GRAHAM Alexander saluted “another step in the right direction” as City made it three successive wins in the league.

Jamie Walker and Andy Cook netted as the Bantams beat Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium to narrow the gap to the play-offs to three points.

“It’s another step in the right direction,” said boss Alexander. “We know which way we want to head and it’s small steps each time.

“We have to keep grinding, keep working and racking up the points if we can. It was a great shift and a really solid away performance.

“That was the toughest game we’ve played with everything coming to this venue brings and we stood up to it really well. I do feel the players are in a good place.

“I didn’t think they were that low when we got here but a couple of results knocked us back a little bit.

“But the response from half-time at Notts County has been superb. You look at the quality they have and they look around at each other and believe in each other.

“They know they are surrounded by good lads, good team-mates, good players and I think that brings another five to 10 per cent out of you as an individual.”

City recorded a fourth clean sheet on the bounce in all competitions – with Harry Lewis producing a stunning save from Macauley Bonne’s header when the game was goalless.

Alexander added: “Harry’s not been tested that much in the last few games. But what he’s had to do, he’s done really competently.

“That’s probably the first one when you’ve gone, ‘that’s a fantastic save’. He was really sharp on his line and those are the little moments that we have to make sure go our way.”

City withstood a spell of home pressure early in the second half, defending a string of set-pieces before Cook’s free-kick slammed the door shut on Gillingham’s comeback hopes.

Alexander said: “We spoke at half-time that their crowd, the players, their team were going to put a lot of pressure on the officials to give free-kicks and maybe throw cards out there.

“We asked for discipline and then have three yellows in five minutes and give away free-kick after free-kick!

“It didn’t quite go according to plan on that side but when the ball did come into the box we were there to compete and put our bodies on the line.

“It gives you great confidence that each player is giving everything they’ve got to the team.

“It takes that. Over 46 games in any English division, you’ve got to compete and work hard.

“But we’ve got some really good footballers at this club. I think they’re feeling confident and have confidence in their team-mates.

“The supporters can see that. It was a brilliant effort from them to come down such an awful long way just before Christmas.

“We wanted to reward that backing because there’s a real connection between the team and the supporters and we have to work hard to maintain it.”