Manager Mark Hughes bemoaned Bradford City's poor start to the game as Stockport ended the Bantams' seven-match unbeaten run and earned their first away points of the season after five successive defeats on their travels.

It was also City's first home defeat and Hughes has challenged his players to put this loss - only their third of the season - behind them and embark on another unbeaten run.

He said; "We were seven games unbeaten and lost the eighth. We need to go on another unbeaten run of eight, nine or ten games which we are more than capable of."

Bradford began well and Harry Chapman hit the bar in the fourth minute and had an angled shot well saved by Vit Jaros. However, Stockport posed a constant threat to City's defence and took the lead in the 26th minute when Antoni Sarcevic was fouled by Timi Odusina and captain Paddy Madden scored from the spot.

The Bantams used four second-half substitutes in a bid to prise open the solid visitors' defence but rarely looked like salvaging anything from the game and only a brilliant reflex save from Harry Lewis prevented substitute Ash Palmer from putting Stockport further in front in the 85th minute.

Hughes, who was booked along with his assistant Glyn Hodges, said: "We didn't play particularly well. We certainly weren't good enough in the first half in being able to deal with the problems Stockport were presenting.

"The physicality of the opposition knocked us off our stride initially and for whatever reason we didn't display enough confidence on the ball. That's our strength and I just think it filtered through to all parts of the team/ We've got to be better than that.

"Stockport's strikers Paddy Madden and Kyle Wotton are good players at this level and they messed us about a bit especially in the first half, but I was disappointed we were not able to deal with them better

"The key for me is that we wanted to start the game better. I don't want to see apprehension in our play. Why it was there when it hasn't been this season I have no idea, but we will get to the bottom of it and learn what we have to do differently next time."

Bradford City: Lewis, Halliday (Sutton 80), Platt, Odusina (Songo'o 45), Foulds, Chapman (Angol 60), Gilliead, Smallwood, T Wright, Cook, Pereira (Oliver 45). Unused subs: Doyle (gk), Harratt, Crichlow

Stockport County: Jaros, Horsfall, Camps, Madden (A Wright 82), Sarcevic (Palmer 48), Collar, Johnson, Croasdale, Wootton, Hippolyte (Evans 85), MacDonald (Hussey 85). Unused subs: Hinchcliffe (gk), Brown, Jennings.

Referee: L Doughty (Lancashire).

Mark Hughes backs Bradford City to go on another run after unbeaten streak is ended by Stockport County