Phil Parkinson has promised to keep City grounded after they roared into the play-off mix.

Last night’s thumping 4-1 win over Bristol Rovers, the third straight victory, lifted them up to seventh above Exeter.

City are also six points behind Burton in the last automatic promotion slot with a game in hand – and the Brewers still have to visit Valley Parade.

It was a superb display from Parkinson’s side against League Two’s form team. But the City chief knows there is still a big battle ahead.

He said: “It’s all about keeping it going now. We’ll keep our feet on the floor because there’s a lot of work left to do.

“We’ve also got to make sure the lads recover right and we give them enough rest. They’ve given an enormous amount of effort.

“Our job is to make sure they recover so they can produce performances like that because we go to another form side, Chesterfield, on Saturday.

“We haven’t really mentioned the play-offs. We just talk about what we need to do to play well in each individual game.

“I’m sure everyone will look at the league table but we’ve got to perform well and give ourselves the best chance of staying in it.”

City were 3-0 up by half-time as Nahki Wells scored twice, once from the penalty spot, before Andrew Davies headed the third.

Wells later set up Garry Thompson to make sure of their fourth win in five games.

Parkinson said: “We started really well and got Bristol Rovers on the back foot from the first whistle. We did everything we spoke about before the game.

“We looked as if we could score every time we went forward and that’s a great sign.

“It’s so important to get goals when you’re on top. You feel there are goals in the team. The lads are playing full of confidence in that final third of the pitch.”

Wells took his goal haul for the season to 21 and Parkinson believes the Bermudian looks back to his best after a recent lean spell.

He said: “He’s full of confidence again. You can see a player who’s had a good break and he’s fresh again, which helps because his game is about energy.

“Nahki and (James) Hanson were very athletic and stretched the defence. I thought Hanson’s hold-up play was top drawer.

“The way he got hold of the ball and set it back shows how he has grown as a player. They have both improved in that department and that comes with confidence.

“If you look back at a lot of the home games that we’ve drawn, we have completely dominated. Go back to Aldershot and we had 67 per cent of possession.

“But goals are what the game is all about and at the moment there’s a good feeling in the dressing room. That bodes well for the last few games.”

Rovers boss John Ward admitted his side, who had won four out of five before yesterday, were never in it.

He said: “Bradford are going to take a lot of stopping if they keep playing like that. They were too strong for us.”