Shawn Goater returned to his scoring ways after a recent slump, netting Bristol City's second goal in the 2-0 derby win over Bristol Rovers to briefly take the Robins back to the top of the English Second Division.

The match was played before more than 17,000 fans, the biggest Second Division crowd of the season, and Goater's strike early in the second half sealed the points for City to keep them comfortably in the hunt for outright promotion.

The goal came as a result of a cross to the near post which Goater tucked past the Rovers 'keeper for his 18th of the season and keeps the Bermudian striker on course for his fourth straight 20-goal season. He has nine more games to score seven goals which would match his tally of 25 last season.

"I have been involved in the last couple of goals we've scored but just wasn't scoring myself,'' said Goater, who has a knack of scoring against Rovers. He has played against them five times and scored four goals.

City now have 72 points, three less than Watford who reclaimed top spot with a 2-1 win over Carlisle last night.

Last season 82 points was enough to give Stockport the second automatic promotion spot and that is the minimum target City have set with nine games remaining. Their biggest threat are Grimsby who are 11 points behind but with two games in hand.

"It's all down to how many games they (Grimsby) are going to win, but normally around 82 points gives you promotion,'' added Goater.

"We're hoping that the games will catch up on them late in the season and that fatigue creeps in. The good thing is they play teams around them so that will make it that much harder. I can see them coming out with one or two draws from those games or possibly losing by the odd goal.'' With the transfer deadline coming up, Goater, who has been on the transfer list since December, has resigned himself to seeing out his contract with City. An injury to striker Steve Torpey on Saturday (suspected broken foot) will no doubt make the club all the more determined to keep Goater until the end of the season.

"He looks as though he's going to be out until the end of the season, or at least until the last two games, so I don't think they are going to get rid of me knowing that he's out,'' said Goater, who is expected to attract offers from top clubs once his contract expires in the summer.

With Goater turning down a new contract, the club were hoping to attract a big offer for him before the deadline and cash in rather than keep him until the end of the season when he will be allowed to move for free.

"I think the club is going to say `we hope Shawn Goater's goals and influence will help to make sure we go up' and they will sacrifice whatever loss there is,'' said Goater.

"At the end of the day if they just get promoted then they are happy with that and say `yeah, we lost Shawn but we are promoted and that was our aim from the outset'.

"I can see that being the situation with the deadline coming and going and because of Steve Torpey's injury as well.''