GARY MacKenzie has been hailed as a "leader" as City prepare to begin another spell of games without Andrew Davies tonight.

The uncompromising Scot will step back into the heart of the defence against play-off rivals Chesterfield at Valley Parade after Davies was ruled out for a "few" weeks with his latest hamstring blow.

MacKenzie impressed again after deputising from the bench in Saturday's win over Oldham and Phil Parkinson believes the on-loan Blackpool defender has the right attributes as City approach the run-in.

The Bantams boss said: "Gary's a leader. He demands standards out of the players. That's the type of people you need to win games of football.

"Gary's grown into the role and I'm very pleased with him. He's done well in every game.

"When we brought him in, he obviously needed some match practice because he hadn't played for such a long time.

"But he's getting stronger and fitter and his body is adapting to the rigours of first-team football. I think he's there now.

"The lads like him. He's fitted in really well with the group of players and hopefully can continue to make a positive contribution."

Davies, who pulled up after just 17 minutes of the Oldham game, had a scan yesterday and Parkinson admitted: "He's probably going to be out for a few weeks. It's not a complete tear of the hamstring but it's unlucky for him.

"It was a bit of a strange one because it wasn't as if he was sprinting full out at the time. It was half to three-quarter pace when he felt a tightening in the hamstring.

"I feel for him because he's had the problem with his arm and worked hard over the last week to get himself right. But that's the highs and lows of being a professional footballer – and he's had a few lows."

Having started the weekend in the bottom half, City will return to a play-off place with a win against a Spireites side currently above them only on goals scored.

For Parkinson, that sums up his belief that the general standard in League One this season is closer than ever.

He said: "Everybody's talking about the tightness of the league. Look at Saturday's result, for instance, and Crewe winning at Sheffield United.

"You would never have predicted that or Peterborough, who had won five out of six, getting beaten at home.

"But I was at Fleetwood and Preston on Sunday and speaking to a lot of scouts and they were all saying the same. There's absolutely nothing in this division.

"It's been great to watch because every game is really tight and if you're not really focused or committed every player for every minute, you won't win.

"When we win, we deserve to win. I can't think of a time this year when we've played poorly and won.

"There might be five or six who've got a lot more to spend but then a band of clubs who are very similar."

City won 1-0 at the Proact Stadium in December thanks to a Billy Clarke cracker and Parkinson is braced for another equally well-matched encounter.

He said: "Chesterfield have had a good season. We had a terrific game down there, separated by one quality moment, and there will be no quarter given.

"We know they've got some good technical players but they are a team we've got to make defend. We'll be endeavouring to do that at every opportunity."