Kevin Phillips finally rediscovered his goal-scoring touch via a sublime second-half hat-trick as Sunderland pressed home their bid for Champions League football next season.

After successive defeats to Leeds in the Premiership, and more surprisingly Crystal Palace in the Worthington Cup, the usually downbeat Peter Reid was left full of Christmas cheer.

Six points from their games with Manchester City and the rock-bottom Bantams have left Sunderland riding high in third place in the Premier League.

Such was Sunderland and Phillips' performance, the England international even had a 90th minute penalty saved by Bradford keeper Gary Walsh.

But by then the Wearsiders' fifth success at Valley Parade was in the bag in a game which underlined the fact these two sides are going in the opposite direction.

Sunderland seem destined for what would be a long-overdue place in Europe, while Bradford are surely heading for a return to the First Division.

Reid and his troops, though, must have wondered how they only had Niall Quinn's fifth goal of the season to show for their undoubted superiority in the first half.

Bradford looked disorganised and dishevelled, as the initial euphoria following manager Jim Jefferies' arrival has now worn off and normal service has been resumed.

During Jefferies' honeymoon period, City gleaned five points from three games, but have since followed that with a string of three defeats.

Bradford are odds-on certainties for the drop with bookies, who are likely to suspend betting on the beleaguered Bantams if such wretched form continues.

Sunderland, in stark contrast, are looking good for at least a place in the UEFA Cup, although a spot alongside Europe's elite is there for the taking.

Reid's side, however, usually have a habit of blowing up at some point during the season and the acid test in this campaign will be to avoid such a potentially expensive slip.

At this stage that does not look like happening, although Reid will perhaps be questioning his side's failure to dispose of Bradford right from the start.

Don Hutchison produced a man-of-the-match display - other than Phillips' striking heroics - as he was a constant thorn in City's side.

He should have been on the scoresheet himself, though, as he brilliantly set up Phillips for the second and third goals.

The Scotland international, starting on the right wing with Kevin Kilbane having been dropped, was denied after just two minutes by a fingertip save by Walsh.

Hutchison was then instrumental in virtually every move by the Wearsiders, spurred on by 4,000 fans due to the opening of the new corner stand at Valley Parade for a Premiership best for the Bantams of 20,370.

Hutchison, Gavin McCann, Quinn and Phillips all must have wondered if this was going to be one of those days as the chances went begging.

Then Sunderland's luck finally turned on the stroke of half-time with Michael Gray floating a far post ball to Quinn, whose initial chance was saved by a slipping Walsh.

The rebound, though, fell back into the Republic of Ireland international's path and this time he made no mistake as he proceeded to lash an angled shot past the stricken Walsh.

There is no doubting Phillips owes a debt of gratitude to Hutchison for the passes which eventually killed off all hopes of a Bradford revival.

The first was a 30-yard angled ball into Phillips' path, and it took one look and one stunning drive back across the diving Walsh to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute.

Seven minutes later and the game was out of City's reach, and this time it was a 40-yard pass with the outside of Hutchison's right foot which sent Phillips scampering away.

Such a delivery deserved a goal and Phillips duly obliged as he slotted home his ninth of the season - and 89th of his Sunderland career - underneath the advancing Walsh.

They were two goals which undoubtedly made amends for what will go down as one of the misses of the season in the first half when he spooned Hutchison's driven ball over the bar from just a yard out.

City pulled one back in the 75th minute as a Peter Beagrie corner was nodded down by Stuart McCall for Robbie Blake - a 55th minute sub for Benito Carbone - to turn and stab home his first league goal for Bradford this season.

That was merely a consolation as Phillips then drove home his hat-trick strike from 22 yards in the 86th minute, prompting one Sunderland fan dressed as Elvis to run onto the pitch, kneel and bow down in front of his hero in homage.

Phillips then had the chance of a fourth in the 90th minute when Alex Rae was brought down by Wayne Jacobs, but despite a firm drive, Walsh produced a superb save from the spot kick.

It mattered little as Phillips' work was done, and now only Arsenal and Manchester United are ahead of Reid's buoyant side.

Bradford: Walsh, Atherton (Nolan 67), Molenaar, O'Brien, Jacobs, Lawrence (Blake 55), McCall, McKinlay, Beagrie, Windass, Carbone (Ward 56).

Subs Not Used: Davison, Petrescu.

Booked: Beagrie, Atherton.

Goals: Blake 75.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Thome, Craddock, Gray, McCann (Schwarz 75), Hutchison, Rae, Arca, Quinn (Dichio 68), Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Macho, Varga, Williams.

Goals: Quinn 45, Phillips 48, 55, 85.

Att: 20,370

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).