McCall has called for more cutting edge from his strikers

Bradford City manager Stuart McCall said his side need "big characters" after going down to a late 2-1 defeat at Darlington on Monday.

McCall told BBC Radio Leeds that there was no lack on confidence in his squad, but called for more self-belief.

"If you are as a person going through a little bit of doubt in yourself, then we'll see who the characters are.

"If that is the case, then we need to knuckle down - us as staff, the players, everyone together," he said.

Bradford looked on course for a point after Omar Daley equalised Nail Austin's opener, but Franz Burgmeier snatched victory for the home side two minutes from time, though McCall felt it was an own goal.

"So to lose to what's actually an own goal in the end - I think Graeme Lee headed it in - makes it even harder to swallow."

McCall also felt his side lacked a cutting edge up front: "The second half I think we got in two or three good positions but we just lacked a bit of quality in the final third.

"I thought there were balls there to be just put in across goal, but we over-hit them.

"If we had come away with a 0-0 or a 1-1, we'd have said it was good point up here, but we've got to do better again."

I don't think we played particularly well tonight, but I thought we stuck at it Bradford boss Stuart McCall

Bradford have a quick chance to make amends when they go to Grimsby on Friday in League Two, and McCall is looking for a response from his side.

"There's a couple carrying certain little injuries, but no excuses - we've got to be better.

"Obviously we look to the next game now which is a tough trip to Grimsby.

"There's no point in hiding and feeling sorry for yourself - it's a time to get out there and show a bit of courage.

"I don't think we played particularly well tonight, but I thought we stuck at it and dogged it out a little bit - but we've got to do better."

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