Graham Alexander praised Bradford’s mindset as they moved into an automatic promotion place for the first time this season.
A sixth consecutive home win – their best run since 2016 – saw the Yorkshire side jump to third in League Two.
Calum Kavanagh’s first-half goal proved enough to beat bottom club Morecambe in a low-key encounter.
Alexander had called the game Bradford’s biggest of the season, coming after their 3-0 win over leaders Walsall.
He said: “I know what the game on Saturday will have taken out of the players, not just on a physical level but on an emotional one and that can sap some energy out of you as well.
“Sometimes you get in two days later, there’s a bit of a comedown and you have to get yourself back up again immediately for a game with not as big a profile and all the expectancy on the players.
“For me, the three points is massive today because it would have taken the shine off what we did on Saturday and what we’d done previously if we hadn’t won, so I’m delighted with the players.
“I thought we were really good first half, dominant and aggressive. We created some real good opportunities and took one.
“We needed the second one to give ourselves a bit more composure in the second half, then we got a little bit snatchy with our chances and I think they upped their tempo and aggression and they put a lot of balls up to their front lads.
“It became a gritty game in the second half and a bit transitional. But we had some really good chances we needed to take.”
It was Morecambe’s 11th 1-0 defeat of the season and marked an unhappy return for manager Derek Adams to the club that sacked him in 2022. They remain six points from safety.
Adams said: “It was a game of very few chances, a very drab affair and there was nothing in it.
“There wasn’t much atmosphere in the place and that was probably credit to us and the way we played.
“We contained Bradford, who didn’t really look like scoring. But we have to do better in the 18-yard box and get on the end of things.
“We haven’t created enough opportunities but that’s been the story of our season. We’ve got into good areas and not made the right pass or cross.
“Bradford don’t win the game, we gave the game to them by giving the opportunity away.
“Bradford were there for the taking, there’s no doubt about it. They didn’t cause us a lot of trouble on the night.
“The players gave their all as they always do. We just lack that final bit of taking a big opportunity in the game.”