GARY Liddle is confident Aaron Mclean can thrive if City learn how to use him properly.

The pair were both on the scoresheet in Saturday's 2-0 win over Crewe – to end a run of nearly two months without a Valley Parade victory in the league.

It was Mclean's third goal of the campaign, but first at home, as he swept in a Mark Yeates cross to finally break the resistance of the division's whipping boys. He had earlier seen a shot cleared off the line.

Liddle, who clinched the result two minutes later with a superb finish, insists City must play to Mclean's strengths to reap the rewards.

He said: "Azza plays on the defender's shoulder a lot and likes balls in behind the back four. We didn't do that enough in the last home game and the point was made.

"Azza's his own man and a good player. He also keeps going – we know he was disappointed after missing that first chance but didn't let his head drop.

"The formation helped him a bit by playing wingers who could get up and down the sides. It was a great goal and hopefully he can grab a few more on the back of it."

Phil Parkinson scrapped the midfield diamond to use two widemen after calling for his side to supply more crosses. But it took City 72 minutes before Mclean was able to turn their heavy pressure into an opening goal.

The City chief said: "That's where Aaron is at his best, in the six-yard box with his movement and speed across the ground over four or five yards.

"When we do crossing and finishing in training, he's almost unmarkable. That's where we want him.

"We don't want him coming deep looking for the ball. His game is about being in the opposition penalty box when the ball's coming in there and attacking it aggressively.

"Aaron had a period when he first came when he didn't score – but he's got seven in 17 starts for us now. After that initial period when he was a long way off the pace physically, he's doing better.

"All strikers need the confidence of goals but they need service as well. Yeatesy delivered a really important ball and Aaron got on the end of it."

City moved up to seventh with a win over the League One basement side, who are already six points from safety after a fourth straight loss.

But Liddle was well aware of the danger of complacency creeping in and admitted: "It was a potential banana skin. We were expected to win even though home form hasn't been great.

"Crewe are bottom of the league, so they had nothing to lose in reality. They came here without anyone expecting them to get anything.

"You saw what can happen in that situation when Blackpool beat Cardiff on Friday, so we were under no illusions."

Parkinson praised the reaction from defenders Christopher Routis and James Meredith, who were left out to make way for Andrew Davies and Alan Sheehan.

"Their attitude in the dressing room before the game and in training was absolutely top class," said the Bantams boss.

"When players get left out, sometimes they can be disappointed. But they've got to hide that and back the rest of the boys.

"They were very unlucky to lose their place but I felt I had to shake up the pack."