Bantams boss Phil Parkinson was left encouraged by City's improved second half showing at Swindon Town this Tuesday despite the Bantams ended up on the losing side at the County Ground.
Two first half goals from Swindon's Massimo Luongo deservedly gave the hosts the interval advantage but Parkinson's men took the game more to the Robins after the break.
Billy Clarke's eighth goal of the season early into the second period got City back into the contest and they went on to engineer more than one promising opportunity to level things up later in the half.
As the Bantams pushed for a way back into the contest in the latter stages of the match, Parkinson his side could even have been awarded a penalty when a Stephen Darby cross appeared to strike Ben Gladwin's arm inside the box eight minutes from the end.
Parkinson said: "We can't hide away from the fact that we were second best in the first half - Swindon are a good side.
"They brought some key players back into their team and they looked to respond after their weekend loss to Crawley.
"They played very well in the first half and we were some way off the level we can normally play.
"Our second half response, however, was tremendous.
"We got the goal and we got in some terrific positions to get others.
"We really took the game to them and the manner of our performance probably deserved a second goal from us.
"We perhaps didn't have the right level of composure or quality in certain stages to make our opportunities count with that final ball but I am really pleased with our response in the second half.
"I couldn't have asked much more from the lads after half time.
"We could have had three penalties in the game, probably the strongest claim being against their lad when he has blocked Stephen Darby's cross into the box in the second half.
"The ball seems to hit his arm in an unnatural position and, for me, it is a penalty.
"We are obviously disappointed to lose but there are ways to lose and in the second period we were excellent."
Fresh from completing his loan move from Nottingham Forest, 17 year-old winger Oliver Burke was handed his first senior start in professional football by Parkinson.
Parkinson added: "I felt he grew into the game.
"It is never the easiest making your senior start, especially when he's only had a couple of brief training sessions with the lads beforehand. It can take some time to adapt to the speed of league football but he adapted well.
"He seemed to learn as the game went on and he got into some good positions."