The Hatters made it five wins in six home league games to move a step closer to the play-offs with a deserved victory over promotion-chasing Bradford.

Jake Richards’ fine left-foot strike put the Town ahead by half-time and Shayden Morris doubled the lead shortly before the hour.

The Hatters missed several chances to extend the lead and that led to some nervy moments in the dying stages when the visitors pulled a goal back in injury time.

But the Town held on to make it 10 games unbeaten on home turf and consolidate seventh place in the League One table.

After last weekend’s win over Blackpool, Jack Wilshere made two changes – giving striker Devante Cole his debut in attack. Cole replaced Nahki Wells while Richards started in the place of Cohen Bramall, who missed out with an ankle injury sustained last weekend.

While the Hatters started on the front foot, testing the visitors’ defence in the opening stages, it was the Bantams that missed the game’s first real chance when Jason Metcalfe side-footed over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy on 14 minutes.

But as the first half wore on the Hatters continued to grow into the game, and they came within a lick of paint of taking the lead eight minutes before half-time when a lovely move involving Teden Mengi, Kasey Palmer and Richards ended with Clark curling a shot onto the crossbar.

It was a move of real quality but the Town did not have long to wait for the deadlock to be broken as, two minutes later, Richards struck.

Mengi and Joe Johnson combined well to find Gideon Kodua who in turn squared to Richards. The 18-year-old midfielder took a touch before arrowing an unerring left-foot drive past Sam Walker in the Bradford goal for his third of the campaign.

Behind, Bradford came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half in a bid to find a quickfire leveller and the Town needed a touch of fortune when Kayden Jackson missed his kick in the six-yard box just 30 seconds after the restart.

But just when the Bantams were beginning to get on top the Town doubled their lead. Richards won the ball in the middle of the park and Clark spotted the run of Morris. The winger sped goalwards, cut inside onto his left foot and placed a fine finish home for his fifth of the season.

They say 2-0 can be a dangerous scoreline and seven minutes after the second goal the Town needed an excellent save from Josh Keeley to prevent Ethan Wheatley from pulling one back for the Bantams.

But the game continued to ebb and flow brilliantly. Nigel Lonwijk blocked a goal-bound effort before Kodua raced clear but could only shoot straight at Walker as both sides looked for goals.

Wilshere introduced Davy van den Berg for his debut together with Izzy Jones as the pair replaced both goalscorers – and within minutes of his introduction, Jones flashed a shot wide of the target.

The opportunity for more goals continued to fall as the rain teemed down as the Town kept the ball magnificently with Palmer, once again, instrumental as Jones and Clark were denied repelled by Walker.

As full-time approached the Hatters defence, marshalled brilliantly by Mengi and Mads Andersen, held firm.

Keeley produced an excellent stop to stop Humphrys’ drive with three minutes to go before, at the other end, Palmer saw yet another effort parried away by the over-worked Walker.

Yet there were nerves right towards the end when Humphrys got one back for the Bantams in the sixth of seven added minutes and there was still time for the visitors to force one final chance.

Bradford won a corner and Walker came up but, with hearts in mouths, Metcalfe shanked his shot over the Oak Road crossbar in the 98th minute and the Town were able to celebrate another important home victory.

It’s a week before the Town are in action when they head to leaders Cardiff next Saturday.

We’ll see you there.

Town: Keeley, Lonwijk, Johnson, Andersen, Mengi, Palmer, Clark (sub Saville 83), Richards (sub van den Berg 67), Morris (sub Jones 68), Kodua (sub Wells 77), Cole (sub Al-Hamadi 83).

Subs not used: Shea, Naismith.

Attendance: 11,000, including 1,343 from Braford.