TIMOTHEE Dieng can vouch for how City are wearing teams down in their play-off push.

The last four wins have all been secured with goals scored in the second half and Stuart McCall believes opponents run out of steam trying to keep tabs on the Bantams.

Bury were picked off at the weekend with two strikes after the break as they tired.

McCall said: "You don't want possession for possession's sake – but it's another asset when you do have a lot of the ball, how hard the opposition have to work to stop you.

"We had a lot of possession first half and worked on moving them from side to side. You watch the amount of work we did with our shape in training on Friday.

"It was only for five or ten minutes but Tim Dieng was on the opposition side and the amount of 30-yard runs he had to make to the left and the right to cover our full backs getting forward.

"At Bury, we were aware of Lee (Clark) next to us shouting for their defence to be up or to drop or get across. They were working really hard to try to stop us and it's draining.

"I've seen it in international football with Scotland when we've played good sides. We've been in games for an hour but sometimes you can't keep up with all that work.

"You've covered a lot more ground than against a team when you can just stand in your areas and people kick the ball to you, so it's a good string to have to our bow."

Rochdale remain the only team this season that City have beaten by more than two goals, when McCall's men romped to a 4-0 win in November, so the fatigue factor can play a significant part when games are settled by small margins.

The Bantams boss said: "Every game means something to players and teams. You're not rolling teams over. You look at the results in this league and most wins are just by the odd goal. You've got to stick at it.

"But there's got to be that knowledge and know-how and belief in each other that we will get opportunities the way we play."