MARK Trueman insists it is all about the here and now for City as they try to put a stop to their worrying slide.

Salford inflicted a fifth successive defeat on the Bantams with their injury-time winner at Valley Parade on Tuesday.

It is a testing end to the season for the two managers, who had previously enjoyed such a successful run in the role they were given in December.

Trueman is desperate to stop the rot in the final two games against Scunthorpe and Morecambe ahead of what is shaping up to be another busy summer.

He said: “Us as staff and players, we can’t look at the past and what we’ve done.

“We’ve got to look to the future and look at Scunthorpe and Morecambe.

“We can’t just think that we had a good period and lost only one in 15 games etc.

“It’s what’s next and what’s now. That’s what we’ve got to look at.

“We’ve got to win these next two games. That’s our aim – it was the same on Tuesday but we didn’t get the result.

“We’ve got to try and finish as strong as we can and build on that performance.”

While Trueman saw an improvement in City in the midweek loss, he wants more against a Scunthorpe side who are in even worse form.

He added: “I think we did a lot right. We looked more like us.

“We kept the ball for long periods and created chances. On another day, we’d have won that game.

“But we’ve got to force our hand a little bit more.”

Callum Cooke came through his second full game of the week after his recent injury and Trueman acknowledged how much he brings to the team.

“You saw the qualities of Cookey back in there, what he brings to the team and how he helps this formation both in and out of possession.

“He offers a lot in transition. I’m not putting it all on one player but he helps us secure the ball high up the pitch and play more in their half.”

Trueman had questioned his team’s fighting spirit ahead of the Salford game but he still sees hopeful signs to build on in the next transfer window.

“If our performance levels had really dropped on Tuesday then we could be asking a lot of questions.

“We talk about next year and the core group that will be with us.

“If we can improve in certain areas and bring certain personnel into the club, we won’t be too far away next year.

If we keep believing in what we’re doing and have a good pre-season, really getting to work with these players, then we’ll be ahead of the game.”