Gary Bowyer believes an essential stone of pre-season has been turned, after fielding a team made up of trialists in a 2-0 win away to Brighouse Town.
The Bantams boss exercised the option to experiment with a side of potential new recruits and was more than happy with what he saw at the Yorkshire Payments Stadium.
He said: “Brighouse put on a really good show on for us - with a decent turnout - and I am happy with how things panned out.
“We had a chance to get the trialists in and have a proper look at them, which presented us with a great opportunity.
“It was important we applied ourselves in the right way, which I think we did.
“We played a competitive match against a competitive side and some of our lads really impressed, which made the game extremely worthwhile.”
Bowyer is pleased thus far with the various challenges his men have faced from different opponents in their friendlies, claiming this is an essential building block during pre-season.
He believes threats posed deviate with each opposing side and is expecting nothing less when hosting European champions Liverpool FC - in aid of the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation - on Sunday (3.00pm).
The former Blackpool chief added: “Our whole pre-season programme has been planned for different levels of tests and types of opposition.
“We have this game against Brighouse out of the way now and so all the attention, rightly so, turns to this Sunday’s wonderful game against Liverpool.
“It goes without saying the challenge they will provide - it offers our players a great opportunity to pit themselves against the European champions.
“It will be a fantastic occasion for a fantastic cause. Everyone is really looking forward to it.”