DAVID Hopkin has warned City: “We can’t keep praising failure.”

The Scot is still looking for his first point at the Valley Parade helm after two defeats in charge.

Performances have picked up but the Bantams have paid the price for costly defensive mistakes in losing to Blackpool and Charlton.

And Hopkin is adamant that has got to change.

He said: “There are a few things we can still work on. The organisation is there but in the last couple of games it’s been mistakes.

“If everybody was opening us up, getting down the sides and putting balls in the box and scoring then I’d be really worried. But we can’t keep praising failure.

“The last two games possibly we should have had four points. We’ve left them with nil and that doesn’t bode well with me.

“I think anybody who knows my character, I’ll not have it anymore.

“Hopefully we can nullify the mistakes and learn from them quickly because of where we are in the league.

“We need to pick up a win, or even a point, just to give us something to build on.”

City restricted Charlton to few chances in Hopkin’s first game in the home dug-out. But he was unhappy with the way the visitors were given room to make them count.

“Charlton had three shots on target and scored two goals,” he added. “Richard (O’Donnell) had one save to make second half.

“But we can’t show players on to their good foot and give them a free shot at goal. That shouldn’t happen in football.

“Over the last year, there have not been many wins at Bradford. It’s not just me.

“Every team I’ve been at, I’ll always pride myself on making them hard to beat.

“I think we have been but it’s the mistakes that are being punished.

“Most teams make mistakes in games and usually get away with it. I think we’ve made five – and there’s been five goals.

“We’ve got to sort that quickly and I’m sure we will.

“We’ve got another full week’s training before we play Doncaster, which will be another very tough game.”

Hopkin was delighted with the backing from the crowd and believes they can see progress in a side that have now dropped into a relegation spot.

He said: “Hopefully fans see a team that’s getting fitter. And hopefully they will continue to do that as the weeks and months go on.

“Everybody I spoke to after the game were positive despite the result. If performances come, then results will come.

“I think the fans can see a desire in the players. For Jim O’Brien and Lewis O’Brien to come in for their debuts and play in midfield, which is a tough game, I thought the two were exceptional.

“They worked hard, asked everything I wanted from them.

“Hopefully when we start getting players back we can put in these types of performances on a more consistent basis.”

Not that Hopkin expects anyone from City’s lengthy injury list to be in the reckoning for the upcoming Yorkshire derby at the Keepmoat Stadium.

“They are probably a few weeks off. Even when you get them back training, you’ve still got to get them fit for games.

“They can’t come into my thought process at this moment. The players who are available are the most important for me just now.

“We’ve got a busy schedule coming up. We must make sure everyone is ready and in the best condition they can be with no more niggling injuries.”