Hat-trick hero Dean Windass would have gladly swapped his match ball for all three points in Bradford City's eight-goal thriller against Derby.

The Bantams knew that victory was vital against fellow strugglers Derby but despite taking the lead twice Paul Jewell's men had to settle for a 4-4 draw.

Windass deservedly earned the match ball with three superbly struck goals to as he chalked up the fourth hat-trick of his career.

The City midfielder revealed that yesterday's triple was a big highlight in his career before admitting: "I would have swapped it for Bradford City winning three points.

"You only had to look at the lads' faces at the end of the match to know we feel we have thrown two points away.

"We know how important a victory would have been and this is why we are all very down at the moment.

"It was my best hat-trick because it has come in the Premier League and from a personal point of view I am delighted with that. The gaffer has given me a chance this season and I feel I have proved a lot of people wrong.

"It was good to score three and all with my left foot but I just wish we could have claimed all three points."

The result leaves City six points behind the Rams and five adrift of Wimbledon and it is going to take a huge turnaround in the side's fortunes to get out of trouble now.

However Windass refuses to believe that City will go down and says they can chalk up a victory at Sunderland on Easter Monday.

He said: "We just have to keep battling away - we are not the sort of team to give up now. We can hopefully go to Sunderland and take all three points.

"It was an amazing game against Derby. I played in a Sunday League football when I was 16 or 17 and it was just like one of those games. It had everything.

"We said before the game 'Let's not concede in the first 20 minutes' but then 20 seconds after the kick-off we were a goal down and another followed strai-ght after.

"Thankfully we got the first goal back pretty quickly and for the second I just hit it with my left foot. It was game on then and anyone could have won the points.

"It is not all over. We need to play like we did today and show same character and commitment. Hopefully we can turn it round and catch Wimbledon."

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