A Nahki Wells hat-trick ensured City's relegation fears are all over bar the shouting.

Wells' treble - the first by a Bantam since Peter Thorne against Notts County four years ago - sunk Northampton in a thriller at Sixfields this afternoon.

City's fourth away win, ending a run of six straight losses on the road, lifted them nine points clear of the bottom two with three games left.

One more point officially does it but a much superior goal difference on both Hereford and Macclesfield means City can breathe easy tonight.

The game made a controversial start when Adebayo Akinfenwa grabbed Rob Kozluk around the neck right in front of the assistant referee but was only booked.

Northampton's first corner caused problems and Craig Fagan headed off the line at the back post.

But City grabbed the lead after 11 minutes with their first away goal in more than seven hours of trying.

Fagan's through ball sent Wells away and the Bermudian showed great composure to beat Neal Kitson for his ninth of the season.

Wells had the chance for another after 20 minutes but delayed in the box and instead laid off for Ricky Ravenhill to fire over.

City had a massive escape within a couple of minutes as Ben Tozer crashed a shot against the underside of the bar. The ball bounced down on the line but stayed out despite home appeals.

Then it was Northampton's turn for a let-off when James Hanson failed to convert a glancing header from Kyel Reid's inviting cross.

The end-to-end action continued with Luke Guttridge setting up Akinfenwa but Luke Oliver headed off the line with Matt Duke beaten.

That proved even more crucial as Wells doubled City's lead six minutes before the break. Northampton failed to clear a Fagan free-kick and Wells finished Oliver's header with a clever overhead kick.

There was still time for another goalline clearance from the visitors, this time Simon Ramsden denying Blair Adams before a thrill-a-minute half was over.

But there was no let-up after the break.

Northampton cut the deficit through Clarke Carlisle after City failed to deal with a corner. They needed less than a minute to restore the two-goal lead, though, with Wells clinching his hat-trick with a lob over Kitson.

Kelvin Langmead headed against the top of City's bar and Kozluk made a crucial block to turn away Guttridge's goal-bound effort.