A DISAPPOINTED Mark Hughes felt City were hard done by after crashing to another very late goal on the road.

Tom Eastman’s stoppage-time winner for Colchester last night means the Bantams have lost both away games so far after conceding well beyond 90 minutes.

Hughes was also fuming with referee Carl Brook after he had dismissed a strong penalty shout when Lee Angol went down in the box just before.

The Bantams chief said: “I asked the referee why he didn’t give us the penalty and he said he did not think it was and was going to book Lee Angol for diving but decided against it.

“I’ve got to be careful what I say but I just felt there were a lot of decisions that went against us.

“I thought we were the better side clearly and the only side that wanted to play.

“Colchester had a five-minute spell at the end where they got brave enough to have a go. They weren’t prepared to do that for 85 minutes.

"They got their reward but it’s harsh on the lads – they didn’t deserve that.”

Hughes started with Vadaine Oliver ahead of Andy Cook – but it was the top scorer’s arrival from the bench late on alongside Kian Harratt that sparked City’s most dangerous moments.

“I thought three points were there for us for the taking. When I made the change, we had any number of chances after that.

“We only needed the one to go in – if we’d got the one goal, I think we’d have seen the game out comfortably.

“Sam (Hornby) has saved a couple of things in the opposition’s goal. One hit him straight in the face – he didn’t know much about that.

“You just need those little breaks in games that we haven’t had and that’s the disappointment.”

Angol conceded the free-kick which led to Colchester’s winner – but City nearly snatched a quickfire equaliser when Cook hit the post and Harratt’s follow-up was scrambled away.

Hughes admitted: “Those were big chances, we had some in the first half as well. We need to take at least one of them.

“If we get our noses in front, we’d be very difficult to beat because we can control games. But we’ve also got to keep the backdoor shut.

“It’s League Two football and you know things can happen when balls get put into your box. We didn’t get the marking right. We should have changed personnel and unfortunately, it’s got to the big lad and he’s despatched it.

“Lee didn’t think he fouled him. The lad was looking for free-kicks and a lot of them were going down easily.

“The referee was buying the majority of them. So, you have to be careful and keep away from people.

“You’re worried that a free-kick at that stage is going to be put in a good area and that’s what happened.”

City are back on their travels again this weekend when they head for the north-east to face Hartlepool, who have yet to win in the league.

But Hughes insists there was enough encouragement from the performance despite the defeat.

“I was more than happy with how we went about our business. We kept the ball and asked questions of a decent team who just wanted to sit in and play counter-attack football as the home side.

“That’s what we’ll face time and time again. We’ve just got to get the details right.

“We were clearly the better side but we’ve got to convert chances in these games and make sure we pick points up.

“That’s two games where we’ve conceded late goals and it’s cost us.”