MARK Marshall has credited Stuart McCall for keeping City relaxed during their fast start to the season.

The Bantams are up to third in League One with ten points after Saturday's comeback win over Coventry – their best opening to a campaign for 19 years.

Marshall scored a stunning goal to add to Tony McMahon's two penalties during a nine-minute burst in the second half and he has praised the way McCall takes the pressure off the players.

The City winger said: "The manager has told the boys to go out and express themselves. So when you've got a youngster like Danny Devine coming in, the manager takes the pressure off him.

"If you make one mistake, that's fine, just go again. That's been a big factor and it's helped us. The gaffer's just said to go out there and enjoy yourselves.

"Before the game, he was telling us 'boys, you've been brilliant so far, so go out there and enjoy it'. That makes you relax as a player.

"We can't get carried away. Ultimately there's 42 games left and we've got to get 70-odd points to make the play-offs. But it's not a surprise to me that it's been a good start because we've got good characters in the team.

"Everybody knows they are playing to keep their shirt because we've got good players to come back. You've got to put in a performance.

"That's the beauty of the challenge. You've got to keep working hard because if you don't, there will be someone else coming for you."

Marshall opened his scoring account for City with his first goal since March 2015 – his last for Port Vale was also in a win over Coventry – and admitted it had been a long time coming.

He said: "The whole season I've been trying to get shots off. I've been practising and practising. But it's a great result for us, especially after the first half.

"Teams have been taking notice of the start we've had. With video analysis and things like that, their manager will have told them to press us and stop us playing out from the back.

"But with a little bit of advice from our gaffer, we came out second half and stretched the game and got what we deserved.

"We haven't been behind all season, so it was a great show of character to come back from 1-0 down. But we always believed because we've created loads and loads of chances in games."

Meanwhile, City have switched their attacking attentions elsewhere after Mansfield made it clear that target Matt Green will not leave.

Stags boss Adam Murray confirmed they had rejected an offer from a "higher-division club" and said: "Unless there was a ridiculous bid coming in, then we obviously wouldn't sell Matt."

McCall has ruled out trying to bring in another right back, despite McMahon now missing at least a month with a torn thigh muscle, and will opt to switch Devine, who performed the role in pre-season.

The City boss said: "We'll go to our young man Danny, who can play outstandingly anywhere across the park.

"Stephen Darby is back training with us probably at the end of the week but it's far too early to even think about him coming into the side.

"But we certainly won't be looking for another right back. We've got two good ones when they are fully fit and we'll just have to change it round a bit."