Lee Bullock column: We used to play on a lot of Friday nights when I was at Hartlepool and there was always a decent atmosphere.

Everyone had finished work for the weekend and the supporters could have a couple of pints and enjoy it. There was a bit of an extra buzz around the ground and it made for a good game.

If you got the right result and performance, it would send everyone home in a great mood for the next two days off.

And from a players’ point of view, you could relax and enjoy the weekend watching the other scores without worrying.

We could probably do with a weekend off after the long trip to Torquay and then the Preston game going to extra-time. It shows how fit Tom Adeyemi and Luke Oliver must be to play every minute of those games.

Even though I’d rather have been playing on Tuesday, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Both teams went at it hammer and tongs all evening.

I thought we were unlucky not to win it, especially at the end of the 90 minutes when we had some good chances after getting the equaliser.

It was similar to the Nottingham Forest match but then we got undone by a wonder strike right in the top corner. Two keepers wouldn’t have saved that.

Just hearing that Sir Alex Ferguson was up in the stand got everyone’s attention. You want to put in a performance when probably the best manager ever is watching Bradford.

The lads were disappointed to go out because we’d all been talking about who we wanted to face next. But they gave a good account of themselves.

Now we want to carry that display into tonight. Southend went the distance in the cup like ourselves, so it’s important we make a fast start against them.

We know what it’s like after a long journey if you concede early. Psychologically you start thinking that it’s going to be a long game and you feel tired.