THERE should be no danger of any fatigue creeping in for Valley Parade visitors Cheltenham.

The team who currently sit immediately behind City head to West Yorkshire having not kicked a ball for 10 days.

Two blank dates last midweek and on Saturday means Michael Duff’s Robins will be fresh for the challenge against the Bantams.

Cheltenham were beaten 1-0 at Crewe last time out – amazingly that was their first defeat on the road since August.

They have conceded just eight goals in 14 away games; by far the lowest tally in League Two and less than half City’s current total.

Cheltenham have let in 22 goals in total – the tightest record in the division. They will be a tough nut to crack.

The unexpected mid-season break has helped get bodies fit for Duff. Luke Varney, Reuben Reid and top scorer Ryan Broom have all benefitted from the chance to recover.

Duff said: “It’s not the case like it was at my old club (Burnley) where we’d disappear somewhere for a few days in the nice sunny weather.

“We want to get back out there but there’s the other side of it too giving people opportunities to get fitter. It’s something I can’t control so it doesn’t really bother me.”

Cheltenham have lost experienced keeper Scott Flinders through injury since they beat City 3-2 in September.

He is out for the rest of the season so they brought in Owen Evans on loan from Wigan. The 23-year-old has already played against the Bantams this season for Macclesfield in the 1-1 draw two months ago.

Chairman Andy Wilcox believes Duff is doing a superb job to have Cheltenham in the promotion mix after finishing 16th last year.

“Michael has worked wonders turning things around as he has done,” he said. “We are bottom four or five budget-wise, so we are certainly punching above our weight. There are a lot of smiling faces around the club."