With the tight nature of this season's race to reach the Premiership showing no signs of abating, form team Bradford City must fancy their chances of snatching an automatic promotion place.

Since losing 3-0 at home to Queens Park Rangers in late November, the Bantams have won six out of seven league and cup outings to become the most talked about side in the First Division.

The run has left City handily placed in fourth position just one point behind Birmingham City in the last automatic promotion slot, but with the bonus of a game in hand.

City's recent run has been so impressive that anything less than a play-off place for Paul Jewell's side would be a major disappointment.

However it is the race for second place which is occupying the minds of the City faithful at the moment although it must be stressed that a number of sides have an equally strong chance of finishing immediately behind runaway leaders Sunderland.

Back in July I predicted in the Telegraph & Argus' special pre-season supplement that the top six, in order, would be: Sunderland, Birmingham, Bolton, Ipswich, Wolves and City.

And as the second half of the season gathers pace, I see no reason to believe that only Colin Lee's Wolves out of these six will struggle to qualify for a place in the play-offs.

As for who will grab that coveted second position, it is going to be a tough race which may, like last season, go all the way to the final game of the campaign.

Trevor Francis' Blues are undoubtedly one of City's main rivals due to their recent form which has seen them win four out of their last five league games.

Birmingham's big strength comes up front with the exciting trio attacking players of Dele Adebola, Paul Furlong and Peter Ndlovu.

The three offer the Blues an invaluable variety when going forward with pace, height and skill causing untold problems for opposition defences.

Like everyone else in the division, consistency has been a problem for Francis' men but when they are on top form they really do it in style - witness the 7-0 demolition of Oxford at The Manor Ground last month.

Bolton Wanderers are another side like City and Birmingham who have hit top form in the last six weeks.

Colin Todd's men suffered a poor October with no victories in five league games but they have bounced back in style since then and are sat just behind the Bantams in the table.

The impressive Reebok Stadium is worthy of a better stage than the First Division. However I still have doubts as to whether the Trotters' defence is solid enough to support a genuine bid for second place.

Ipswich, who have lost twice in the play-offs in as many seasons, are the other side who City must be worried about although they are suffering an alarming drop in form.

The East Anglians have scored just once in around 200 minutes and have already lost five games at home this season - one more than in the whole of last season when they finished fifth.

Despite this, I see Ipswich, like City, Bolton and Birmingham, maintaining their push for automatic promotion.

However when it comes down to the final placings I can only foresee Birmingham standing between Jewell's men and that vital second position in the league.

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