MARK Trueman insists City’s season is very much alive after the four-point Easter.

Clayton Donaldson’s first goal since December earned the Bantams a 1-1 draw at Stevenage yesterday.

Newport’s win over Bolton stretched the gap to the final play-off spot to five points with eight games to go.

But Trueman believes the character shown at the Lamex Stadium against a Stevenage side unbeaten in 12 indicates a team prepared to fight to the end.

The City joint boss said: “The way the players have worked and their character is brilliant.

“We’ve got the opportunity to keep the season alive and this point allows us to do that.

“We made life hard for us with the way we started. But we showed good character and quality for the goal.

“That allowed us then to build into the game and I think we finished the stronger team.

“We knew it would be a tough game. They are obviously one of the in-form teams in the league.

“You start to ask questions going 1-0 down so early. But the players answered with the way they reacted, they got the goal and continued to build.

“That was key because we could have allowed them to get back into the game and play the way they wanted.

“But we kept on implementing what we wanted to do and were unlucky not to unlock the door in the second half.”

City were looking to back up Good Friday’s 4-1 win over Forest Green but found themselves trailing after a sluggish start.

But Donaldson’s header from Connor Wood’s cross sparked the visitors into life and they had the best openings in the second half with Charles Vernam, Billy Clarke and Elliot Watt all threatening a second goal.

Trueman added: “We had a few half-chances but nothing really clear-cut. That was disappointing and probably the difference from the last couple of games.

“They defended well in the box and we had to be a little bit cuter or have that bit of luck which we couldn’t find.

“We’ve got strength in depth with players coming off the bench. It was good to see them back but they’ve got to get up to full fitness to make even more of an impact.

“We want to win every game we play. You start the way we’ve done, you’re always going to be backs against the wall.

“If you’d ask me after 20 minutes, I’d have probably taken a draw.

“But we will do everything in our powers to win games. You saw we made four attacking changes – it’s not like we were just sitting back.”

Donaldson once again played in a slightly deeper role off Andy Cook and Trueman has been delighted with the way he has settled in there.

“He’s been fantastic. He’s a top pro who has waited for his opportunity and he’s taken it.

“We’ve seen him a few times in training in this 10 role. He can still play as a nine and do a job for the team but I think it suits him with the way we play.

“It enables him to link with our number nine, protect the ball and brings others into play.

“He settles the game down and has got a lot of experience. He uses that in the decisions he makes with his runs.

"He got his goal and I think he offers more of a scoring threat than others we've tried in there."