Goals from James Hanson and Garry Thompson in the final quarter of their Yorkshire derby with hosts York City were enough to earn Phil Parkinson's men a hard-fought away victory at Bootham Crescent.
After successfully nullifying York's attacking threats up until that point, Hanson struck for City thirteen minutes from the end when he squeezed a downward header through the legs of 'keeper Michael Ingham following Stephen Darby's cross into the box.
Desperate for an equaliser, York understandably threw caution to the wind in the final stages, but the Bantams managed to turn this to their advantage and wrap the game up four minutes before the end of normal time when they scored on the counter-attack.
Young York defender Jack O'Donnell failed to deal with a long ball forward by Ricky Ravenhill and this allowed second half substitute Thompson to race through on goal and smash past Ingham to seal the points for City.
FT: York City 0 Bradford City 2
90+4min: Rankine's header from the York corner that follows his headed away from right under his own goal-line by Hines.
90+4min: Rankine's drive from distance is tipped over the bar by McLaughlin.
90+4min: Jones drives wide with his effort from the resulting free-kick nearly 40 yards out.
90+3min: YELLOW CARD - Smith is booked for crudely bringing down Hines as the City substitute burst forward on a dangerous counter-attack.
90min: There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of the match.
86min: GOAL!!!!!!!!! York City 0 Bradford City 2 - City have a second goal of the match through Thompson! Ricky Ravenhill's kick up field is mis-controlled by Jack O'Connell, allowing Thompson to drive forward for a clear sight on Ingham's goal. Using the time afforded to him by O'Connell's mistake, Thompson composes himself before smashing the ball past Ingham.
85min: SUBS - York bring on Lee Bullock and Michael Rankine for McGrath and Rodman respectively.
79min: Rodman gets the better of Hines down on City's right flank before driving into the area from his wide position. Rodman eventually shoots for goal but rising drive clears the crossbar.
77min: GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! York City 0 Bradford City 1 - The Bantams have the lead through Hanson! Darby's cross finds the near post run of Hanson and the big striker powers a header for goal that just squirms between Ingham's legs and over the goal-line.
71min: From the resulting corner, Davies connects perfectly with Jones' delivery but his header is straight at Ingham.
71min: Reid turns away from two defenders before cutting inside and firing in a low right-footer drive from outside the area the Ingham has to reach down and tip around the post.
68min: Blair picks up a throw-in from Oyebanjo before firing in a looping half-volley from a slightly wide position just outside the area that McLaughlin tips round the post.
67min: SUB - Zavon Hines is brought on for Atkinson.
67min: SUB - David McDaid is brought on for Chambers.
66min: Chris Smith heads over from a Walker corner for York.
62min: City twice look like they are about to have clear attempts on Ingham's goal but Jones and then Hanson are denied in the area by vital interceptions from Daniel Parslow and Kerr respectively.
55min: SUB - Garry Thompson is brought on for Wells after the Bermudian seemingly picked up a slight knock minutes earlier.
55min: Blair's low cross into the area is flicked into the path of Walker by Chambers but the York striker lifts his drive for goal over the bar.
54min: Hanson gets on the end of Darby's fizzed ball into box but the striker's glancing header isn't the cleanest and Ingham can dive on the ball.
48min: A half-cleared City corner falls to the waiting Will Atkinson around the edge of York's area. Atkinson drives for goal first time but his effort dribbles wide.
46min: Reid picks up a quickly-taken free-kick and skips past a couple of York defenders just outside the hosts' area but his eventual drive is well wide of the target.
46min: The Bantams restart the game.
HT: York City 0 Bradford City 0
45+1min: Walker gets a head onto John McGrath's near post corner but McLaughlin can cling on at the second attempt.
45min: There will be a minute of time added on at the end of the first half.
44min: Davies is needed to fling himself at a goalbound strike from Blair after a Chambers cross had fallen into the attacker's path in a dangerous position inside City's area.
38min: YELLOW CARD - Scott Kerr is booked for a late challenge on Reid as City clear their lines following Walker's chance.
38min: Walker spins Andrew Davies to latch onto a Chambers pass and play himself into a clear shooting chance against McLaughlin. Walker tries to round McLaughlin but the 'keeper does well to push the striker wide of goal and Carl McHugh can eventually hack clear when the York man does kick for goal.
17min: Jason Walker's neat flick plays Matty Blair into space midway into City's half and with a chance to run clear at Jon McLaughlin's goal. The York's man touch is far too heavy, however, and the ball runs through to a grateful City 'keeper.
16min: Ashley Chambers shows some nice touches to work himself into a shooting position centrally after coming in from his left wing position. Chambers fires for a goal with a low angled effort from just outside the area but McLaughlin saves in competent fashion.
15min: Gary Jones fires for goal direct from a free-kick from all of 35 yards out but the strike lacks the power to trouble Ingham.
15min: Lanre Oyebanjo cuts inside from York's right flank before trying his luck from just outside the area with his left-foot. The effort, which takes a slight direction on its way through, is simple enough for McLaughlin to grasp onto though.
11min: Reid tries his luck from distance but his effort has the sting taken out of it by the outstretched leg of Chris Smith and Michael Ingham can save with relative ease.
10min: Hanson's flick on from a long Stephen Darby throw-in into the area finds Nahki Wells close out but the ball seems to hit the Bermudian striker before he can get it under control and it bounces off him for a goal-kick.
7min: Kyel Reid sends over a low inviting cross that is merely inches away from a sliding James Hanson in the middle.
0min: York City kick off the match.