Gillingham solidified their place among the League 2 play-off places following Saturday’s win over lowly Bradford City.

Goals from Adebayo Akinfenwa and Curtis Weston sealed the win to make it nine unbeaten for the Gills.

Akinfenwa struck late in the first half to hand Gillingham the half-time advantage. The big striker netted his ninth of the season from close range after converting Curtis Weston’s delicate cross.

Weston made it 2-0 just seconds after the interval and it was all his own doing after robbing the ball from Luke O’Brien and smashing home his fourth of the season.

First half action had largely been dictated by referee Steve Rushton, who made some strange decisions at both ends, and had produced four yellow cards before the break, including one for Bradford substitute Lee Bullock after he stopped the home side taking a quick throw in.

Mr Rushton had earlier incensed the home side by waving away appeals for an early penalty after Andy Barcham had been shoved over in the box by City defender Lewis Hunt.

Barcham was starting his first game since the match at Torquay in mid January.

Bradford, sitting 20th in the table before the action began, weren’t short of chances as giant defender Luke Oliver headed narrowly wide and Kevin Ellison was denied a goal for off-side after deflecting O’Brien’s free-kick into the net.

It was another of Mr Rushton’s controversial decisions which led to the Gillingham opener after the Gills were awarded a free-kick on Barcham, despite the winger bursting clear of his marker and shrugging of the challenge.

It turned out well for Gillingham in the end when the free-kick from John Nutter was whipped in. Jack Payne played the ball out to Weston, he stood the cross up to the back stick and Akinfenwa rose to head home in front of the Rainham End.

Within a minute of the restart the Gills doubled the lead when Weston dispossessed O’Brien before charging at goal and under pressure unleashing a powerful shot into the roof of the net.

Weston had another couple of shots that came close but Bradford’s James Hanson should have pulled one goal back with 25 minutes left but headed a corner wide.

Cody McDonald, without a goal in his previous four games, was denied his 18th of the season when keeper Lenny Pidgeley tipped his header over the bar from a Kevin Maher corner.

Garry Richards saw his headed effort cleared off the line by O’Brien moments later and the Gills had to settle for just a two goal victory.

Gills: Julian, Fuller, Nutter, Richards, Lawrence, Maher, J Payne, Weston (Oli 77mins), Barcham (Martin 77mins), McDonald, Akinfenwa (Rooney 83mins). Subs not used: Cronin, Bentley, Sinclair, Jackman.

Bradford: Pidgeley, O’Brien, Flynn, Oliver, Evans, Speight, Williams,. Hunt, Hanson, Worthington (Adeyemi 35mins), Ellison (Dobie 68mins). Subs not used: McLaughlin, Adeyemi, Bullock, Syers, Osborne, Threlfall.

Attendance: 5,019