Colin Todd has challenged City to protect fortress Valley Parade.

Goals from Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and David Graham lifted City up to fifth in League One with a win over Port Vale.

It was City's first victory in five games but kept up their unbeaten start at home, where they have already bagged 11 points out of a possible 15.

That is the form that has been sadly lacking in recent seasons - and Todd insists it is essential that City make Valley Parade a place that leaves visiting teams quaking.

He reckons City's short-comings on their own patch cost them dear last term and will keep hammering home the message to make sure there is no repeat.

Todd said: "It's good at the moment but we have to maintain that and keep the run going.

"If our home form had been anything decent last season we'd have been up there. It's a point we have to keep striving to get through to the boys.

"But we've installed that winning habit into the players and we can be exciting to watch.

"We played with real purpose and quality and it was refreshing to see. We've shown again that we are a side to be recognised and we're learning all the time.

"There's a talent in the squad and it's up to everyone to keep turning the screw."

Port Vale had to play the last hour with only ten men after defender Colin Miles was sent off for a nasty challenge on Steve Schumacher. But Todd felt that City were already in command by that point.

"It was just a matter of when the goal was going to come, even when it was 11 v 11," he said.

"It can be difficult when teams go down to ten men but our quality in terms of passing and movement was always very good.

"We caused them a lot of problems and it's just disappointing that we didn't win by more than two.

"The team as a whole played the right way and Jermaine Johnson is a real threat, though he still has to combine better with the strikers when he comes inside. It was also good to have Lee Holmes back on the left because he gives us that balance."

Alan Rogers faces a spell on the sidelines after pulling a hamstring as he attempted a cross at the end of the first half. He was replaced by Richard Edghill after the break.