City 1 Peterborough 0

THE City substitutes were still ploughing up and down on their warm-down when the mobiles started to buzz.

Charlie Wyke cheekily fired the first shot on social media by thanking Alex Jones for a "great assist".

His strike partner, sitting next to him in the dressing room, instantly responded with a message expressing his delight at another goal and how "they all count".

On this occasion, it was the follow-up that would get the match-winning nod.

Referee Brett Huxtable, in front of the biggest crowd of his first year on the league circuit, made it clear he had awarded the goal for Jones' first intervention on the line, rather than the emphatic manner with which Wyke dispatched the rebound.

The identity of City's scorer was the chief talking point on an afternoon when there were very few.

The scrappy nature of the goal aptly summed up the situation at this stage of the season. It is all about getting over the line, in football parlance, and it does not matter how you do it.

This was a "Parky" win, according to one fan near the press box, alluding to how often City under Phil Parkinson would dig out this kind of ugly result.

Had Stuart McCall's present-day side had a few more of them, you wonder what lofty point they would occupy in a League One promotion picture that remains wide open.

Jones' post-match comments that a top-two finish is well within reach may not go down too well with some at the club – but he is right not to throw in the towel for a second spot that is still only five points away.

True, their rivals all have games in hand, but come this period of the season, none of those carry guarantees.

Who would have expected Bolton or Southend to be held at home at the weekend? The combination of nervous tension and testing conditions can prove a great leveller.

No wonder McCall looked so pleased when Huxtable blew the final whistle on a contest high on endeavour if lacking in too many eye-catching moments.

That is not to say two clubs who like to get the ball down and play did not try their best to do that on another Valley Parade pitch that was no help to anyone. Both teams had gone with two wingers to avoid, where possible, getting bogged down in the middle.

It was a "throwback" contest, in McCall's words, four-four-bloomin' two to paraphrase Mike Bassett, with each player given the responsibility of winning their own individual duel.

Posh boss Grant McCann had set his side a seven-win target to nick into the play-offs. A ninth defeat in 13 leaves them effectively hanging on to the pack by their finger nails. City deserved the points, although there was not too much in it.

Peterborough are not the free-scoring swaggering band of goal merchants of old. The team that would feed off a diet of 4-3 and 5-4 thrillers have been replaced by a more defensively-disciplined but far less penetrative unit under a past playing hero. It is difficult to see them extending their season beyond the end of April.

City got the four-point return that McCall had talked about before the home double-header. Those comments had been intended to take the spotlight off the MK Dons clash four days before but instead merely heaped more pressure on Saturday.

His side dealt with that in a manner that suggests they have got the bit between their teeth for the ten-game mini season that will ultimately decide their destiny.

"Grit and determination" were the managerial buzzwords as City finally got back to clean-sheet ways for the first time since January 7.

Amazingly it was a first shut-out in 11 league outings for Rory McArdle, the long-term rock of the Bantams back four. But he earned that accolade for a goal-saving block early in the second half to deny Tom Nichols after keeper Colin Doyle appeared to slip.

That was probably the most uncomfortable moment for the home rear-guard, barring a Michael Bostwick header over from a corner and the customary late scramble deep in stoppage time.

City had been the better team in the second half and had their chances to seal the deal and avoid any last-gasp anxiety.

Tony McMahon covered his head with his shirt in embarrassment after clearing the bar from close range. Then sub Timothee Dieng scorned a golden opportunity by side-footing over from Josh Cullen's through-ball when Wyke was on his own in front of goal.

Cullen and Romain Vincelot had controlled proceedings, snapping at Posh heels and closing down space. Cullen also enjoyed the licence to push on more – but he needs to work on that shooting.

Mark Marshall had warmed Luke McGee's hands with an early stinger but his second crack at goal proved the on-loan Tottenham keeper's undoing.

It kicked up slightly and McGee could only bobble in the air, allowing Jones and James Meredith to pounce on the loose ball. A combination of chest and head was enough to earn Jones his second goal in eight days, before Wyke took any doubt out of the argument from the rebound.

Posh are proving profitable opponents for the striker, who had scored twice past them in Port Vale colours. Yet his bundled effort on Saturday was never likely to open the floodgates. One mascot's prediction of 12-1 before the game will have to wait another day.

With their noses in front, it was about City seeing the job through and not succumbing to the lapses of concentration that have spilled so many points since the turn of the year.

But Peterborough, with Craig Mackail-Smith still on a six-year wait to convert 99 goals for the club into three figures, did not possess the cutting edge to really hurt them.

City completed a first double over the Posh in their history and raised their own bar for most unbeaten home league games to 26. A free midweek will now refresh legs for the next test at Coventry – and a pitch that also houses rugby.

But McCall believes his men are in a good place for the crunch spell to come, saying: "If we apply ourselves like we did, then I've no worries with this group."

Attendance: 17,220