Southend 0, City 1

City can enjoy Christmas after Luke Oliver’s late goal earned a first away win of the season.

The big man’s close-range prod was nothing to write home about but it seemed like a Lionel Messi special as the Bantams put some much-needed daylight between themselves and the League Two relegation spots.

Southend were left shell-shocked by a result that few would have predicted. A home win would have sent them top but instead it was City who looked like the team going places.

And all this at a ground where they had never won before in 14 previous attempts.

City had ditched the “unlucky” pink away shirts for the usual claret and amber but there was nothing fortuitous about this result – or the third successive clean sheet on their travels.

There was only one change from the Plymouth draw. With Ross Hannah still sidelined, Nahki Wells got the nod up front, Craig Fagan taking Jack Compton’s spot on the right wing.

But the bench had an interesting addition as Mark Stewart, fit again after his on-going foot problem, made his first appearance since the Hereford loss in mid-October.

City nearly stole in front after ten minutes. Michael Flynn’s free-kick brushed off James Hanson and Luke Daniels had to react well to palm it low round the post.

From Kyel Reid’s corner, both Hanson and Marcel Seip had a nibble as the ball flashed dangerously across the Southend goal.

Phil Parkinson had stressed the need to start brightly and City took the game to their high-flying hosts. Daniels had to race 30 yards from his goal to head away from the incoming Hanson.

Ricky Ravenhill should have done better with a volley from Fagan’s cross and then it was Fagan’s turn to show how it should be done. But his well-controlled crack from Reid’s pass was bravely blocked by Peter Gilbert.

Southend had been limited to a poor long-range effort from Ryan Leonard and a Liam Dickinson chip and the natives were getting restless.

Hanson was using his strength effectively and flicked on for Wells to chase. Unfortunately the neat combination was not matched by the Bermudian’s wild finish.

Then Seip’s cross caught the unmarked Fagan on his heels as City continued to press – but without making it count.

Reid was knocked down by a flailing arm as he tried to break out from defence. Gilbert saw yellow for his foul when some referees might have taken it further.

The City winger, who had won on all three of his previous trips to Roots Hall, was enjoying himself again and nearly deceived Daniels with an early cross which dropped over the backpedalling keeper and the bar.

Temperatures rose as Wells, attempting an overhead kick, caught Mark Phillips flush in the face with a boot. Referee Graham Scott was briefly surrounded by blue shirts but decided against a booking.

Hanson continued to be a real handful and set up the equally effective Reid for a cross which Ravenhill looped over as City heads queued up.

Reid produced some fantastic skill to turn a Southend corner into one for City, somehow keeping the ball in play on the touchline and slipping it between two markers in the same movement to pick out Wells.

It summed up the confidence in City’s play against opponents who must have marked this game as a guaranteed home banker. Unfortunately though, the Bantams’ dominance was not reflected in the scoreline – the recurring theme of the season.

Southend had been lacklustre and a few boos accompanied them into the dressing room, where they could expect a similar reaction from boss Paul Sturrock.

City opened the second half in the same positive manner, with Wells nodding past the near post from Fagan’s cross after another Hanson flick-on.

Ravenhill got knocked down but play continued and Andrew Davies threw himself in the way of a shot from Ryan Hall. The loanee Stoke centre half was again looking as solid as ever.

The small band of 115 City fans were making their voices heard while the away side maintained their grip. Wells and Fagan both had crosses cleared out of the danger zone as Hanson tried to get on the end of them.

Then Reid led a two-on-two break with Wells that threatened a breakthrough. But Sean Clohessy stuck with his man and smothered Reid’s shot at source on the edge of the penalty area.

Seip sent Reid on another charge but this time Phillips was across in the nick of time with a sliding challenge.

Gilbert smashed high, wide and ugly as Southend showed little sign of justifying their high league ranking.

It was no surprise when Sturrock made his first changes. But substitute Anthony Grant had not touched the ball when Hanson created another great opening for the visitors, sticking a ball into the six-yard box that was begging to be turned in.

Then the newly-arrived Lee Sawyer mistimed a header from arguably Southend’s best chance of the night. It was hard to think of too many other proper looks at Jon McLaughlin’s goal but it lifted the hosts enough for Hall to finally get a shot on target.

Southend were finally building a head of steam and Oliver was booked for clipping Grant as he burst towards the City box.

McLaughlin parried Liam Dickinson’s free-kick but the danger was averted, although Reid was bizarrely booked for diving as he took the ball clear when he appeared to have been fouled by two opponents.

Stewart got a run-out for the last seven minutes in place of Wells and only a timely tackle from Phillips denied him a clear run on goal with his first touch.

Ravenhill had to be just as precise to block Sawyer after the Southend sub had slipped into the box past Simon Ramsden.

But just as the game seemed to be drifting to a draw, City delivered the sting in the tale. A corner was cleared out but Davies hooked it back into the mix, Hanson caused some confusion and Oliver got a side-foot on it to send the ball bobbling into the corner.

There were a few late nerves as Southend chased an equaliser but City hung on for a memorable scalp.

Attendance: 5,526