Bradford stretched their unbeaten home run to five matches as Everton's party balloon went pop.

Everton may be riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, but after this performance perhaps talk of a top-six finish and a place in Europe is a little premature.

Impresario Bill Kenwright's £20million takeover has set pulses racing at Goodison Park, with the future of the Merseyside giants now brighter than it has been for a long time.

Given such news, which was perfectly timed on Christmas Eve, it was no wonder Sunderland were vanquished 5-0 two days later by a performance which typified the new-found feeling of hope at the club.

But Everton, and boss Walter Smith, surely cannot look towards the continent yet if one breathtaking display is followed by a dose of inconsistency.

After their rout of the Wearsiders, and given Bradford's own 4-0 debacle at Manchester United when they conceded all the goals in the last 15 minutes, City may have looked ripe for the picking.

Bradford, however, were unlucky not make it 11 points out of the last 15 at Valley Parade as they were the more inventive side and came closest to breaking the stalemate when Lee Mills hit the post in the second half.

After that hammering at Old Trafford, Bradford certainly had a point to prove, but it was one which was initially made without testing keeper Paul Gerrard during a sterile first half.

Everton could have been forgiven for resting on their laurels given the euphoria currently surrounding them and after their own destruction of title challengers Sunderland.

But they lacked the penetration which had swept aside boss Peter Reid's team, although they at least managed to force Matt Clarke into action.

United States international Joe Max-Moore was making his first start for the Toffees following his recent free transfer from Major League Soccer's New England Revolution.

But the 28-year-old striker, handed his place in the starting line-up due to nine-goal leading scorer Kevin Campbell's wife going into labour, wasted a fourth-minute chance as a firm drive was well saved by Clarke.

Strike partner Francis Jeffers twice went close towards the end of the opening 45 minutes, but Clarke was on hand to smother both chances.

In between Bradford showed the greater initiative, but apart from two rasping free-kicks from Neil Redfearn and Dean Windass, the best they had to show for their efforts came late on.

Former Everton midfielder and City skipper Stuart McCall found Mills on the edge of the area with a precise pass, allowing the striker to turn superbly and fire in a raking left-foot drive which beat Gerrard and the post by inches.

The early stages of the second half belonged to Bradford, with Gerrard finally forced into a save in the 54th minute.

It was crucial as Sharpe had sliced open the Everton defence with a through ball which set up Dean Saunders for the chances on which he thrives.

The Welsh international took on and beat Richard Dunne before unleashing a fierce right-foot drive which Gerrard pulled down athletically.

With Peter Beagrie's introduction came the moment which almost turned the game in City's favour as he nearly had an immediate impact with a left-wing cross which picked out Mills for a header which he glanced wide.

Within a minute Mills was on the end of another cross, this time from Saunders, but it was the woodwork which came to the rescue of the visitors.

Just as in the first half, Everton were again at their strongest in the closing stages of the second as they again created the better opportunities.

Mark Pembridge struck a rising free-kick narrowly over, while a Jeffers drive forced Clarke into another smart save, before Barmby glanced a free header agonisingly wide.

Teams:

Bradford: Clarke, Halle, Wetherall, O'Brien, Myers (Beagrie 63), Windass (Blake 74), McCall, Redfearn, Sharpe, Mills, Saunders.

Subs Not Used: Davison, Westwood, Lawrence.

Booked: Wetherall, Redfearn, McCall.

Everton: Gerrard, Dunne, Weir, Gough, Unsworth, Barmby, Hutchison, Collins (Cleland 52), Pembridge, Jeffers, Maxmoore (Cadamarteri 76), Cleland (Gemmill 74).

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Watson.

Booked: Hutchison, Cadamarteri.

Att: 18,276

Ref: U Rennie (Sheffield).