Bradford City defender holds his hand after Swindon is defeated

Before the training week began, a dressing room report was first made on the agenda.

Alexander and his staff had to choose bones from that unrealistic afternoon at Swindon before knuckling for a build-up to Easter.

But the players got there first. And he couldn't make him happy to hear their honest ratings for a 5-4 body blow.

“We spoke to the defenders at the meeting and they're amazing young people,” the Bantams chief said.

“They spoke first and were accountable saying they could have made this better and should have made it better.

“There was nothing about reducing the number to 10 for 70 minutes. “On this cross, we should have done this” or “We should have been in that position.”

“It quickly cleared my head in the process of riding the next game.

“I've said that many times, and that's what I like to work with players in this group.

“It was like a breath of fresh air holding that meeting, these young people are honest, integrity and ready to improve.

“They did most of the work I thought I might have to do. I didn't have to do that.”

Accountability was a key component of the way Alexander built his team. He wanted the players to be prepared to reach out when things weren't going well, rather than pointing their fingers.

“What we tried to do all season and the preseason is focusing on what we have control over.

“If there are things we can influence or change, we try to do them.

Antoni Salsevic on the left scored three points with Fleetwood's 5-4 win 12 years ago (Photo: PA)

“But with something else, we need to focus on getting better, even if we feel that way.

“It's constant and why players aren't defending each other or their own evaluations. They don't try to hide it.

“That's why we put ourselves in this position, outside of Saturday, it looked like a really strong unit. They improved as a group and as an individual.

“If we want to win and succeed, we need to get better, and that's just as easy.

“Everyone has to do that, not just the players, but the staff and myself, and that's what we do.”

Alexander admits that the weekend wild encounters are something management has never experienced before. Manager and assistant Chris Lactetti were scratching his head on the coach's journey back from Wiltshire.

Their Fleetwood side won in 2013 by the same margin against Mansfield. Antoni Sarsevic scored a hat trick.

“It was a crazy outcome from a scoreline perspective, but there were no incidents like Saturday,” he added.

“I think it was a unique experience for us as a coaching staff and perhaps for the players and fans.

“It was the result of not leaving the system right away. I put it to bed right after the game, but I said I was lying.

“Bringing home was a long journey, but the next day I watched the game again and got to work on Monday, and it felt like a healing process.

“You stock up on results and performance and what I like, you're back to work because that's what you're ultimately cleaning up the fog.

“We have a game that prepares another game. Your mind is focused on what is in front of you. We quickly drew a line underneath it.

“We had a brief report, but we were very focused on the next game. We know that it's the best way to get through the disappointment.”