KARIM Rendall struck twice as a strong second-half performance from Bradford Town secured them a hard-fought 4-2 win on the road at Cadbury Heath in the Toolstation Premier Division.

Goals from Rendall and Kane Simpson had Danny Greaves’ side in control in the opening half-hour in Bristol but the home side came roaring back and were able to draw level by the interval.

However, Bradford upped the tempo again after the restart and Martin Lenihan restored the lead on the hour mark before Rendall made the points safe with his second of the game to keep Bradford in the top five in the table.

Bradford boss Greaves said: “I’m sure it was an excellent game for everyone who was there watching.

“It was a difficult pitch but we started really well and played some good football, although we don’t like to do things the easy way and we let them back into it with two lapses in concentration.

“Credit to the boys, they could have let their heads drop and we could have collapsed but we stepped it back up in the second half, came out and scored two more goals and saw it out quite comfortably in the end.

“We defended really well and we had a couple more decent chances before the end ourselves, so we could have ended up winning by more than the two goals.

“We’re having a really good season and our aim at the start was to try to match what the club did under Paul Shanley last year, which was finishing eighth – I think that’s the best the club have done.

“We want to match or better that if we can and there’s still 12 games left and we want to look towards the teams above us, not the ones below us.

“We just want to keep picking up as many points as we can and if we can catch one or two teams above us, then great.”

Elsewhere, third-placed Melksham Town kept up their push for the title with a comfortable 4-1 victory at home to Brislington.

Ben Thomson’s free-kick put the home side in front at the break before a Gary Higdon brace and Sam Jordan’s effort pushed Melksham four goals to the good, with Darren Perrin’s men only denied a clean sheet by a late consolation from the visitors.

Melksham are back in action on Tuesday night as they travel to mid-table side Wells City.