CITY 2 CHESTERFIELD 0

PHIL Parkinson was barely a month old the last time City were on a home run like this.

With a seventh straight Valley Parade victory this afternoon, Parkinson’s present day side are on the club’s best form for nearly half a century.

The team of 1967-1968 won eight on the bounce on home soil – how the Bantams boss would love to emulate that next week with a further triumph in the play-off semi-finals.

Certainly Millwall will not relish a trip to BD8 next Sunday in the current climate.

News that Yorkshireman Lee Gregory had buried a stoppage-time penalty at Gillingham for the Lions to cling on to fourth spot was the only blemish on an afternoon of celebration.

A second leg under the lights in south-east London a week on Friday will definitely not be one for the faint-hearted. But Millwall should not expect to find it any more comfortable up north.

Valley Parade’s first 20,000 league gate since 2002 savoured the latest sunny success today – they could be a huge weapon in the approaching tussle of two in-form heavyweights.

“Thank you” notes from Parkinson were handed out to fans on the turnstiles before the game. He is well aware of the role that will be needed from those off the pitch.

Who’d have thought when Colchester ended a five-month winless streak at Valley Parade on March 1, City would not drop another home point?

Fourteen home wins and 47 points – that’s the highest tally since Paul Jewell’s team marched into the Premier League 17 years ago.

For those looking for positive omens, the last two occasions City won more than half their home games – 1999 and 2013 – both ended in promotion.

That old cliché of fortress Valley Parade is finally looking justified.

There was no mass reshuffle in the final “dress rehearsal” for next week. The three changes were the ones Parkinson had hinted about in the build-up.

City went with a different front two but the significant difference from Southend was Paul Anderson’s first start since breaking his leg in September. The winger’s 68-minute outing should put him in fine fettle for the real challenge to come.

After the traditional minute’s silence was perfectly observed, the place exploded into a cauldron of noise.

And the volume found another notch as City took a seventh-minute lead in spectacular fashion.

Tony McMahon’s shot was blocked on the edge of the box and came out to Lee Evans. Chesting it under control, he let rip with his left foot from just under 30 yards out.

The shot went like a rocket and despite Tommy Lee getting a hand on it, the Keighley-born keeper had no chance in keeping the ball out as it flew into the net.

Parkinson had said Evans was getting his eye in for the play-offs after last week’s winner – and this was a sensational way to open his Valley Parade account after three previous goals all on the road.

Having finally scored at home, the Welshman was clearly on a one-man mission to make up for lost time.

He tested Lee with a lob from City’s next attack and then clipped the outside of the post with a side-foot effort after Anderson’s cross was laid back to him by Jamie Proctor.

A fourth attempt from McMahon’s half-cleared cross brought a relieved low save from Lee as their personal duel continued.

With any relegation fears put to bed last week, Chesterfield looked like a team counting down to their holidays.

Danny Wilson had named a side without any recognised strikers. Midfielder Dan Gardner operated in the most forward role but they offered little to threaten the party mood.

An injury to Chesterfield defender Tom Anderson put a dampener on proceedings.

The centre half stayed on the floor after coming off second best in a challenge with Proctor. Play was stopped for seven minutes while Anderson received treatment before being carried off on a stretcher.

The atmosphere inevitably dropped with the long delay but City almost got the place rocking again when Billy Clarke broke into the box.

Proctor was in support to his left but got held up by blue shirts and his lay-off for Evans was under-hit and Chesterfield rode the danger.

Their response was a first shot of the game from Gboly Ariyibi but he screwed it harmlessly across goal.

It was hardly a concern for the home side although the intensity had dipped following the Anderson injury and there was an “end of season” feel about proceedings leading up to the break.

City instantly upped things on the restart, emerging with Nathan Clarke in the back four in place of Reece Burke.

Billy Clarke tried to catch Lee off his line with an audacious effort from 40 yards and the keeper had to scamper back anxiously to deny him.

Evans once again tested the Chesterfield stopper with a curling cross-shot that he palmed behind and Rory McArdle nodded over from the corner.

Gary Liddle, having a quiet return to his old club, then clipped Josh Cullen just outside the D and McMahon’s free-kick did not miss by much.

Chesterfield were living dangerously at the back as City continued to push for a second – and things got more difficult for them when they went down to ten men midway through the half.

Proctor burst away from Sam Hird and the defender instinctively tugged him to the ground to receive an inevitable red card.

The game of glorified attack against defence continued as Nathan Clarke had a swing and a miss in a goal-mouth scramble.

Barring a Jay O’Shea free-kick into the side-netting, Chesterfield seemed happy just to play out time. Ben Williams’ 27th clean sheet of the campaign was the easiest of the lot.

City’s constant pressure paid off three minutes from time. Evans crossed from the right, Proctor unselfishly squared to Billy Clarke and the Irishman converted only his fourth goal of the season.

Chesterfield admittedly were powder-puff; Millwall will present a far, far sterner examination over the next 11 days.

But City will head into that double-header in confident and determined mood. They continue to peak at just the right moment.

It’s not only the Lions who are roaring.