SCUNTHORPE 0 CITY 2

THE Norwegian fan interviewed before the game raised a chuckle by announcing he’d “dreamt of watching Scunthorpe since 1977.”

The wait for public approval for Ben Williams has not been quite so long but it must have seemed like it at times for the keeper.

But, six clean sheets later, there are signs that the man many viewed as a “fill-in” between the posts is winning over the Bantam faithful.

There was even a chant of “Will-i-ams”, to the tune of Luke Oliver’s former ode, after a blinding first-half stop went a long way to continuing City’s extraordinary current run of form.

That wind-assisted misjudgement at Fleetwood back in September, which provoked so much derision, now seems a lifetime away. It is 578 minutes and counting since he last conceded against Wigan.

Bringing in Brad Jones, while an unmitigated disaster from a playing point of view for City, looks a masterstroke in pushing Williams up a gear. His response to that brief competition has been faultless.

His change of fortunes has been welcomed within Phil Parkinson’s squad, where he is a popular and respected figure.

“Everyone knows Ben’s quality and it’s a credit to him,” said skipper Stephen Darby. “He’s a great lad in the dressing room and we’re absolutely delighted for him.

“He’s pulled off another couple of great saves. But he just gets his head down and he’s a top professional.”

Williams has set a modern-day record but he is still two off the historical mark of eight shut-outs in a row by Mark Mellors in the FA Cup-winning season of 1911. Coventry and Walsall will pose a daunting double threat to that this week but given the confidence coursing through the City side right now, it would be foolish to rule out his chances.

With 20 points from the last eight games, the Bantams are worth their spot at the top of League One’s form table.

They certainly earned the latest victory against a spirited Scunthorpe on Saturday.

Some might say that fixtures against the likes of Aldershot and struggling Crewe can massage the statistics. But this win and clean sheet was well worth the admission for the near-2,000 strong travelling army.

Parkinson had called it one of City’s biggest tests given the on-going injury hurdles and Scunthorpe’s strong home form.

That was backed up inside the first minute as Paddy Madden and Neal Bishop both went close.

For the first half at least, the Iron tried to give as good as they got. But City proved simply irrepressible.

Williams earned the rave reviews for a double block midway through the half to thwart the Madden and Bishop combo once more.

The follow-up save, when he climbed off the floor to plunge left and hang on to Bishop’s blockbuster, was simply sensational. Quite rightly, he was serenaded from behind the goal.

But this was no tale of City soaking up the pressure before hitting their hosts on the break. Far from it.

This was the most positive away performance of the season and the visitors could have easily doubled their two-goal final tally.

Billy Clarke should have had a penalty – and Scunthorpe a red card in Parkinson’s eyes – when he was tugged back when trying to convert Kyel Reid’s low cross.

But referee Seb Stockbridge did oblige when Reid, clearly back on top of his right back-rinsing game, was clipped by Gary McSheffery.

Reid’s shot had been well blocked by Luke Daniels but the winger scurried in from the rebound and was tripped in the panic.

City had back-to-back spot-kicks for the second time this season and Tony “Midas” McMahon maintained his personal production line with another penalty to go with the bagful of recent assists.

McMahon slipped slightly as he connected but the connection remained decisive and it gave him another opportunity to air the Gareth Bale celebration.

Mark Robins had shaken up the Scunthorpe attack by starting Darius Henderson for the first time since August. But his more direct threat was ably snuffed out by Rory McArdle and the fast-improving Nathan Clarke, looking to make that slot his own with Reece Burke’s Valley Parade future unclear.

At the other end, City new boy Jordan Bowery made an instant impression with a hard-running debut.

He linked up well with Billy Clarke and was prepared to run into the channels to stretch the home defence. The cramp which eventually forced him off was an inevitable by-product of his longest first-team outing for three months.

But for a smart save by Daniels, Bowery could have pocketed a debut goal soon after the break as City came out determined to push for a decisive second.

With Reid tormenting full back Scott Wiseman and Clarke leaving his marker Jack King unsure whether to stick or twist with his movement, the Bantams were able to open up space almost at will.

If I’m being pernickety, they could have showed a more ruthless touch with those chances but it was hugely entertaining stuff for the fans.

And they were treated to a special second goal as Greg Leigh made another spectacular entry to the City scoresheet from a sweeping move along the left wing.

McMahon gave Leigh the ball as he advanced with menace; he exchanged passes with Lee Evans and then Clarke before firing past Daniels from a tight angle. The boy clearly doesn’t do tap-ins!

Robins tried belatedly to make amends by reshaping his strike force and bringing on Luke Williams and Kevin van Veen.

The subs quickly combined but there was Ben Williams again to turn away van Veen’s flick header.

And when Luke Williams pulled back to an unmarked van Veen ten yards out, the Dutchman screwed his shot wide with the goal beckoning. When the luck’s going for you …

So that’s another team that failed to breach the Bantams. It almost seems like a force field protecting their net right now.

Ben Williams could have added an assist to his clean-sheet bonus when Billy Clarke dinked over the bar from his long clearance. And Daniels denied an Evans thump deep into added time.

But a good win all round that builds it up perfectly for Tuesday night's tasty home clash with new leaders Coventry.

SCUNTHORPE: Daniels 7, Wiseman 5 (Adelakun 82min), Canavan 6, Mirfin 6, Laird 6, Bishop 7, King 6, Rowe 6, McSheffrey 6 (L Williams 61min), Henderson 6 (van Veen 61min), Madden 6. Subs (not used): McAllister, Goode, J Clarke, Anyon.

CITY: B Williams 9, Darby 8, McArdle 8, N Clarke 8, Leigh 8, McMahon 8, Evans 7, Liddle 7, Reid 8 (Marshall 86min), B Clarke 8, Bowery 8 (James 79min). Subs (not used): Knott, Morris, Routis, Cole, Cracknell.

CITY MAN OF THE MATCH: Ben Williams.

REFEREE: Seb Stockbridge (Sunderland)

BOOKINGS: Rowe, Bishop (Scunthorpe); McArdle, Williams (City)

ATTENDANCE: 4,865

Shots on target: Scunthorpe 3, City 7.

Shots off target: Scunthorpe 6, City 7.

Corners: Scunthorpe 6, City 7.

Fouls committed: Scunthorpe 12, City 8.