DEFIANT James Hanson insists City can still realise their Wembley dream this season – through the play-offs.

The striker believes they can channel the frustration over Monday night's limp FA Cup exit into an "almighty" push for the top six.

Hanson was hurt that City did not do themselves justice in the quarter-final replay defeat at Reading, which cost them a Wembley shot at Arsenal next month.

The Bantams will now turn their full focus on League One and bridging the current three-point gap to the play-offs. And Hanson feels they can put in a strong finish over the final 11 games – as they did two seasons ago – to make it into the end-of-season shoot-out.

He said: "We have done ever so well to get to the FA Cup quarter-finals and we will all remember it for years to come. But now we want to get to Wembley through the play-offs. We know we are more than capable of doing it.

"We need to string a few results together. If we do that, we could be in a good position. Things are so tight that whoever goes on a run now is going to have a great chance.

"We have a great squad and I think we can give it one almighty push to get there. This club has shown what can happen when you bounce back well.

"It all starts on Saturday – that is a massive game. Fleetwood at home is a chance for us to get back up and running. Three points can get everything started and help us go on a run."

Hanson admitted that City's FA Cup hopes never recovered from a terrible opening period which saw Reading score twice. That killed the contest, despite some superb backing from the travelling army.

The striker wants City to reward that support by rebuilding some momentum to their league campaign. He said: "We didn't start great and going behind didn't help. But then the second one, which was a bit of a fluke, went in and there was a real mountain to climb.

"I thought the fans were brilliant. Even at 3-0 down, they never stopped singing. We didn't get a touch for five minutes at one stage but they kept us going.

"We are all grateful for those who made the long trip on a Monday night, taking time off work and all that. They make such a big difference to us.

"It is a shame we couldn't put the performance in that they deserved and give them something to cheer. But we will come back stronger from this in the league. That is what matters now.

"We were saying on the way to Reading that even though we have had all these cup games, we have still managed to stay in touch. Now we have 11 games to go and there is nothing else. That means we can give it a big push."