CITY have been “knocked for six” by the latest round of attacking injuries to hit the squad.

Derek Adams is assessing the situation with Lee Angol, Caolan Lavery and Charles Vernam after all three were forced off in last night’s defeat at Tranmere.

Their absence added to the problems as the Bantams slumped to a 2-1 loss despite leading at half-time through Levi Sutton.

Top scorer Andy Cook is set to be out for another three weeks and Adams could find his options severely stretched up front again for the weekend trip to struggling Scunthorpe.

The Bantams chief admitted: “It’s extremely difficult for any football manager to deal with the injuries.

“You just think you’re going to get that reward with players coming back and a near fully-fit squad to choose from. Then you get hit with a hammer blow like Tuesday night.

“We’ll assess them and have to see where we are for Saturday but it looks like we’ve got more injuries. It is worrying.

“You’re getting back to the situation of being in a much better place and then you get knocked for six.”

Theo Robinson and Abo Eisa formed the attack for the closing stages at Prenton Park but Adams was annoyed with City’s lack of response once they fell behind.

He felt there was almost an acceptance of the situation during a wretched second half.

“I can see that and why it was the case,” he added.

“We had to make the changes because of injury but we didn’t create enough chances to try to come back.

“We didn’t do enough to push on in the last 25 minutes and that was disappointing.

“I’ve got to be careful what I say. I’ve said what I wanted to in the dressing room.

“I think as a manager I know what it is to win. I don’t think we had enough winners in the team to get us over the edge at the end.

“My eyes have always been open since I came into the football club.

“We’ve not got the results we’ve deserved at times but at 1-0 I thought we were doing fine and in a good place.

“Then we give them an opportunity to make it 1-1, which gives the home team a huge lift, and don’t look like getting back into the game.

“There’s no time to dwell. We’ve got Saturday, Tuesday, then Saturday, Wednesday but that’s the situation we are in.”