Joint Bradford boss Mark Trueman believes his in-form side can start to look up rather than down after a 2-1 win at Walsall moved them to within four points of the League Two play-off places.

Levi Sutton hammered home a thunderous shot off the underside of the bar to put Bradford ahead and his cross set up ex-Walsall striker Andy Cook to rifle home his third goal in five games on loan.

Dan Scarr’s header pulled one back for Walsall but could not prevent a fourth successive win for the Bantams and a ninth in 13 games since Trueman and Conor Sellars took over.

The pair have lifted Bradford from 21st place to 11th and Trueman said: “Mine and Conor’s remit was to keep the club up, but the way the team is performing, they can start to look a bit higher up the table.

“When we are mathematically safe that’s when we can start, as a team and a club, focusing on our next goal, if that’s to try to nick a spot in the play-offs.

“It was a tough game today, but we showed that we can win ugly in a way because we’ve won games where we’ve dominated possession, but today we had to change our style and game plan.

“Yes, we want to dominate the ball, but sometimes you have to adapt and today was a perfect example.

“I thought we took our two goals really well. I was a bit disappointed we didn’t manage the game well enough at 2-0, we let Walsall back in the game. But we showed we can win in different ways.”

Interim Walsall boss Brian Dutton is still seeking his first win after four games in charge and the Saddlers have slipped to 17th spot.

They might have had a penalty when Josh Gordon was clipped in the area late on and Dutton said: “It was a stonewaller. For that not to be given is almost criminal really. I’m flabbergasted.

“The referee is stood six or seven yards away from it, he’s got the perfect view of it.

“But I’m massively frustrated. This is the first performance where I’ve felt we’ve let the fans and the club down. I’ve said to the lads, playing for 20 minutes in a 90-minute game is fraudulent.

“We spoke before the game about the final third and about how it needs to be a lot better, how we need to come alive and be bright – and I thought we were as dull as dishwater in that final third.

“The keeper and the young boys can come out of that game with a bit of credit but the rest of the guys weren’t up to the standard we want to set. That’s not a dig at the lads, it’s my responsibility.”