MARK Hughes insists that hitting League Two’s top three only matters at the end of the season.

The Bantams will move into an automatic promotion place for the first time under the Welshman if they beat Northampton on Saturday.

The stakes are high for the Valley Parade clash against the side currently two points above them in third spot.

Leapfrogging one of their potentially main rivals would be a timely move ahead of City’s blank Saturday before their next league action at leaders Leyton Orient.

Hughes knows the confidence boost it would provide going into December but stressed the focus remains a lot further down the line.

“It gives everybody a good feeling,” he said. “We’re in good shape and happily placed, we’re comfortable enough with our position.

“Getting into those automatic places is clearly the end game. When we do that isn’t really important - as long as we get there in the end.

“But it would obviously give everybody a lift if we are in those top three positions, because that is where we want to finish anyway.”

City have not won in four league games at Valley Parade but Hughes is convinced they can carry the all-conquering away form into their own backyard.

“We’re really looking forward to it. We’re in good shape at the moment on the back of the last two performances on the road.

“We’ve just got to transfer that to our home form and there’s no reason why we can’t.

“The balance to our play is good right now and we’re mixing things up.

“We’re up against a good team but we don’t fear anybody in this league. We always back ourselves.

“There’s going to be a big crowd and great atmosphere so it’s good to be back at Valley Parade again.

“We’ve shown that we can go on runs with our away form and we obviously want to do the same at Valley Parade.

“We’re certainly not conceding too many here in the league or losing too many games. We just need to convert the draws into wins.

“We’d clearly be handily placed if we can do that.”

Hughes was hugely critical of City’s “really flat” display in the FA Cup loss to Harrogate in the most last home appearance. But he saw plenty of positives from the most recent league outings.

“You look at the two home games prior to that and we did really well. We certainly should have won the Swindon game, although the penalty decision was poor.

“We’re not a million miles away from what we need at home.”

Northampton are missing top scorer Sam Hoskins but, like City, are strong on the road. They have lost only once away from Sixfields so far.

“I would imagine they back themselves to have a real go,” said Hughes.

“If that’s the case, it becomes a better, more open game and we enjoy those more, in my view.

“Away from home when teams come at us, we find a little bit of space at the top end of the pitch. We struggle sometimes around teams who play counter-attack football.

“But I know we’ve got enough strings to our bow that enable us to deal with whatever the opposition put before us.”