CITY are growing "comfortable with being uncomfortable" as they prepare to tackle League Two’s best home record.

The Bantams look to follow up Saturday’s success at Walsall when they hit the road again to face Cheltenham tomorrow night.

City have conceded just five goals in the opening eight games – their best run at this stage since 1994.

That impressive defensive form will be put up against a Cheltenham side who have scored 12 times in their first four outings at Whaddon Road.

Gary Bowyer said: “I’m very pleased for the players they are seeing a reward for their efforts.

“It comes from the characters we recruit and from pre-season when we tried to put them into situations to make them as comfortable as possible being uncomfortable – being under the cosh a little bit.

“There’s also the desire from the players to keep clean sheets and obviously the goalkeeper plays his part in that. He’s certainly stood up when called upon.

“The exciting bit for me is that we are finding ways to win. We have a fantastic spirit where we keep going to the end.

“I want us to be better with the ball and play a bit more. But you must give the players who have been brought in time.

“We forget that five or six of them are still in pre-season, so to speak, with the amount of time they’ve had on the pitch. That includes Shay McCartan and the likes of Callum Cooke and Jamie Devitt, before he got injured.”

Devitt’s operation on his torn hamstring went well over the weekend but he is not expected back before the new year.

Jordan Gibson is likely to be out for a fortnight with a calf injury but Zeli Ismail is back from suspension.

Bowyer has been pleased with his side’s resilience – and the way they did not get frustrated after James Vaughan’s early effort was harshly ruled out at Walsall.

“I’ve seen it back and it’s a goal,” added the City boss. “No doubt I’ll get a phone call saying the ref got it wrong.

“But we’re showing the toughness to see things out and we are also creating good chances as well.

“Even in the games where we’ve been behind, the response has been very good. They dust themselves down and get on with it.

“Cheltenham are one of the best teams I’ve seen so far and have a wily old fox (up front) in Luke Varney. I had him at Blackburn and obviously people round here will know him from his Leeds days.

“Knowing the character that Varns is, he will put good demands on that dressing room.

“They do cause teams problems and we’ve made our lads aware of that.”