there are no excuses. We were in a winning position at 3-2 but unfortunately couldn't hold on."

Russell Howarth was in City's goal after Donovan Ricketts' appeal against his Southend red card had failed

earlier in the day.

Boss Colin Todd would not talk to the press after the game because he was unhappy about the "circumstances" surrounding the result, presumably referring to the Football Association decision.

But Bower believes City can take some positives out of their performance.

"It bodes well," he said. "The fans will be disappointed and we're disappointed but we've pushed a quality team all the way in the three games we've played them.

"We've done well against them defensively on the last couple of occasions but they got the better of us this time.

"A few of the lads were saying beforehand that this one was due a few goals because the others had been so tight and unfortunately Barnsley got a couple more than us.

"But there are some good things to have come out of it and hopefully we can take that goal-scoring form into Saturday against Rotherham."