Bradford City 0 Bristol City 6

VALLEY Parade has played host to other people’s promotion parties several times over the years.

In the last decade or so, the City fans have had to look on in envy as the likes of Swindon, MK Dons, West Brom and Portsmouth have cavorted in celebration in front of them.

The 5-0 tonking by Premiership-bound Pompey in 2003 was pretty tough to take – but it had nothing on last night.

Bristol City enjoyed the mother of all carnivals at the Bantams’ expense to book their return to the Championship in the most emphatic manner imaginable.

This was beyond embarrassing for City – way, way beyond – as they conceded six at home for the first time since the John Docherty era against Swansea.

It must have been agony for the watching Phil Parkinson, who had talked beforehand about giving the Robins a proper test and putting their promotion celebrations on hold.

Instead, there was nothing of the sort as his side rolled over and allowed the champions elect to treat the game as an exhibition.

Parkinson’s plan had been to try to exploit the gaps behind the Robins' wing-backs, as the Bantams had done so well in the 2-2 draw at Ashton Gate in October. How long ago that seems now.

Mark Yeates started for the first time since Good Friday to allow City to field two wide men and ditch the midfield diamond.

The Irishman had to grin and bear it with his troublesome shoulder, one of several knocks that the squad have been carrying through these closing weeks. It proved nowhere near as painful as what was soon to unfold.

The visitors signalled their intentions from the off with two early shots wide. But the first danger came from City as Billy Knott’s corner was nodded back into the mix by James Hanson and Gary MacKenzie’s close-range stab was smothered by keeper Frank Fielding.

It proved to be a false dawn as Bristol City’s class soon began to tell. That was the only shot Fielding had to save.

Rory McArdle got a vital deflection to turn Luke Freeman’s diving header past the post at the other end. From the corner, Ben Williams got enough on Aden Flint’s header to keep it out.

But he was almost embarrassed by a short goal kick to McArdle, who coughed up possession to Freeman. Fortunately the defender recovered quickly enough to throw his body in the way of Kieran Agard’s snap shot.

Bristol City were building a head of steam – and got their reward after 17 minutes. Bradford-born James Tavernier burst through on the right and, although Stephen Darby did well to block his shot on the line, the rebound came back to the one-time Farsley Celtic youngster to thump home.

The visitors had braced themselves for a physical battle and were happy to knock the ball long and pick up the knockdowns. Not surprisingly there was an extra spring in their step as promotion grew closer.

Bristol weren’t so sure-footed at the back, although Flint was in the right place to deny Billy Clarke after Hanson’s header teed him up on the edge of the penalty area.

But City were coming under increasing pressure as Darby halted Freeman with a thudding tackle that drew a niggly response from the midfielder.

A second goal was on the cards and Bristol City grabbed it ten minutes before the break. Freeman, who was involved in everything, was the provider and Bryan leapt high above Darby to convert his right-wing cross.

The City back four were being pulled apart by the League One top dogs and Williams created more discomfort with some nervy kicking.

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Bristol were in total control as they carved open the hosts and Agard tested Williams with a curler as half-time approached. The Bradford End may have been bouncing with away fans but the flat feel around the rest of the stadium reflected the one-sided nature of the contest.

Gary Liddle did at least briefly inject some enthusiasm in the home supporters with a volley over the bar after Filipe Morais had fluffed a shot into his path.

But they had not looked like staging any hint of a comeback since the first goal had gone in and the half-time whistle was greeted with an air of resignation.

Yeates had been an anonymous figure, not the only one, and did not appear after the break. Jon Stead’s appearance from the bench against one of his former clubs meant the diamond was back as Clarke dropped behind the front two.

It remained business as usual though, with Bristol City penning the home side in their own half. The only noise came from the travelling support – other than the odd grumble from another misplaced pass.

And it went from bad to worse for the Bantams after 56 minutes as Luke Ayling let fly from 25 yards and the ball squirmed through the diving Williams into the bottom corner of the net.

It had become a question of damage limitation for the outclassed Bantams but Bristol City were in no mood to let up.

They piled on the embarrassment when Aden Flint nodded home the fourth from Marlon Pack’s free-kick.

But City’s humiliation was still far from over.

James Meredith managed to keep out Agard’s skidding shot on the line but there was Tavernier on hand to net his second.

And City’s non-existent defence fell apart once more as Aaron Wilbraham was allowed to almost walk through before slotting in number six.

Sub Chris Routis almost had the final say when he hit the post but it would not have offered the slightest consolation for a shambolic display.

At least the fans showed the stomach for it with a defiant wall of noise in the closing stages – and their generous applause for Steve Cotterill at the final whistle was appreciated by the Bristol City boss.

The post-match party was lively and boisterous for the 900 travelling fans. The rest could not get out of the ground quick enough – and who could blame them.