Craig Fagan's first goal for 19 months clinched Phil Parkinson's first win as City's ten men claimed a gutsy success against Torquay.

The Bantams played three quarters of the game a man short after Andrew Davies was harshly sent off.

But Fagan scored for the first time since March 2010 and a rock-solid team effort saw them through to three hard-earned and fully-deserved points.

Fagan should have scored with the game's first chance after 14 minutes, blazing over the bar when unmarked from 15 yards out.

But referee Colin Boyeson threw a huge spanner in the works when he showed Davies a straight red card for his challenge on Danny Stevens.

The defender's dismissal and the sense of frustration sparked the crowd, who appealed for a card with every Torquay foul.

The injustice lifted City's performance and they grabbed the lead seven minutes before the break, Fagan making up for his earlier miss by turning home Luke Oliver's knockdown.

The home side were worth the advantage although Matt Duke twice had to deny Kevin Nicholson.

With Mark Stewart dropping back into midfield, Fagan was left in the lone role up front.

But the woodwork denied him an audacious second ten minutes after the break. Fagan latched on to Liam Moore's long clearance, lobbing keeper Robert Olejnik from 30 yards as he rushed out - only to watch the ball bounce back off the bar.

City were fuming with the official again when Eunan O'Kane was only yellow-carded when he fouled Kyel Reid on the edge of the box as the winger looked to go clear. Robbie Threlfall's free-kick was tipped behind by Olejnik.

Torquay threw men forward in the closing stages - including Olejnik for two corners in stoppage time - but City battled hard to see the job through with their first clean sheet in 19 league games.