Jackson bullish about Leeds test

Jackson, who gave full debuts to six of his summer signings and brought on another two as second-half substitutes, said: “I am disappointed we didn’t win the game in front of a huge crowd, but it will take time because we are a young side that we have put together and some of those young players were making their debut in English football. They are keen and they never gave up.”

City have the perfect opportunity to bounce back from their disappointment when they meet West Yorkshire rivals Leeds United in the Carling Cup first round at Elland Road tomorrow night.

“It is important that we have a go at Leeds United,” said Jackson. “It is going to be a tough task to get through, but there will be a shock in the Carling Cup, why not at Elland Road?”

Jackson, who was confirmed as manager after guiding Bradford to safety as interim manager in the last three months of last season, has acted decisively to give the club a new start with up to a dozen new signings, but it is clear from this performance it is going to take time for his new players to settle in.

Aldershot took a deserved 2-0 lead during the first half, going ahead after 19 minutes when Danny Hylton slid the ball into the net from Alex Rodman’s left wing cross and then adding a second in the 38th minute when left-back Robbie Threlfall could only head the ball into his own net under pressure from Hylton after the City defence failed to cut out another cross from Rodman.

Bradford scored a consolation when striker James Hanson pulled a goal back with a neat header in the third minute of stoppage time, but it was too little, too late.

Jackson said: “We know we can play better, but I think if we had scored earlier we could have got something out of the game.”

Bradford City: Hansen, Moore, Branston, Bullock, Threlfall, Mitchell, Flynn (Rodney 70), Syers, Compton, Hanson, Stewart (Wells 74). Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Oliver, Hannah.

Aldershot Town: Young, Herd, Brown, Jones, Straker, McGlashan (Morris 82), Collins, Rankine, Rodman, Hylton (Mekki 87), Vincenti. Unused substitutes: Worner, Bubb, Pulis.

Referee: M Heywood (Cheshire).

Man of the match: Liam Moore.