Sheffield United have one hand on the Nationwide First Division play-offs' poisoned chalice as Michael Brown fired a second-half brace to wrack up a stunning 20 goals for the season

Neil Warnock's side strengthened their grip on third place behind already-promoted Portsmouth and Leicester as they ran riot in the second half, with Bradford crashing to a fourth successive away defeat.

With United four points clear of Reading, who have a game in hand, the Blades seem destined to claim third, although just two teams have been promoted from the top play-off spot in its 13-season history.

United's home form, though, is formidable for they have have taken 19 points from their last seven home matches, while Warnock has a 100% play-off record after guiding Notts County (twice), Plymouth and Huddersfield to glory.

Following an entertaining, end-to-end first half, the Blades stepped up a gear after the break with Brown's brace sandwiching a lucky Peter Ndlovu strike.

Players' player of the year Brown, who received his award from Warnock before kick- off, duly showed why on the hour as he cracked a 22-yard screamer beyond Aidan Davison following a one-two on the edge of the area with former Bantam Dean Windass.

Three minutes later, Ndlovu doubled the lead, heading home his own rebound from just three yards after his initial shot, in sliding onto a Michael Tonge pass, had cannoned off Davison.

City's misery was completed 13 minutes from time when Mark Bower's push on sub Paul Peschisolido, who had replaced Ndlovu just six minutes earlier, led to midfielder Brown sending Davison the wrong way from the spot to hit the 20 mark.

That was despite chants from the 18,000 United fans for goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, and the supporters' player of the season, to step up and take the penalty.

With nothing at stake other than pride in this Yorkshire derby, with the Blades having already secured their play-off place and the Bantams safe from the drop, Kenny had earlier been in impressive form.

Just 441 City supporters looked on as Kenny was perfectly positioned to claim a free header from Danny Forrest after just 30 seconds.

Kenny then superbly denied City's 15-goal leading scorer Andy Gray in the sixth minute with a point-blank save off his legs after the striker had been played in behind a static defence by a raking 50-yard pass from Robert Molenaar.

Forrest and Gray teed up Andy Myers five minutes later, but with only an advancing Kenny to beat, a searing drive was inches over, before Rob Kozluk cleared Forrest's sidefoot shot off the line midway through the half.

Bradford were clearly eager to make amends for their 5-0 Valley Parade hammering in November as United looked anything but the third best team in the First Division in the opening 45 minutes.

But they had their chances, with the visitors indebted to fine saves from Davison in denying Carl Asaba, Tonge and Ndlovu.

Former United defender Gus Uhlenbeek was also later on hand to clear off the line from Asaba, although after the break it was one-way traffic, with Warnock's troops completing a lap of honour after the final whistle.

Teams:

Sheff Utd Kenny, Curtis, Jagielka, Page, Kozluk, Brown, McCall (Allison 84), Ndlovu (Kabba 71), Tonge, Asaba, Windass (Peschisolido 71).

Subs Not Used: Murphy, Rankine.

Goals: Brown 60, Ndlovu 64, Brown 79 pen.

Bradford Davison, Molenaar, Wetherall, Bower, Myers, Uhlenbeek, Jorgensen, Francis, Muirhead (Penford 87), Forrest (Sanasy 83), Gray.

Subs Not Used: Magnusson, Fishlock, McHugh.

Booked: Jorgensen, Wetherall, Molenaar.

Att: 18,297

Ref: P Taylor (Hertfordshire).