CITY can prevent runaway leaders Bristol City from making history tonight as Phil Parkinson insists: We're not going there to make up the numbers.

Steve Cotterill's early-season flyers are the only unbeaten team in the whole Football League after a storming start that has powered them five points clear.

The Robins will set a new club record of 14 games if they avoid defeat at Ashton Gate. Saturday's 3-1 win at Coventry, watched by 3,794 away fans, equalled the previous best start set 60 years ago in the same division.

It promises to be a daunting prospect for the Bantams, who are still smarting from back-to-back TV defeats against Barnsley and Sheffield United.

But after losing just once on the road so far, Phil Parkinson believes the visitors can spoil the party.

"People will probably be expecting only one result – but these are the challenges you want as a manager and a group of players," said the Bradford boss.

"We've had a bad week in terms of the two Yorkshire derbies but we've had times like this before and come through them. We need to regroup and be resilient and we've got to pick a side that is capable of doing that.

"Obviously the results so far suggest they are a good side and we've got to go down there and put in a really strong away performance.

"We're a decent team, we've got good players and we'll give it our best shot. We're not going there just to make the numbers up but to come back with something."

Bristol City's incredible form stretches back to the end of last season. Their last loss in League One was on March 29 at Rotherham – the only defeat in 26 games.

It is a complete transformation from a year ago when it took them until the 13th game to register a first league win.

Bristol City were bottom at Christmas and still in the relegation zone going into March. They eventually finished one point and one place behind the Bantams in 12th.

Parkinson said: "At the start of last season they had the negativity of coming down and then changed the manager round.

"But it was amazing how they struggled to get going when they had the likes of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Sam Baldock (now at Brighton) up front.

"Let's be fair, they were always expected to do well at this level. You look at them outbidding Leeds for Kieran Agard and that shows what kind of spending power they've got down there.

"They have had an exceptional start but it doesn't surprise me. Bristol City and Sheffield United were the two tipped to do well after the way they finished last year."

Stephen Darby misses out after Saturday's red card against the Blades. Parkinson still believes the skipper's second booking was harsh – but he also felt that Jason Kennedy should have rescued a point for the ten men when he hit the post.

He said: "That was a big moment for us. It was a good bit of play in terms of the cross from Yeatesy (Mark Yeates) and JK had a great opportunity to equalise.

"We were really in the ascendancy at that point and to concede straight after that was a real kick in the teeth."

Bristol City could have key midfielder Korey Smith back from a hamstring problem – but Cotterill is wary of City's threat in the air.

He warned: "Set-plays will be an important part of this game. We must make sure we do well on set-pieces for and against.

"We're unbeaten but we haven't won anything yet. It doesn't matter. I'm sure the press will make more of it than we do."

But home striker Aaron Wilbraham, who had a five-game loan at Valley Parade in 2006, feels the run is giving the players an extra incentive.

He said: "Knowing every team we play wants to be the first to beat us is a huge motivational force. It makes us more determined."

The Bantams have not lost to Bristol City since February 1996 and are unbeaten in the last ten meetings.

Rory McArdle headed City's equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Ashton Gate on the opening day of last season to earn their first point following promotion from League Two.

He said: "Bristol City probably under-achieved last year with the squad that they had. When teams come down, it's always hard to balance it.

"But they've got an experienced manager in Steve Cotterill who knows how to get teams going."