Last-gasp hero James Hanson savoured City’s latest triumph and roared: “That proves we can win without Nahki Wells.”

The Bantams hope to have a better idea today on the extent of the left ankle injury which forced off their top scorer so early in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Shrewsbury.

Initial reports suggested it was not too serious but they are waiting for the swelling to go down.

Even without their nine-goal talisman, City rallied to come from behind with a victory that pushed them up to fifth.

Hanson slammed the stoppage-time winner to send Valley Parade wild – and then insisted that the team had passed a major test of character.

He said: “Going 1-0 down early on and then losing your top goalscorer is going to hurt anyone.

“At half-time, maybe too many lads were looking round and wondering who was going to do it when Nahki went off.

“He’s a great player, don’t get me wrong, but the second half showed what we are made of as a team with a comeback like that.

“Yeatesy (Mark Yeates) was different class when he came on and every time we got him on the ball he was a threat.”

Kyel Reid wiped out Shrewsbury’s early advantage on the hour with his first goal at home for a year. Then Hanson capped a frenetic finish – which also saw visiting defender Dave Winfield red-carded – by scoring off the post in the third minute of time added on.

Hanson said: “A lot of balls were being pumped in there as it got a little bit desperate.

“I won the initial header, Alan Connell backed in and it turned into a big scramble. Yeatesy prepared to have a swing but then I thought I’d just go for it.

“We were a bit too frantic in the first half and trying too hard. Their goal caught everyone cold.

“But the gaffer said at half-time we were more than capable of getting back into it. We were much better after the break and there was only one winner in the last 20 minutes.”

Hanson also reserved praise for the crowd, who saw City maintain the best home record in the division with a fourth win in five attempts.

“I didn’t sense any negativity around the ground, even when we were 1-0 down at half-time. The fans stuck behind us and played their part in getting us the result.

“Eighteen points from nine games is such a solid start. We wanted to cement our place (in the top six) and who knows how far we can go from here.”

Phil Parkinson was unhappy with referee Geoff Eltringham’s performance – particularly when Winfield was not even booked for his foul that crocked Wells.

Parkinson said: “I didn’t feel the ref gave us any favours at all. Every little decision seemed to go against us. We’ve had it before where we get a young ref and they want to show the big crowd won’t get it their way.

“But I was so pleased for the lads. Nahki has been a big influence for us over a period of time but it was a day for other people to take centre stage and we did that.”