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City's early season woes continued as Port Vale's Richards double act put the Bantams to the sword.

A goal in each half from Marc Richards and his namesake and strike partner Justin condemned City to their fourth defeat from the opening five league matches.

While the result was another blow to City's fragile confidence, they can at least take heart from an improved performance compared to their weak showing against Southend United last time out.

After an evenly fought opening half an hour, Marc Richards powered Vale into the lead with a thumping header from Gary Robert's pinpoint corner.

Vale could have picked up a second goal shortly afterwards when Roberts tumbled into the area, but only a free kick on the very edge of the penalty area was awarded despite the visitors protests.

After recovering from the blow of conceding, City came back to create chances of their own either side of the interval.

But just as City appeared to be building up a head of stream, they were dealt a hammer blow by conceding a sloppy second goal.

Tommy Doherty's poor looping backpass had Jon McLaughlin in all sorts of trouble and Justin Richards was able to nip in and steal the ball before tapping into an unguarded goal.

The result leaves City in 22nd position in the npower League 2 table after the first month of fixtures.

With Omar Daley away on international duty with Jamaica and James Hanson picking up a hamstring injury against Southend, Peter Taylor decided to recall Robbie Threlfall and Jake Speight.

Shane Duff and Tom Adeyemi were also promoted back into the starting eleven, while Taylor chose to ditch his more commonly used 4-3-3 formation for a 4-4-2 shape.

After last Friday's disappointment against the Shrimpers, City were keen to make a positive start in front of a vocal home support.

Speight fired in the first shot in anger of the match as his 20 yarder whistled just past Stuart Tomlinson's far post.

An unmarked Luke Oliver also went close shortly after when he headed wide at the far post from Threlfall's corner.

The visitors presence in the match would grow as the half wore on however.

Slowly Vale began to assert a greater hold of the ball and City's attacking threat diminished as a result.

The visitors went close when a passing combination between Justin and Marc Richards enabled the former to curl an effort narrowly wide of McLaughlin's far post.

Anthony Griffith then fired a low drive just wide of the target and into the sponsor boards behind City's goal before Vale managed to open the scoring.

Marc Richards was able to get the run on his marker and powered a thrusting header past McLaughlin from Robert's corner to put Vale in front.

City were rocked by the goal and could have found themselves further behind moments later.

Roberts appeared to be bundled over by Luke O'Brien inside City's penalty area, but rookie Referee Coote, taking charge of his first ever league match, awarded a free kick on the very edge of the area instead.

The visitors were clearly upset by the lack of a penalty award, but on second viewing the decision did in fact appear to be the correct one. Vale still nearly made City pay from the resulting free-kick, but Lee Collins missed the ball from close range with an air kick at the far post.

After surviving this brief scare, the Bantams almost found themselves level on two occasions towards the end of the first period.

Speight, who looked City's brightest player throughout, showed some nice touches to get the better of Collins by the corner flag and race into the box before firing across the six yard box.

The ball managed to evade any City players, but did find John McCombe, whose outstretched left leg diverted it onto his own cross bar as Tomlinson could only stand and watch.

Moments later and City went close again on the very stroke of half time.

From a long Threlfall free kick into Vale's penalty area, Oliver managed to head the ball across the box where Speight was waiting.

It looked certain that the Bantams striker would be able to fire home from close range, but Speight would be penalised for handball as the ball appeared to rear up and strike his arm before he could shoot.

From almost the very start of the second period, both sides appeared to visibly up the tempo. City and Vale also enjoyed their own periods of pressure as the play ebbed and flowed.

Marc Richards was proving to a constant menace for the City defenders as he went close on two occasions within the opening minutes of the second half.

City responded again though as they began to push Vale back on more frequent occasions.

When Taylor brought on Leon Osborne for his first action of the season after injury and Louis Moult, City seemed to be on top and looking the more likely to score.

As the game reached it's final quarter, the destination of the next goal was looking more and more crucial and unfortunately for City, it went to the visitors.

The Bantams deficit was doubled in horrid fashion as Doherty fired an extremely awkward looping back pass towards McLaughlin.

City's keeper tried to bring the hanging ball under control, but his touch let him down and Justin Richards was able to nip in.

Richards rounded McLaughlin and tapped home into an unguarded net to leave City with a mountain to climb.

With the match entering the final ten minutes, City recent poor fortune in front of goal would be perfectly illustrated as they toiled for a way back into the match.

Evans looked set to smash home only City's second goal from open play in the league after being picked out by Moult's cutback. His goal bound effort bounced away off the unfortunate Speight, though and City's barren run in front of goal continued.

The final whistle was greeted by a smattering of boos for the second match running as City poor start to their league campaign continued to leave their supporters concerned.

Taylor knows his squad must stick together though during this tricky period as they look to kick start their season at Stockport County's Edgeley Park next weekend.