Bradford had frustrated the in-form hosts for most of the match but strikes from Keith Andrews (72) and Danny Swailes (81) condemned the visitors to their fourth straight defeat, before Barry Conlon grabbed a stoppage time consolation goal from the penalty spot for City.

Milton Keynes started brightly and Sean O'Hanlon's goal-bound 12-yard strike was superbly blocked by lunging Bradford skipper David Wetherall inside the first minute.

Dons skipper Andrews volleyed Drissa Diallo's low cross inches wide from the edge of the box moments later as relieved Bantams goalkeeper Rhys Evans scrambled desperately across his goal-line.

The hosts continued to pile forward and Stuart McCall's men had another almighty let-off just five minutes in when Danny Swailes' 12-yard header from Dean Lewington's free-kick struck the foot of the post with Evans rooted to the spot.

MK full-back Diallo then climbed highest to head Lewington's out-swinging corner just over the bar before Swailes headed wide another Lewington corner wide midway through the first half.

But Bradford began to threaten on the counter-attack and Wetherall thought he'd given the visitors the lead in the 25th minute, only to see his strike ruled out for a push on Swailes.

Wetherall tapped in the rebound from close range after Dons keeper Willy Gueret had saved Mark Bower's header from Paul Evans' free-kick, but his joy turned to despair when he saw the assistant referee flagging for his shove on the Dons centre-half.

MK midfielder Alan Navarro a curled a 25-yard effort just wide before his dangerous low cross was turned wide by the stretching Aaron Wilbraham at the far post in the 35th minute.

Bradford, set out in a defensive 4-5-1 formation, were happy to sit back and continue their strategy of soaking up the Dons' pressure in the early stages of the second half.

And the ploy seemed to be working as the frustrated hosts huffed and puffed without reward against the Bantams' disciplined back-four.

Bradford survived a strong penalty appeal from the Dons in the 70th minute as a cross from Leon Knight, who was largely ineffective, appeared to strike full-back Darren Williams' hand from three yards but referee Fred Graham gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Yet Milton Keynes weren't to be denied and Andrews finally broke the Bantams' dogged resistance in the 72nd minute to put the Dons 1-0 up.

Wilbraham perfectly layed back Lewington's deep cross into the path of the on-rushing Andrews, who coolly stroked his seventh goal of the season past Evans and inside the far post from the edge of the box.

Knight could have made it 2-0 moments later but he mis-controlled Andrews' incisive through ball as the ball ran away from him and into Evans' grateful arms.

But the unmarked Swailes doubled the Dons' lead in the 81st minute, firing in his second goal of the season from eight yards after Diallo had hooked the ball back into the danger zone with an acrobatic over-head kick.

Substitute Conlon picked himself up after he had been hauled down in the box by Drewe Broughton to slot home a 90th minute penalty for Bradford, but it was too little too late for the visitors.

MK Dons (4-4-2): Gueret; Diallo, O'Hanlon (booked for foul 28), Swailes, Lewington; Stirling (Smart 88), Andrews (c), Navarro, Dyer (Broughton 87); Knight (Johnson 76), Wilbraham. Subs: Cameron, Broughton, Smart, Johnson, Abbey.

Bradford City (4-5-1): R. Evans; Williams, Wetherall (c), Bower, Heckingbottom; Daley, Johnson, Law, P. Evans (Clarke 77), Rhodes (Colbeck 70); Ndumbu-Nsungu (Conlon 67). Subs: Conlon, Ricketts, Clarke, Harban, Colbeck.

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex).

Attendance: 7,903.