The Bantams booked their place in the second round of this season's FA Youth Cup thanks to Ellis Hudson's late winner over Hartlepool United at a chilly Northern Commercials Stadium.
Hudson swooped to net the tie's only goal with seven minutes of normal time remaining when he rounded Pools 'keeper Ryan Catterick and fired home after being found in the box by Reece Powell.
The goal was no more than City deserved after bossing the play against their North East opponents for the most part, especially during a particularly dominant second period.
City's first opening of the night came from a set-piece in the ninth minute.
From Hudson's wide free-kick into the box, Kwame Boateng's flick on helped the ball into the path of Alex Laird but the defender's connection wasn't clean and the effort rolled through to Catterick.
City were playing some attractive football at times as the half progressed but genuine scoring opportunities were limited for both sides in the opening stages of the first period.
Bantams defender Harry Warren sent a low shot trickling wide from outside the area just before the half hour mark.
At the other end, Josh Hawkes fired at Bantams 'keeper George Sykes-Kenworthy from the edge of the area a minute or so later.
Hawkes nearly had a run in on goal shortly afterwards after being played into space by Ethan Wood but a superb tackle from Laird prevented the Pools striker from moving clear into the box.
Sykes-Kenworthy was forced into his second save of the evening from Pools' next attack when defender Jacob Owen struck a shot from distance that the City shot-stopper had to parry away.
Owen's fellow defender Jordan Fielding was given a caution just over ten minutes before the break for a late tackle on Hudson after an forceful run from City's number eleven.
Boateng had arguably the best chance to break the deadlock just before the interval but his powerful shot from roughly six yards out was repelled by Catterick after the midfielder had been found by Powell's low ball towards the near post.
In the opening minutes after the restart, Lewis Orrell joined team-mate Fielding in the box, once again for a foul on the impressive Hudson.
With City starting the half on the front-foot, the Bantams' apprentices engineered a number of openings within quick succession.
Tom Windle's searching low cross into the box narrowly missed the lurking Ville Moilanen and Niah Payne in the middle before the duo combined soon after during City's next foray forward.
Moilanen's cross found Payne in the area but the attacker's drive for goal was deflected over.
Hudson, who signed his first pro deal with the club earlier this season, fired narrowly over with a shot from distance moments later.
With City clearly enjoying a purple patch in the game, Fielding then had to make an important block in the area as Hudson shot for goal after being found by Boateng.
Kenton Richardson made it a trio of Pools players in the book with just under ten minutes of the second period played when he upended Payne with a late tackle midway into City territory.
As he was on numerous occasions throughout the night, Hudson was involved again as City continued to dominate past the hour mark.
Sam Wright's well-flighted ball over the top found Hudson in space inside the box but the attacker's shot for goal took a touch off Jack Cooper on its way narrowly past the far post.
The Bantams kept probing away for an opener, dominating large spells of possession in their search for a break-through.
On a rare attack forward for the visitors, Hartlepool threatened when substitute Brooklyn Miller was found in plenty of space down City's right-flank.
Miller's shot for goal from a tight angle was repelled by Sykes-Kenworthy before Windle cleared behind for a corner.
Shortly after that brief moment of concern for the Bantams though, City's scholars finally grabbed the goal their second half dominance had merited.
Catterick's rushed clearance was collected by Powell just ahead of Owen and the Bantams forward's pass across the box picked out Hudson, who rounded the Pools 'keeper before crashing the ball home.
Powell looked to make the game certain three minutes from the end after being picked out by Payne but the striker's rising drive was superbly tipped over by Catterick.
Despite City being in control of proceedings for the vast majority of the second period, Pools amazingly had three promising chances at the death to take the tie to extra time.
Firstly, Ethan Wood's shot from just inside the box was held by Sykes-Kenworthy after the midfielder had been teed up by Hawkes.
Hawkes tried to be the provider again just a minute or so later but his teasing ball across the six yard box was somehow touched wide of the far post by Orrell from close range.
There was still time for one last opening for the visitors in the fourth minute of injury time, with Hawkes involved once more.
The attacker's rising shot from just inside the area looked goal-bound but Sykes-Kenworthy got a strong hand on the ball to tip over.
Sykes-Kenworthy's opposite number, Catterick, came up for the resulting corner but City managed to clear their lines and hang on for the victory to book their spot in round two.
CITY XI
1. George Sykes-Kenworthy
2. Tom Windle
3. Harry Warren
4. Kwame Boateng
3. Harry Warren
4. Kwame Boateng
5. Alex Laird
6. Sam Wright
6. Sam Wright
7. Ville Moilanen
8. Curtis Peters
9. Reece Powell
10. Niah Payne
11. Ellis Hudson
8. Curtis Peters
9. Reece Powell
10. Niah Payne
11. Ellis Hudson
Substitutes:
12. Ross Mullett (GK)
14. Omed Gardezi
15. Dan Aitken
16. Andreas McIntosh
17. Jake Maltby
12. Ross Mullett (GK)
14. Omed Gardezi
15. Dan Aitken
16. Andreas McIntosh
17. Jake Maltby
City substitutions:
Aitken for Moilanen (69), Gardezi for Peters (84)
City goals:
Hudson (83)