Bradford City 1 Scunthorpe 0: Match-winner Steven Davies hailed by delighted Phil Parkinson

The result saw City step up their play-off challenge by moving into fifth place with their third win in eight days.

The match was deadlocked at 0-0 when Parkinson replaced his strikers Jamie Proctor and Billy Clarke with Davies and James Hanson and within a minute they were in front.

Hanson challenged David Mirfin as the defender tried to deal with a long throw-in and managed to head the ball on for Davies to turn it in at the near post.

Davies had been on the pitch for a mere 38 seconds when he scored – his fifth goal off the bench – and Parkinson said: “It is terrific for us. When Billy Clarke and Jamie Procter have run the opposition into the ground and then you’ve got these two to come on, it is a defender’s nightmare.

“Sometimes it isn’t being fresh physically but mentally as well. You could see that with the way Steve reacted to that (chance).

“Steve missed a lot of training during the week because his little girl has been in hospital, but he was determined to be part of it.”

Bradford were indebted to captain Stephen Darby for three goalmouth clearances in the first half and goalkeeper Ben Williams saved well from Paddy Madden.

To complete a satisfying day for the Bantams, winger Filipe Morais made his first appearance of the season as an 82nd-minute substitute after being out for eight months with a knee injury.

Bradford City: Williams, Darby, N Clarke, Burke, Meredith, McMahon, Evans, Cullen, Reid (Morais 82), Proctor (Hanson 67), B Clarke (Davies 67). Unused substitutes: Cracknell (gk), Knott, Thorpe, Morris.

Scunthorpe United: Daniels, J Clarke, Wallace, Mirfin (Laird 85), Townsend, Adelakun, Bishop, Ness, L Williams (Vose 81), Madden, Hopper.(Wootton 74.). Unused substitutes: Anyon (gk), Dawson, King, Goode.

Referee: G Ward (Surrey).