The Bantams fell to defeat at Boundary Park - losing 3-1 to Oldham Athletic.
A late Paudie O’Connor headed goal proved to be too little, too late - after goals from Dylan Bahamboula, Carl Piergianni and Davis Keillor-Dunn were enough to secure all three points for the Latics.
The Bantams had an early shout for a penalty turned down in the seventh minute, after a header from Ben Richards-Everton appeared to hit a defender’s arm.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Dylan Bahamboula lead a solo counter-attack, beating Ben Richards-Everton before slotting home low past Richard O’Donnell.
City tried to fight their way back into the game, as Clayton Donaldson burst through the Latics' defence.
The forward crossed into the box which was cleared as far as Callum Cooke - whose powerful effort from the edge of the box was blocked.
The visitors doubled their lead in the 26th minute, as Carl Piergianni rose high and headed home from a Latics corner - past Richard O’Donnell.
Just after the half-hour mark, Connor Wood’s free-kick was cleared as far as Callum Cooke who teed up Elliot Watt.
The Scottish midfielder tried to place his effort into the top-left corner, but the ball looped just over the crossbar.
Bryce Hosannah burst into the penalty area in the 37th minute, and fell to the ground under pressure from a Latics defender - though the referee deemed there to be no contact and showed a yellow card to the full-back for simulation.
Moments later, the Bantams had a golden opportunity to pull one back. Bryce Hosannah's cross was headed back across goal to Clayton Donaldson by Harry Pritchard. The towering frontman slipped at the vital moment - and the hosts cleared away.
Donaldson came close for City just after the restart - though his acrobatic volley flew just wide of the Latics post.
In his first start in two months, Lee Novak thought he had pulled a goal back for the Bantams after calmly finishing past the Oldham goalkeeper in the 53rd minute - but the assistant referee had his flag raised for offside.
Defender Paudie O’Connor had a header from inside the six-yard box cleared off the line by an Oldham defender - from an Elliot Watt corner.
Davis Keillor-Dunn made it three for the hosts in the 74th minute - after cutting inside and bending past Richard O'Donnell from the edge of the area.
Paudie O’Connor headed home for the visitors in the 85th minute from an Elliot Watt corner but, despite a couple of late chances, the Bantams left Lancashire empty handed.
LATICS: Ian Lawlor; Dylan Fage, Harrison Clarke, Carl Piergianni, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Jordan Barnett 64’); Brice Ntambwe (booked 50’), Dylan Bahamboula (Davis Keillor-Dunn 64’), Ben Garrity, Alfie McCalmont; Conor McAleny (booked 89’), Robert Grant (Zachary Dearnley 79’). Subs (not used): Laurence Bilboe (GK), Callum Whelan, Raphael Diarra, Tom Hamer.
GOALS: Dylan Bahamboula (10’), Carl Piergianni (26’), Davis Keillor-Dunn (74’).
CITY: Richard O’Donnell; Bryce Hosannah (booked 37’) (Levi Sutton 46’), Anthony O’Connor, Paudie O’Connor (booked 57’), Ben Richards-Everton (Tyler French 29’), Connor Wood; Elliot Watt, Callum Cooke, Harry Pritchard; Lee Novak, Clayton Donaldson. Subs (not used): Sam Hornby (GK), Jackson Longridge, Austin Samuels, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Kian Scales.
GOALS: Paudie O’Connor (85’).
REFEREE: Anthony Backhouse.