GARY Bowyer won’t be telling James Vaughan to curb his enthusiasm against Carlisle tomorrow.

The City skipper is one booking away from a ban after picking up his fourth yellow card at Cheltenham.

But Bowyer is not looking for the striker to ease back with his full-on approach.

The Bantams chief said: “You can’t take away how Vaughany plays the game.

“But I think a couple of the bookings have been very harsh.

“He got booked for trying an overhead kick. If the ball goes in the net, you give the goal.

“There was that one and I didn’t think it was a booking on Tuesday night either, sliding in like he did. He didn’t go in with any particularly aggressive manner.

“But I think sometimes his reputation goes before him.

“He’s experienced enough to know that he’s got to keep that side of his game. You don’t want to be taking that away from how he is.”

Read more: Five things we learned from Bantams' defeat at Cheltenham

City returned from the midweek defeat with a clean bill of health and Bowyer has not sensed any tired bodies from the travelling as they aim to bounce straight back at Valley Parade.

“It’s something you get on with and adapt to very quickly,” he added. “You can’t be using anything as an excuse.

“They get a good enough education to know to go and do something themselves on the Wednesday after getting back late.

“So at least, we could do a little bit more than if they were just coming in having not done anything.

“From my knowledge, the lads we’ve got are very professional with it. They look after their bodies well, so it’s not a problem at all from the starting 11.”

After back-to-back away trips, Bowyer wants to see his team get straight on the front foot and look to recreate the home atmosphere from the comeback win over Northampton.

“I think that second half was as close to the best we’ve been this season, buoyed by the supporters.

“The players always enjoy being at home and playing in front of the support we have. That’s why they signed for the club because of the crowd and the role they play.

“You saw it against Northampton when we brought on Zeli Ismail and Callum Cooke.

“The fans played their part and we scored two goals in the last period of the game. Leading up to that, we’d huffed and puffed but the crowd got us out of it with how they were and the noise they generated.

“Eventually, it was just like a case of knocking the door down after keep pushing at it.”

Carlisle have won successive away games and Steven Pressley’s side will fancy their chances of extending that run against a Bantams side, who have been frustrated at home by Cambridge and Forest Green.

Bowyer said: “We know how teams have come to set up at Valley Parade. They’ve all displayed different game plans.

“I’m expecting no different from Carlisle. It’s up to us to quickly see how they play and find ways to overcome it like we did against Northampton.

“They’ve won on the road and drew 0-0 at home to Forest Green on Tuesday. We’ve watched that game and they have some players who can hurt you at the top end of the pitch as well.

“It will be the first time I’ve been up against Steven in a game.

I’ve spoken to him on several occasions on the phone regarding players when he was at Coventry and Fleetwood. But I’ve never been up against him until now.”