A piece of Dean Windass magic 15 minutes from time broke the deadlock and Chesterfield hearts at the Bradford & Bingley Stadium.
City had thrown everything at their visitors without luck before Windass latched on to a pass from the outstanding Ben Muirhead, switched in the penalty area, and then fired a precision shot past keeper Barry Roche.
It had to be Deano who netted. He had been head and shoulders above everyone on the park.
But his eighth goal of the season wasn't the end of his night's work. Seven minutes later he laid the ball back into the path of Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, who rifled in an unstoppable shot from 18 yards to bury the visitors.
In front of a healthy crown of 7,351 - healthy because the Bulls were playing up the road and City had just lost twice in three days - the Bantams had a nice tempo about them from the kick-off.
But up until that Windass strike, the Chesterfield goal had led a charmed life.
Windass had earlier missed a great chance when Reuben Hazell had uncharacteristically played a back pass to his keeper without realising the City veteran was waiting to intercept.
With just the keeper to beat, Windass tried to put the ball through his legs. The ball rebounded back to him and his second effort was deflected for a corner. It was a gilt-edge chance missed.
Then when Andy Cooke had an effort cleared off the line, it really did look like 0-0 was a possibility.
Both sides had chances in the first period. The impressive Kevan Hurst blasted wide after four minutes for Chesterfield and then Muirhead received a crossfield pass from Bridge-Wilkinson and sent over a great curling pass from the right which Windass met with his head. The ball though soared over the bar.
Muirhead was causing problems for the visitors with his pace and intelligent crosses. But Chesterfield also looked dangerous and Caleb Folan blasted just over the bar.
It might have been 0-0 but it was entertaining end-to-end football. Lewis Emanuel and Muirhead both went close before Windass, involved in most attacking moves, nearly got in on the end of a fine Emanuel cross.
Cooke got in on the act, racing in onto a Bridge-Wilkinson through ball. He rounded the keeper but his shot from a tight angle was deflected for a corner.
Steve Claridge got a huge cheer when he and Owen Morrison were brought into the action and it was moments later when Windass broke the deadlock.
Claridge could have made it two himself when, who else but Windass, put him through. With only the keeper to beat, the 39-year old shimmied and curled the ball past Roche, and past the post.
It didn't matter because moments later Bridge-Wilkinson ended the contest with his thunderbolt drive from outside the area.
There were good performances all round from City. The back four of David Wetherall, Mark Bower, Richard Edghill and Andrew Taylor performed heroically - and Muirhead and Emanuel on the flanks were a constant menace.
Todd had asked the players to keep the faith - and they did just that.
But it was Windass who stole the show with an immaculate all-round performance. He just gets better and better.
TELEGRAPH & ARGUS
BRADFORD CITY |
CHESTERFIELD | ||
|
Russell Howarth |
13 |
17 |
Barry Roche |
|
Richard Edghill |
23 |
5 |
Steve Blatherwick |
|
Andrew Taylor |
3 |
6 |
Derek Niven |
|
David Wetherall |
5 |
8 |
Mark Allott |
|
Mark Bower |
6 |
11 |
Paul Hall |
|
Lee Crooks |
12 |
12 |
Gareth Davies |
|
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson |
8 |
14 |
Shane Nicholson |
|
Andy Cooke |
9 |
16 |
Caleb Folan |
|
Dean Windass |
10 |
19 |
Reuben Hazell |
|
Ben Muirhead |
15 |
26 |
Phil Picken |
|
Lewis Emanuel |
16 |
27 |
Kevan Hurst |
|
subs |
subs |
||
|
Steve Claridge |
24 |
3 |
Alan O'Hare |
|
Tom Kearney |
4 |
9 |
Wayne Allison |
|
John Swift |
26 |
10 |
Colin Larkin |
|
Owen Morrison |
11 |
18 |
Adam Smith |
|
Damion Stewart |
22 |
32 |
Sammy Clinghan |
MATCH OFFICIALS |
|
|
Referee: |
C H Webster |
|
Assistant Referee: |
R T Hewitt |
|
Assistant Referee: |
G Hilton |
|
4th Official: |
N A Yates |
SUBSTITUTES |
||||
BRADFORD CITY |
min |
min |
CHESTERFIELD | |
|
11 for 16 |
74 |
60 |
18 for 11 | |
|
24 for 9 |
74 |
60 |
32 for 12 | |
|
26 for 3 |
89 |
72 |
10 for 16 | |
GOAL SCORERS |
||||
BRADFORD CITY |
min |
min |
CHESTERFIELD | |
|
Windass |
75 |
|||
|
Bridge-Wilkinson |
81 | |||
DISCIPLINARY |
||||
BRADFORD CITY |
min |
min |
CHESTERFIELD | |
|
54 |
Picken | |||
| 78 |
Niven | |||
