Where will it end? City sunk to their fifth loss on the bounce at Morecambe - and this was the cruellest of the lot.

"You're going down with the Stanley" taunted the delirious home fans after Carl Baker slid in a last-minute winner.

The 1,200 travelling City legion, which helped swell the crowd figure to the biggest in Morecambe's short reign as a league team, were too stunned to respond.

Beforehand, Stuart McCall had suggested that a draw wouldn't be a bad result. Anything to stop the losing run.

But even a share of the spoils would have been disappointing after a game in which City had conjured a shed-load of chances.

So imagine the mood when they didn't even finish with a point to show for their efforts.

City had been well worth the lead given them by Mark Bower's perfectly-placed header at the end of the first half.

A second goal would have killed off their enthusiastic hosts. But City were let down by some wild and wayward shooting. And when they did find a second wind late on after the Morecambe equaliser, City found no way past some superb goalkeeping.

Then, just when you think a draw is better than nothing, came the most horrible ending possible to leave the Bantams marooned at the wrong end of the Coca-Cola Football League Two.

City had a second-minute scare as Morecambe pushed for an early goal to increase the recent discomfort. Omar Daley allowed Carl Baker to spin away too easily in the box and the ball ran for Damien Allen to test the reflexes of Rhys Evans, earning the Jamaican an earful from Paul Heckingbottom.

Barry Conlon was restored to the frontline and made a busy start while strike partner Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu latched onto a stray Morecambe pass but was a bit too eager with his shot.

City's best chance in a frantic opening phase came from a bullet cross by Alex Rhodes but unfortunately it was the lesser aerial threat of Daley rather than Conlon in the middle and the ball skimmed off the winger's head.

Baker was looking a threat on Morecambe's left flank and twice he cut inside to unload decent efforts which flew wide into the packed away end behind the goal.

Stuart McCall was forced into a change midway through the first half when Heckingbottom limped off after treatment. Simon Ainge came on at centre half with Mark Bower switched to left-back duties.

Ainge was quickly into action with a timely intervention from the lively Garry Thompson's counter-attack after Ndumbu-Nsungu had toyed on the ball too long at the other end.

Daley had frustrated up to that point but suddenly took off and skinned Danny Adams to race to the edge of the Morecambe box, where his wild lash over the bar did not do the run justice.

Two minutes later he was at it again, ignoring the black shirts around him screaming for a pass and instead had a go with his left foot - with similar wayward results.

And Daley made it a hat-trick into the North Stand with a volley from a Rhodes cross which again flew high and not too handsome.

It was obviously catching because even Bower had a go from 30 yards out which again failed to trouble England under-21 keeper Joe Lewis.

But at least City were showing the attacking intent that had been lacking at stadium:mk six days earlier.

The return to a two-pronged frontline gave them that added presence and the ball was sticking in Morecambe territory.

As half-time approached, the front pair combined well and Ndumbu-Nsungu forced the first real save out of Lewis at the near post as the home defence looked for an offside flag.

Morecambe had been under the cosh for a while but City were given a timely warning to watch the back door as Baker beat Darren Williams to Adam Yates's cross and sent a header narrowly wide of goal.

Warning heeded, City grabbed the lead two minutes before the break with a thumping header from Bower. The free-kick from Rhodes was right on the money and Bower rose well to angle the ball wide of Lewis and into the far corner of the net.

You could sense the relief as much as feel the joy of the players and fans. It was only the third time all season that City had scored the first goal in a game - and they had won the other two.

Bower began the second half by launching a volley from a corner that nearly ended up in Morecambe Bay. But the home side responded fiercely and only the alertness of Wetherall prevented a curler from Baker sneaking in the far post.

Conlon eased the pressure with a great ball to send Daley away but once again the winger's shooting radar was all over the shop with another harmless finish into the noisy City supporters.

City were immediately made to pay for their shoddy shooting. Bower was booked for a nudge on Thompson level with the City box and the midfielder got up to fire home from Craig Stanley's low driven free-kick.

Lifted by their equaliser, Morecambe were a different side and Michael Twiss whipped an effort across the City goalmouth.

It was a time for the visitors to dig in as Adams rumbled forward to drill into the side-netting.

The Shrimps were turning the screw and City breathed a sigh of relief as skipper Jim Bentley's header from a well-struck corner bounced off the top of the bar with Evans struggling to get across.

Kyle Nix replaced the tiring Rhodes but Morecambe remained in the ascendancy and Thompson cleverly worked an opening before driving over.

City, though, nearly restored their lead through Conlon. The Irishman's snap shot was superbly parried by Lewis and referee Colin Webster ignored a huge shout - mainly from the away fans - for hand ball before the danger was cleared.

City came again and Ndumbu-Nsungu jinked his way to the byline before laying back an inviting pass for Nicky Law. His shot was blocked in front of the line but the rebound ran loose to Nix - who again was denied by the keeper.

No wonder Lewis, borrowed from Norwich City, has been placed on international stand-by by Stuart Pearce.

The value of those saves was underlined in the final minute of normal time. Thompson proved too quick for Bower and his cross was slid home by the impressive Baker - City were beaten again.

Telegraph & Argus

MORECAMBE	BRADFORD CITY
32 Joe Lewis	13 Rhys Evans
2 Adam Yates	2 Darren Williams
4 Dave Artell	3 Paul Heckingbottom
5 Jim Bentley	5 David Wetherall
6 Craig Stanley	6 Mark Bower
7 Michael Twiss	7 Omar Daley
10 Carl Baker	8 Eddie Johnson
11 Garry Thompson	9 Barry Conlon
12 Damian Allen	11 Alex Rhodes
21 Matthew Blinkhorn	24 Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu
25 Danny Adams	26 Nicky Law
SUBSTITUTES	SUBSTITUTES
1 Steven Dench	1 Donovan Ricketts
3 Michael Howard	16 Simon Ainge for 3 (21)
8 Garry Hunter for 12 (58)	20 Scott Phelan
14 Neil Sorvel for 10 (90)	22 Kyle Nix for 11 (74)
20 Jon Newby for 7 (82)	25 Luke Medley

MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee:	C Webster
Assistant Referee:	S Cummins
Assistant Referee:	D Handley
4th Official:	P Kettlewell

GOALSCORERS:
MORECAMBE	BRADFORD CITY
Thompson (64)	Bower (43)
Baker (90)
	.

DISCIPLINARY:
MORECAMBE	BRADFORD CITY
Artell (78)	Bower (63)
	.