ANDREW Davies insists City are still on course to match his pre-season prediction of a top-six finish.

Back-to-back league wins have lifted them to within a point of the final play-off spot going into Saturday’s home clash with Scunthorpe.

With 20 games gone, City have faced all of the current front-runners – and Davies has seen nothing to change his mind.

The Bantams have won at MK Dons, Preston and Rochdale and taken a point from leaders Bristol City.

Davies, who is 30 today, said: “You look at the Preston game. They were unbeaten for 12 months at home and we played well there – but I feel we can still play better than that.

“Knowing that has got to give you confidence.

“When people were asking me before the season about targets and I said the play-offs, they probably thought I was being unrealistic.

“But I felt with the squad of players we’ve got, the manager, Nick Allamby, the stadium and the fans – put all those together and this club have got Championship written all over it. I’ve said exactly the same since I came here.

“The manager’s got us all working hard for each other. You can have a good squad of players but if they aren’t prepared to run around, then you get nowhere.

“Hard work always outdoes talent. We’re all putting the work in and we’re playing well because of that.”

Phil Parkinson has pressing contract issues within his squad. Goalkeeper Ben Williams’s short-term deal runs out on New Year’s Eve and Filipe Morais and Jon Stead need to be sorted after the FA Cup trip to Millwall.

Discussions have taken place with the board, and joint-chairman Julian Rhodes said: “We’ve asked Phil to go back and speak to the players and see what their position is.”

Davies hopes City can keep them all to maintain the current momentum.

He said: “The earlier things get sorted, the more settled players are.

“I can imagine it’s a distraction when contracts run down. We’ve all got families and kids and you don’t want that playing on your mind.

“The more settled you are, your mind’s fresher going into games.

“Steady is looking fantastic at the minute. He’s a different player now to how he was last time.

“He’s got that hunger back in his game again and it’s showing week in, week out.

“When you’re playing well and the manager speaks to you, you can go in there with your head held high. You know you can’t be doing any more.”

City’s home record has returned to a more even keel with successive wins over Leyton Orient and non-league Dartford. Despite five Valley Parade losses, Davies stressed it was never an issue.

“It was a sticky patch but, apart from the very top teams in the Premier League, everyone goes through that at some point.

“It was frustrating at times when we were playing well and not getting anything. But if you keep doing the right thing then your luck will always change.

“We are hitting some good form now but there are going to be times again in the season when we are going to dip. The good teams are the ones who can come out of those – which we do.”