Relieved Stuart McCall admitted it was about time City got lucky after shocking away specialists Chester.

Wingers Omar Daley and Alex Rhodes scored to give the Bantams their first win for nine games at a tense Valley Parade last night.

Kevin Ellison pulled one back in stoppage time but it came too late to save the high-flying visitors from a first loss on the road.

McCall acknowledged that City's performance was no classic but felt they had earned their good fortune in a match that saw both teams fluff penalties - Nicky Law missing for the home side.

McCall said: "We got a little bit of luck but I think we deserved that. Chester are a good side and it was backs to the wall for a long time but we stuck at it.

"We put so much into the first half and there were lads in the team who had played very little football this season so it was only natural they would tire. But we were due a little bit of fortune for all our performances this season when we've not got anything."

Peter Thorne, Paul Evans and Matt Clarke all came in to a reshuffled line-up and McCall axed Mark Bower - the first league game the centre half had missed for nearly two years.

"To be fair to Mark, he's been reasonably consistent this season," said the City boss. "But I said from the start that I wanted to look at different people.

"Clarkey started off pre-season quite well but was unfortunate to get an injury and everything has been stop-start for him. I just thought that now he's fit, it was a good opportunity to look at him."

Clarke almost ruined his return by giving away a second-half spot-kick for a pull but Donovan Ricketts saved superbly from Tony Dinning.

McCall added: "I was delighted for Donovan, whose come in for a little bit of criticism. You always want the good guys to do well and he's a smashing person - and that was an excellent save.

"Even though we've won and we're delighted in the dressing room, there are certain parts of the game we've got to improve.

"But we needed a win after the run we've been on. It's debatable whether we deserved all three points but the result is all that matters."

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