Bermudan Wells has Parkinson beaming over Bantams hat-trick

The Bermudan international hitman bagged his ninth, 10th and 11th goals of the season as the Bantams eased to victory.

It was the club’s first away victory since they thumped Barnet in late February.

“Nahki was excellent,” beamed Parkinson. “He’s a massive threat with his pace and he’s a cool finisher. All three of his goals were great.

“He’s into double figures now for the goals he’s scored this season. That’s a great return.

“We’ve spoken to him about him keeping up that intensity. He showed that today, but I thought we were right on the money all over the pitch. The players ran themselves into the ground.

“The intensity of our display was absolutely tremendous, we want to take that into our last three games.

“I want us to win those three games and play like we did in this match against Southend. We’ve got to be positive.”

It was the Bantams second win in three with Parkinson’s side having bounced back after six games without a win – five of those defeats – during a miserable March.

Wells, 21, deserved the plaudits, especially having given the visitors a deserved 11th- minute lead with a clinical finish.

Wells latched onto Craig Fagan’s pass, coolly rounded Neal Kitson before slotting home.

Ssix minutes before the break, he netted a stunning overhead kick from James Hanson’s header.

Cobblers captain Clarke Carlisle scored from close range eight minutes into the second half, but a minute later Wells completed his hat-trick, finding the back of the net with a cheeky lob which left Kitson no chance.

Northampton Town: Kitson, Johnson, Langmead, Carlisle, Charles, Jacobs, Tozer, Guttridge, Adams (Williams 46), Robinson (Young 78), Akinfenwa. Unused substitutes: Hall, Webster, Wilson.

Bradford City: Duke, Ramsden, Branston, Oliver, Kozluk, Fagan, Ravenhill, Jones (Bullock 88), Reid (Flynn 90), Wells (Smalley 78), Hanson. Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Syers.

Referee: O Langford (W Midlands).

Man of the match: Nahki Wells.