Exeter manager Matt Taylor had nothing but praise for his injury-hit side as they fought hard and repelled much-fancied Bradford in their League Two opener at St James Park.

Both teams had chances to win the game, but lacked a killer touch with the match finishing goalless in front of a raucous crowd in Devon.

Tim Dieng forced Richard O’Donnell into a save, low to his left, with Exeter’s best chance while Nigel Atangana inexplicably failed to convert a great chance in stoppage time.

Andy Cook and Lee Angol had the best of the chances for the Bantams, only for Cameron Dawson to deny Cook and Angol to blast into the side netting with his opportunity.

“I thought they started the game really well and had us on the back foot in terms of how we wanted to be on that football pitch and our goalkeeper has made some good saves to keep us in the game,” Taylor said.

“We defended our box really well and that was a pleasing aspect and that gave us a chance to implement our gameplan a little bit more. But there is a lot more to come from us in an attacking sense and there has to be because some of our attacking players didn’t quite show what they are capable of at times today.

“In terms of a starting point, and heart and endeavour and fitness, I was really pleased because some of the lads were out on their feet before the end of the game and I was really pleased with the impact the subs (Harry Kite and Ben Seymour) had on that team.

“We should have won it at the death with Nigel, but he was in the right place and run to goal. The ball went under his foot. I can’t criticise him too much because I thought he was excellent today. I am not disappointed in any way today.”

Bradford boss Derek Adams felt his side did enough to win the game, but was satisfied with a point from his first match in charge. He said: “We started the game exceptionally well and created some really good openings.

“We should have been ahead in the game and taken our chances but in the end we had to come away with a point.

“It is a difficult place to come and we dealt well with the threats Exeter had on the day.

“I thought it was a just of matter of time before we opened them up. If we had played the right pass at the right time, we would have been in. Exeter have some talented individuals that can cause you trouble, but they didn’t really trouble us in the game. They had their best moments in the last part of the game.”