DEREK Adams will continue to consign City’s under-achieving recent past to history as he focuses on fixing their current promotion hopes.

The Bantams are back at home tonight against Hartlepool bidding to bounce back from the late sickener at the weekend.

Adams called the first-half display in City’s 2-2 draw with Bristol Rovers “one of the best supporters have seen at Valley Parade for over three and a half years.”

But there were some boos at the end after two points were lost to a last-gasp equaliser.

The City boss dismissed any suggestion that his team are paying the price for the club’s decline in recent seasons with the reaction from the crowd.

He said: “The supporters have been magnificent this season and the way they have supported us from start to finish.

“That’s important and the players have felt that on the pitch. The encouragement they have had has helped with their performances.

“I don’t know about the past. I’m a new manager who has come into a new club.

“I don’t deal with the past, I deal with the present. I don’t know what happened before.

“I can’t manage in that way, I can only manage in the present and we’ve got a team that are performing well in League Two.

“We should be in a better position than we are points-total wise because the statistics will tell us that with the number of opportunities we’ve created and the real chances we’ve had on goal.

“But to have over 16,000 there on Saturday tells you the public have enjoyed watching the team play.”

Adams denied that fatigue was a factor in allowing the build-up to Bristol Rovers’ equaliser – and insists City can replicate the intensity of their play tonight without rotating the squad.

“It’s important for me as the leader to encourage them, look at the deficiencies we have and solve them, but also to praise the players in the way that they’ve taken the game to the opposition.”

Hartlepool have made a solid start to life back in the EFL and currently sit one place below City in 11th - despite having the worst away form in the division.

Sutton, who came up with them, are performing even better in fifth after four straight wins.

Adams said: “They have both adapted well. But that’s why it’s too early for anyone.

“I keep on harping back to last season, because that’s as long as my memory probably goes to, and you look at the likes of Newport and Carlisle who were promoted by everyone before Christmas.

“Forest Green were in a similar situation and we all know what happened later on.

“It’s not now where you should be judged but towards the end of the season – and there’s a long, hard winter to go.

“Teams will pick up a lot of points and some won’t be able to play in the way they are at this moment because we all know that the pitches in this country get in a different state.”

City are still assessing the quad injury that Liam Ridehalgh suffered in the first half on Saturday but he is ruled out.

Matty Foulds is expected to deputise at left back after coming off the bench or Adams could opt to move Oscar Threlkeld across and recall Finn Cousin-Dawson.

“We do have the players in the squad to do that,” he added. “We will try and build a squad throughout the season to allow us to challenge the promotion places.”