Bradford City: Parkinson hails his Valley Parade heroes

After Saturday’s handsome 4-0 win at another play-off aspirant in Peterborough, City backed up impressively to claim successive league victories for the first time since November against Phil Brown’s Shrimpers.

A magnificent free-kick from McMahon put City on their way on 17 minutes and top-scorer James Hanson sealed it with a second from McMahon’s corner 16 minutes from time - to reach double figures for the season.

On McMahon’s important opener, fit to grace any match, Parkinson said: “The first goal is very important in games like that and it was a moment of real quality.

“It was a great free-kick against a very good keeper. He’s one of the best in the league, if not the best, and it was a magnificent effort.

“After our win at the weekend and their defeat, it certainly wasn’t going to be an open game. They set themselves up to be hard to break down, but the goal was crucial.”

City’s win moved them to within three points of sixth-placed Millwall, who surprisingly lost at home to Scunthorpe - with Parkinson’s men possessing growing momentum ahead of the season’s business end.

Parkinson, who labelled the display of Nathan Clarke - in for Rory McArdle, whose wife Elizabeth has given birth - as ‘superb’ added: “We’ve won three out the last four, so we’re creeping up the table nicely.

“We’ve just got to make sure we use these last two excellent performances as a real confidence-booster.

“We need to remind ourselves of all the hard work that has gone in to these two wins.”