Doncaster Rovers still had hopes before the game that they could force themselves into the play-off picture, but City continued a recent revival which has seen them bag 11 points out of the last 15.
The visitors had enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, but it was City who came closest to scoring on five minutes. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson swapped passes with Dean Windass and was unlucky to see his 25-yarder cannon off the post.
That effort gave City the confidence to take the game to their opponents and they went ahead 20 minutes in. Again Bridge-Wilkinson was involved as he freed Emanuel, who fired in a low shot from the corner of the areaÂto bag his first goal of the season.
Emanuel may have had to wait 36 games to register his first strike, but had his second just five minutes later. Windass won the ball and fed fellow striker Danny Cadamarteri who released Emanuel in space.
Goalkeeper Alan Blayney managed to get a hand to the shot from just inside the area, but could not keep it out.
After the break Bradford lacked the fluency they had shown in the first half and Rovers got themselves back into the game with 23 minutes left to play.
Referee Lee Mason had generously awarded Rovers a free-kick and Ross McCormack made it count, rifling home a sensational 25-yeard effort.
Bradford then had to endure a nervous end to the game, although teenage striker Joe Brown nearly put the gloss on the win, but his header flashed just wide and Windass saw his over-head kick saved in the last minute.