JON PARKIN has a new club record in his sights after making it 25 goals for the season during a 2-1 home win against Bradford Park Avenue.

The 36-year-old veteran earned himself a place in the Bootham Crescent history books just a fortnight ago when he finished 2017 with more goals in a calendar year than any other player has managed during the post-War period.

Now, just three weeks into 2018, he could join an elite group of four Minstermen greats, comprising of Paul Aimson, Arthur Bottom, Billy Fenton and Jimmy Cowie, who have all netted in seven successive matches.

Parkin’s opening goal against Avenue means he has now hit the target in City’s last five fixtures.

Further efforts against Telford on Tuesday night and Spennymoor this weekend, therefore, would see him take his place amongst such exalted company.

The Barnsley-born behemoth struck in typically clinical fashion on 41 minutes to send his side into the interval a goal to the good following an evenly-balanced first half.

Aidan Connolly once more teed up Parkin and he formed part of a strong supporting cast for the attacking talisman, which also included Amari Morgan-Smith, who claimed his fifth goal of the campaign to double the hosts’ advantage on 65 minutes.

Bootham Crescent old boy Adam Boyes grabbed a consolation in stoppage time as the Minstermen contrived to miss out on only their second clean sheet in 19 contests.

But, after an anxious final few minutes, the City faithful could celebrate a fourth straight triumph as their team moved back into the play-off places for the first time since mid-November at the expense of the visitors, who they leapfrogged in the standings.

Earlier, Martin Gray’s side had made a steady start to the game, with Sean Newton’s chipped effort from the edge of the box pushed over by Avenue keeper Stephen Drench.

Adriano Moke also brushed the sidenetting from a similar distance, following Connolly’s cross from the left.

The visitors’ first shot, meanwhile, was aimed straight at City keeper Adam Bartlett by Wayne Brooksby from 20 yards following a poor Jonny Burn clearance.

Gaining encouragement, Bradford then saw Nicky Clee drag wide from 25 yards and Matt Hill’s deflected drive from further out flash off target after an unwise throw-in by Josh Law had put Hamza Bencherif under unnecessary pressure from Boyes.

Shane Killock also headed over from a corner and, after Connolly’s long-range drive was safely gathered by Drench, ex-City winger Oli Johnson played in Jamie Spencer for a 15-yard effort that was spilled by Bartlett, with David Ferguson on hand to clear the danger.

A looping header from Johnson went on to bounce off the top of the bar, before Parkin struck.

Connolly latched on to a dropping ball in the away penalty box and played in Parkin, as he galloped on an overlapping run through the left channel.

The former Championship campaigner subsequently finished in expert fashion, beating Drench at his near post from eight yards with a sidefooted effort, using his left boot.

Bradford started the second half brightly, with Spencer’s 25-yard volley whistling over after Newton had taken a poor touch in his own half.

But Gray swiftly responded to inject some attacking impetus back into his team when, on 52 minutes, forward Morgan-Smith was introduced for anchoring midfielder Daniel Rowe.

Moments later, Law’s firmly-struck, 35-yard drive was gathered at the second attempt by Drench, while Morgan-Smith snatched at a free shot on goal and missed the target with his left foot.

The latter showed great determination, though, to arrive right on cue and pounce on Newton’s perfect ball into the six-yard box from the left touchline and net from a matter of inches, as the lead was extended.

To their credit, Mark Bower’s men refused to surrender and a Brooksby attempt was well held by Bartlett, who went on to make an outstanding save when he clawed away Boyes’ close-range header with Johnson only able to scuff a deflected effort against the outside of an upright on the follow-up.

Instead of retreating, City sought a third goal with a Newton strike deflected away from the net, while Parkin and Bencherif headers missed the target and a 30-yard Connolly opportunity fizzed too high.

As the game entered its final throes, Morgan-Smith fired across the face of goal after more teasing approach play by Connolly, but the West Yorkshire outfit reduced the deficit in the second minute of added-on time when Bencherif was robbed of possession and Johnson sprinted through the left channel unopposed before delivering a low cross that was tapped in by Boyes at the far post.

Avenue subsequently won a couple of corners and Killock headed over, but the home side held on to move into sixth position in the National League North standings, with the chance to climb another two places should victory be achieved at Telford.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 7

Josh Law 7

Hamza Bencherif 6

Jonny Burn 7

David Ferguson 7

Daniel Rowe 6

Adriano Moke 7

Sean Newton 7

Aidan Connolly 8

Raul Correia 6

Jon Parkin 7

Substitutes: Amari Morgan-Smith 7 (for Rowe, 52), James Gray (for Correia, 82).

Subs not used: Dan Parslow, Connor Smith, Luke Simpson.

Star man: Connolly - always probing and got City on the front foot

Bradford Park Avenue: Steven Drench, Mark Ross (Javan Vidal, 30), Shane Killock, Luca Havern, Matt Hill, Wayne Brooksby (Adam Nowakowski, 69), Nicky Wroe, Jamie Spencer (Danny Boshell, 77), Nicky Clee, Oli Johnson, Adam Boyes. Subs not used: Ed Hall, Lee Knight.

Bradford star man: Spencer – positive bursts from midfield

Referee: Simon Mather rating: 6/10 – little card happy after break

Booked: Johnson 33, Burn 51, Boyes 63, Spencer 63, Moke 70, Vidal 71, Connolly 82

Sent off: None

Attendance: 2,642 (179 from Bradford PA)

Shots on target: City 5, Bradford PA 7

Shots off target: City 9, Bradford PA 5

Corners: City 6, Bradford PA 8

Fouls conceded: City 9, Bradford PA 8

Offside: City 6, Bradford PA 0