Alex Revell expects a very rapid response after Stevenage suffered a first defeat of the season at Bradford City.

The 4-1 loss brought their good week to a shuddering halt, Andy Cook hitting a first-half hat-trick for the hosts before Niall Canavan scored two minutes from time to rub salt into the wounds.

And while the Boro boss bemoaned key moments at crucial times going against them, he was also perturbed by aspects of the performance.

He said: "It is a huge learning curve for these players now because [the loss] wasn’t through football reasons, it was through sheer desire, maybe physicality as well and we have to make sure we get better.

"This is not a feeling we have had for a very long time. Bradford will be there or thereabouts and we have to match them.

"They have shown the standard that we now have to follow. Physically, tactically, they want to get promoted and they want to win the league.

"We’ve set that challenge to our players, that’s what we want to do, and we can’t be second best in these games.

"We’ve got a fantastic group but they were challenged in areas they haven’t been in a long time and they have to learn."

They were behind in two minutes but equalised through Elliott List and could have gone ahead when the same player spurned a chance at 1-1.

Joseph Anang even saved a penalty but they conceded immediately after and from there Bradford, backed by a fervent crowd at Valley Parade, took advantage.


"The goals are really poor goals and when you concede poor goals it is tough," said Revell.


"You can’t give a striker like Cook the chances we did and we got punished.

"That’s what good teams do, they punish you when they are on top.

"We’ve had a fantastic week though, let’s not forget that."

That referred to Saturday's 2-0 win at Bristol Rovers courtesy of late goals by Chris Lines, against his former club, and Luke Norris, a result which at the time lifted them into second.

They are now fifth with Port Vale the visitors to the Lamex on Saturday.