Bradford City 1 Burton Albion 0

He scored the goal that fired City to Wembley last time.

So who better to get the one that puts them on the path to going back there?

James Hanson will score better goals than the prod that looped over Burton keeper Dean Lyness and defender Ian Sharps on the line. But, other than that famous Villa Park header, has there been one more important?

Yet having notched his 13th of the season – one shy of last year – the big striker admitted he did not expect it to stand after Nahki Wells forced Burton keeper Dean Lyness to cough the ball up.

“I thought it was a foul on the keeper,” he said. “All credit to Nahki for doing what he does best and chasing him down but I just swung my leg because I expected the ref to blow anyway.

“But you’ll take a bit of luck going our way at last. I’ve had quite a few cleared off the line and headers hitting the bar, fouls that probably weren’t fouls and things like that – it was a nice change.”

Not that Burton were disputing the goal that effectively costs them a shot at the final automatic promotion place. Nor the red card minutes later that killed off any hopes of pegging City back.

The Brewers paid the price for “three minutes of madness” according to boss Gary Rowett, doing a passable Geoffrey Richmond impression.

City will see it as natural justice, karma, whatever you want to call it. Ricky Ravenhill, in particular, enjoyed the sight of away skipper Lee Bell heading for an early bath.

Ravenhill has been an unheralded catalyst of City’s charge into the play-offs. With Nathan Doyle fading after Wembley, the club captain was given his opportunity to supplement Gary Jones in the engine room – and how he has grabbed it.

There is nothing fancy about his game but it’s perfectly suited for the hurly burly of League Two. And just what City needed for the muck and nettles battles of the past few weeks.

Ravenhill had an assist in the breakthrough goal, hooking the ball clear from defence and putting the onus on the Burton backline.

An unconvincing backheader fell short of Lyness and allowed Wells to pounce. The Bermudian’s presence unsettled the keeper, the ball popped loose and Hanson arced it back over Sharps trying to protect his line.

Two minutes later and Bell planted an elbow into the mush of Zavon Hines on the halfway line. The red card from referee Andy Woolmer was a no-brainer.

At that point, Ravenhill chipped in to have his say – and why not.

After all, he had been the victim of Bell’s play-acting when the sides clashed at the Pirelli Stadium on that fateful October afternoon when City lost both Luke Oliver and Andrew Davies.

Bell later tweeted that he had “gone down like a girl” following the minimal contact with Ravenhill’s head. But he also commented: “What goes around, comes around.”

So you didn’t need a lip reader to work out what Ravenhill was chirping in his ear as he theatrically waved goodbye to the Burton midfielder. Karma indeed...

Rowett later accused his captain of “letting down his mates”. There was certainly no logic behind the red-mist moment that left Burton – like City six months ago – a man down for the second half.

It did ensure there was no need for any home anxiety, even if City were unable to find a second goal that would have wrapped up the contest.

They did try. Michael Nelson, having his best game for the club, saw a header from a free-kick tipped over the bar and Lyness also beat away a fiercely-thumped drive from Garry Thompson.

And Alan Connell looked very sharp when he came on as City learned the lessons from the Rotherham game and got the ball into his feet. On another day, he might have finished with at least one goal.

But one goal did prove enough in a game that was a far more cagey affair than might have been expected given that both sides had to win.

Anyone anticipating an open Bristol Rovers-style free-for-all would have been disappointed. It wasn’t until the five minutes before half-time that anything really happened.

Still, everything was falling nicely into place by that point courtesy of Russell Penn’s goal for Cheltenham after only five minutes at Exeter. With the Grecians behind, the play-off ticket was there for the taking for City.

They suffered an early blow when losing Kyel Reid with a thigh injury. Fingers will be firmly crossed for the influential winger – though at least the extra week’s grace before the play-offs commence will be valuable.

On the other flank, the in-form Thompson brushed aside Damien McCrory to whip in a cross that Hanson nodded over.

But the game sparked properly into life as half-time approached when Jacques Maghoma carved his way inside Stephen Darby and Gary Jones. His cross-shot was struck with venom and arrowing for the far corner but Jon McLaughlin was equal to it with two firm hands to push it behind.

How crucial that save proved to be was borne out within a minute when Hanson sent another impressive crowd wild.

With eyes glued to mobiles for regular updates from St James Park, the fans sung City home through a one-sided second period. Burton’s lack of numbers told as they were unable to mount any serious resistance.

Hines should have doubled the advantage in the final minute after some precise link-up play between Hanson and Connell. But with only Lyness to beat, he got his angles all wrong and jabbed wide.

It did not matter. The five minutes of time added for Burton sub Jack Dyer being stretchered off were spent almost entirely in away territory.

The final whistle was greeted with hysteria; the traditional lap of appreciation from the players was fully deserved. Wembley revisited? It’s only two games away.

Hanson added: “Everyone was hoping Bradford were going to miss out. Now we’re there and it’s ours to lose.

“With the crowd we’ll get at home, I fancy us to go on and at least get to Wembley. We’re picking up momentum at the right time and can give it a really good shot in the play-offs.”

What goes around, comes around indeed.