Derby County 1, Bradford City 2: The story goes that Ashley Ward enjoyed his time at Derby so much that he named his daughter after the club.

Not true. Darby, note the spelling, was born six weeks before he joined the Rams in 1996.

But it's fair to say that the City striker has plenty of happy memories from his 40-game stop off between Norwich and Barnsley.

And the natives, pretty restless at Derby's current shortcomings, would welcome him back with open arms.

More than most, Ward kops a fair amount of stick from rival supporters. But the reception he got at Pride Park was fit for the return of a conquering hero.

And how did he reward this touching show from the home fans? By sticking the knife in John Gregory's wobblers by helping bundle home City's late, late winner.

Not that Ward can really claim the final touch, and he knew that afterwards as he sheepishly tried to accept the credit.

Ward admitted the pinball decider was a complete blur although he had a closer view than anyone in the goalmouth melee.

He said: "I don't really know what happened. I had the first shot which the keeper saved, somebody chipped it to the back post and we all just piled in.

"Obviously I will be claiming it but you have to let other people decide. It all depends on what the TV shows because the ball must have ricocheted ten times in the space of one metre.

"I had a great time at Derby in a period when the club was doing well in the Premier League. It's great to come back and hear the fans cheering me - and even better to finish on a high."

Having burned out the freeze-frame button of the video, it seems the actual scorer was Derby centre-half Pablo Mills.

Ward certainly began the move with a cross-shot which Lee Grant parried to his left. Andy Gray picked it up and whipped back a lethal cross into the six-yard box where the fun began.

Jamie Lawrence, who was initially given the goal, went up to challenge along with Ward and Mills. Lawrence shouldered it towards the corner of the net and as the ball dropped, Grant and Ward were joined in the scramble by home skipper Warren Barton.

Ward got another nudge which Barton blocked and the ball pinged up from their clash and smacked the unfortunate Mills in the face before finally looping into the net.

Clearly a training-ground move worked to perfection!

Despite the freaky manner and timing of the goal, it was no more than City deserved as they step up their remarkable flourish up the table.

Twelve points above the bottom three, Nicky Law's side don't have to keep up the pretence of fighting for survival. They are now within nine points of seventh spot!

An against-all-odds late scramble for the play-offs may be beyond them but City can look to make up serious ground. A win over bogey side Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow night could pull them level with Burnley - who are 12th!

Ward said: "It makes a change to see us moving up the table. We got some good results over a few weeks and never changed positions and although we pulled clear of the relegation zone, the lads did seem to wonder when we would shoot up a couple of places.

"But we knew if we won this we'd go above Derby and with a game in hand on one or two above us we can really start moving up.

"Just lately we have started to get what we deserve and we earned the win however fortunate the goal may have been. We went through a sticky patch earlier where we didn't get the rub of the green but now that has turned for us.

"We'll keep trying to win games and peg others back. We'll prove that when we do get everybody fit, we are a better side than the league table shows."

Things go from bad to worse for home boss Gregory, who again ducked the chance to talk to the press after his side's seventh game without a win. On this evidence, Derby could be in serious trouble as the four teams below them fight for their First Division lives.

Lee Morris on the left wing apart, Derby had little to unsettle a City defence in which centre-halves David Wetherall and Mark Bower hardly put a foot wrong.

The White Feather was contemptuously blown away as Fabrizio Ravanelli had little scope to justify his exhorbitant salary. As City fans know more than most, one half-decent free-kick and a hoof into row K behind the goal does not really add up to £40,000 a week.

Morris posed more problems, particularly for Simon Francis, who was brought back down to earth with a bump after scoring last week's winner. The 17-year-old lasted only 12 minutes before being hauled off by Law who feared his early yellow card might soon turn into a second red in his fledgling career.

Law said his hand was forced by referee Mike Pike's decision to book Francis for an early trip on Morris rather than let him off with a lecture.

He added: "I couldn't afford to be down to ten men after 15 minutes. The ref was far too early with the card, all it needed was a talking-to but I had no choice."

On came Jamie Lawrence, champing at the bit to make up for his one-game ban, and within a minute City had their noses in front.

Ward battled for possession midway inside Derby territory and the ball broke to Claus Jorgensen on his right. You can guess what happened next.

Jorgensen ran on a couple of strides before launching a right-foot rocket from outside the area which flew past Grant. The Dane is anything but travel-sick - that's six away games in a row now when he has scored.

"Get behind them like never before" was the pre-match plea from the tannoy announcer and, to be fair, the Derby fans lifted their troops to an equaliser just before the half-hour.

Lewis Emanuel missed a clearing header under pressure from Paul Boertien, Adam Bolder followed up with a shot which Aidan Davison pushed out to Morris who knocked home.

Gray wasted a one-on-one but City still looked the better side.

With the supply lines to the wings cut off, Wetherall and Bower gobbled up the hopeful high balls pumped in Ravanelli's direction allowing the Bantams to break with intent.

Gray flicked wide a header he should have buried and Lawrence skied a side-foot volley with Grant beaten.

It looked as if City would have to make do with a draw until Ward popped up in added time. With more than a little help from his friends.