DEREK Adams insists setbacks like City’s home loss to Hartlepool will strengthen his resolve to get it right.

The Bantams were stunned 3-1 by Hartlepool last night – the first time they have been beaten at Valley Parade in the league against a side with the worst away record.

The defeat left Adams’ men with only one point to show from back-to-back home games and they now face a daunting trip to third-placed Swindon.

Adams said: “That’s the nature of this league. It is very difficult to play in.

“This was our first home defeat of the season but we have to be stronger and harder to beat.

“The football club has been in a downward spiral for many years. We’ve got to propel it and go the opposite way.

“I’ve done it at previous clubs and I’ve got to do it here.

“But on the pitch, we’ve got to do the basics better and we didn’t do that.

“We didn’t have any top performances in the team compared to what we had on Saturday.”

City were rocked by conceding the opener inside the first minute as Hartlepool ended a six-match wait for an away goal.

Following on from Bristol Rovers’ late equaliser at the weekend, Adams admitted it knocked his team out of their stride.

“To lose a goal so early in the game was really hard,” he said. “It gave Hartlepool a great lift with their away record.

“We were unbeaten at home and that left us chasing the game. It was a setback and we took a bit of time to respond to it.

“We came back into the game and created some opportunities but we probably snatched at things around the 18-yard box.

“We needed to score quickly after they had but couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net.

“That’s football. It’s obviously fascinating for everybody to watch but it’s difficult for the supporters, staff, management and players.

“Hartlepool deserved to win the match.

“It is a blow. We obviously deserved to have three points on Saturday but last night we didn’t deserve anything.

“We were all hoping for a victory after playing so well for long periods of the Bristol Rovers game.

“When you lose a goal so early in the game, it becomes pretty difficult. But we’ve got to be better than we were – there’s no doubt about it.”

Adams is already looking ahead to the January transfer window as the next stage for how he wants to reshape the squad.

“I don’t think there will be a club in this division who doesn’t sign someone in January. We’re all the same.

“As a manager you’re brought into a football club to change things. Two and a half months into the season, I understand why we’re in the problems we’re in and it’s up to me to get to a period of time when we change things.

“It happens at any club you are asked to go into. I’ve given everybody an opportunity, nobody can say they haven’t had a chance.

“When you get to a stage when you’re able to change things, then we can.

“I think we have shown this season that we can play and do well. We probably should have more points than we do but we didn’t deserve to win last night.”