ALEX Gilliead insists City must not use the difficult state of the Valley Parade pitch as an excuse during the promotion run-in.

The playing surface was an issue in the latest draw with MK Dons and could prove even trickier when the Bantams are at home again to Peterborough on Saturday.

Gilliead admits the conditions do not help the way Stuart McCall's men like to play – but they will just have to "get on with it" against the Posh.

The on-loan winger said: "Obviously it is not what we are used to and we prefer to play on a better pitch. But it is the same for the opposition teams when they come here and we need to get on with it.

"It is not the best to play on and what we want to do is pass the ball and run with it. But we will have to get on with that and try our best and I thought we did all right (on Tuesday).

"I don't think it will get any better in four days but I don't think it is anything we can control. We know what it is going to be like and have just got to get on with it and do a job."

Mark Marshall will be pushing for a recall after McCall decided against throwing him on in the Dons clash. Yet Gilliead, playing only the second full game of his loan from Newcastle, delivered an energetic performance to impress the City boss.

Gilliead said: "I have come in to play games and show what I can do and it was my first start at home. I think I could have done a bit better in the first half but overall I am happy.

"That is what I want to do every game – I want to start and play well. There's healthy competition in this team and it is good that you are battling against good players.

"We want to pass the ball, play out and get forward and attack and excite people. That suits me to a tee and I want to do all of that and show people what I am capable of.

"It was one of those games where we couldn't really get our noses in front. In the grand scheme of things, I thought we played all right.

"It is always a test of character going behind and we went behind twice and pulled it back but couldn't just find that edge and goal to put us in front.

"They scored two of the luckiest goals that you will probably see all season, especially the cross. I think that the lad who struck it was right-footed and just swung his left and it went in off the post.

"We did not play at our best in the first half but I thought we dug deep in the second half and had the better chances and could have edged the game probably."

City have now drawn 12 of their 18 home games and 17 in total. The record for a season is 23, last equalled by Cardiff and Hartlepool in 1998.

Gilliead said: "I have only just come in and since I have been here, we have drawn about three or four.

"But the lads have said we have drawn a lot and it is something we obviously don't go out to do – we go to win every game.

"A point gets us closer to the tally that we want. We'd prefer a win but we will take a point and move on."