Rosler's faith repaid with priceless Fleetwood display

Blackburn Rovers and now Town are the only visiting sides to have won in the last 35 league games at Valley Parade, and they did so in style with former Bantams forwards Jordy Hiwula and Devante Cole netting in the 51st and 56th minutes before Ash Hunter came off the bench to clinch the points in the 70th minute with just his second touch.

Rosler admitted he was unsure whether to continue with Alex Cairns after the keeper had conceded 15 in five games, but after a heart-felt chat the head coach stood by the former Leeds man and the decision paid off as Town plugged the leaks.

Rosler said: “There was one period in the game, just after half-time, when I felt it could go another way but we rode the storm.

“I wasn’t sure that Alex would start but he was very convincing in the talk we had on Sunday and I think he repaid the faith.

“As a manager you need to stick with the players who have been very good to you over a long time.

“Performances were not up to normal standards lately but the team repaid that faith, which is unbelievable for me.

“There were a lot of good performances. I think Alex was fantastic and the front two I needed to work them a little bit. At half-time I said, ‘You two, win us the game!’ That is exactly what they did, not only through the goals, also through their work ethic.

“We need that to make sure that we are not conceding goals. We are always capable of scoring goals.

“Impact subs were a key feature for us last season and were on Tuesday.

“We played against a team with the best home record in the division over the last 14 months and they are a very good footballing side, one of the best in the country.

“Their manager has done a really good job but we looked really good.”

And Rosler paid credit to his staff for their work behind the scenes as Town bounced back from two successive four-goal defeats by Portsmouth and Southend to return to winning ways against high-flying Bradford.

He said: “Great result – that was more like us. Big compliments to the players but also to the staff, I think everybody on that bus has invested a lot.

“Equally compliments to the staff because we had a lot to do after the last two performances. To get a performance out like that...

“The players had a meeting on Monday and a lunch, and you saw us on Tuesday night. That is us; that is how we play; that is our DNA; that is how we fight; that is how we work from the front;that is how the substitutes come on and make a big difference.

“That is us.”