Temporary boss Mark Trueman felt his side sticking to the game plan was crucial in Bradford halting their six-match losing run in all competitions with a 1-1 League Two draw at Crawley

The Bantams took an early lead at the Broadfield Stadium through Lee Novak before an own goal by Harry Pritchard pulled the hosts level before the interval.

Trueman, put in temporary charge alongside fellow Academy coach Conor Sellars following the sacking of Stuart McCall, was delighted with the battling qualities his side displayed.

He said: “We would have snapped up a 1-1 draw before the game and what pleased me was the way we stuck to the game plan.

“Crawley are a good team but they didn’t have a shot on target. We played a different formation (4-2-3-1) and we needed more structure behind the ball.

“They are a willing group and they put bodies on the line; I asked them to have that fight.

“We had two or three chances to take more than a point against dangerous opponents, and in the second half I thought we were great.”

Crawley had gone into the game having scored seven goals in their previous two matches and assistant head coach Lee Bradbury was dismayed that they failed to create enough opportunities.

Bradbury, standing in for John Yems who missed his third-successive game for personal reasons, said: “I am not happy with a point to be honest.

“Bradford were dogged, horrible to play against and hard working, but we’re disappointed not to have beaten them.

“We were not brave enough with the ball and didn’t create enough opportunities.

“We let them slow that game down; we have to be cute and patient with the ball.”

Bradbury admitted that veteran goalkeeper Glenn Morris spilled the ball allowing Novak to net the rebound as Bradford went ahead, and added: “Glenn spilled the ball – he put his hands up.

“But we are certainly not going to criticise a player who has been our Player of the Year in the past three seasons.

“It was not a fantastic game for the spectators and we didn’t move the ball quickly enough in the first half. It was one of those nights.”