City 2, Northampton 1

What have Saturday and last New Year’s Day at Lincoln got in common? City won both 2-1 – but there is another significant similarity.

When James Hanson stooped to nod home Kyel Reid’s peach of a cross, incredibly it was the first time that both of the Bantams front two had scored in the same game since January 1.

Hanson also netted that day at Sincil Bank before Gareth Evans drilled the winner. Now, 42 matches later, it has finally happened again. Fair to say, it’s not a moment too soon.

Phil Parkinson has consistently championed the potential of a Hanson and Fagan partnership.

The signs were very promising at Burton before Hanson’s calf went and kept him sidelined for three weeks. The pair were finally back in unison at the weekend, where their manager’s faith was immediately justified.

Okay, you can get picky and say that Fagan’s goal came from the penalty spot, not open play. It’s hardly an indication of a Mills and Blake reincarnation.

But fans can see the emergence of a pretty decent double act – and it’s been far too long since we’ve witnessed that at Valley Parade.

The scoreline and the names on the scoresheet were the major pluses in a game that will not live very long in the memory. But a win’s a win and this one was much needed to give everyone a little peace of mind.

Parkinson has repeatedly preached patience while his new arrivals find their feet in regular action. But even he had stressed on Friday that it was about time now that they came to the party.

Ahead of back-to-back away games this week – and City currently suffer the worst travelling record in the division – three points at home was imperative.

Having said that, the first half is best glossed over. It was a non-event as a spectacle, though Gary Johnson could claim a tactical victory over Parkinson with Northampton’s 3-5-2 set-up catching the home side off their guard.

Parkinson had watched the Cobblers roll over at Port Vale the previous week and that formation had certainly not come up in his intensive preparations.

With the man advantage in midfield, Northampton effectively stifled the game to the point of tears. City were unable to find any room to work in and the uncertainty following on from Hereford was evident in their caution.

The only spark came two minutes from the break when, out of nothing, Michael Bryan cleverly conjured a chance single-handed and chipped against the bar.

The Watford winger had been brought in from the cold for his first start in two months but, like his team-mates, had made little headway up to that point.

But thankfully that strike seemed to release the handbrake. Bryan and City improved noticeably from the restart.

Fagan had two chances, one a glaring miss from a free header set up by Reid. But then Northampton suddenly struck with their first shot in anger – and what a shot it was.

If City want to make a few bob in the Christmas market, they should think about releasing a DVD of great goals scored against them.

The 30-plus yarder from Michael Jacobs took its place alongside Steve Leslie’s free-kick the week before and others that have flown past Matt Duke from way out.

City’s keeper has still to convince many supporters but, while his command of corners looked uncertain at times, he had absolutely no chance with the wickedly swerving effort that crashed inside his near post.

It was a pivotal moment for the home side. How would they react to the shock of finding themselves trailing out of the blue? Within four minutes we had a positive answer – with a helping hand from Northampton.

It was Andy Holt’s left arm actually which blocked Bryan’s cross. Desperate claims that the midfielder had taken the ball on his nose were ignored by referee Steve Rushton and Fagan shrugged off some blatant time-wasting to blast the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

A collective weight was lifted as Valley Parade came alive. An afternoon that had drifted from tedium to despair had suddenly become one of hope and redemption.

And the result that Parkinson craved to wipe away the misery of Edgar Street was secured seven minutes later thanks to the cross of the match from Reid.

Bryan got the sponsors’ vote for man of the match and could be well pleased with his efforts after a long spell on the shelf. But it is Reid who gets people on their feet and scares the living daylights out of defenders.

His pass had power and bend and totally foxed the Northampton back three as it sought out Hanson’s obliging head at the far post.

The big man made an awkward finish look a formality as he gobbled up his fifth goal of the campaign.

Valley Parade, which had been a wall of silence during that mind-numbing first 45 minutes, was alive again with relief as much as joy. With Reid pulling the strings and Fagan making sure every pass forward stuck, City too found that spark to their play.

There was one last scare for a defence that had been well marshalled by Marcel Seip and the ultra-consistent Luke Oliver. Adam Reed, again an unconvincing figure in centre midfield, gave the ball away with a loose header and allowed Saido Berahino to set up an unmarked Jake Robinson on the edge of the penalty area.

Fortunately the fella who had put a hat-trick past the Bantams with Shrewsbury on the opening day of last season fired this one high into the TL Dallas Stand and the danger had passed.

City could celebrate back-to-back home wins and once again – maybe, just maybe – start looking upwards. At least they can look at the forwards with some optimism.

Attendance: 9,925