Saturday afternoon saw the Avenue Reserves side begin a full month of difficult away fixtures in Division One, including ties against some of the top sides in the table.
A short trip took them to Horsforth St Margaret’s, which I have to say is probably the most impressive facility that Avenue will go to this season. A spacious and welcoming clubhouse and a grass pitch of the highest order.
Avenue occupied a higher position in the table than Horsforth, who had yet to win at home after three games, but were impressive on their travels. Avenue themselves have fared very well away from the Horsfall Community Stadium, where they have only played once so far.
With a breeze behind them, Avenue made most of the early running and created a number of chances inside the first ten minutes through Max Walker, Oskar Wota and Michael Douglas, all of them failing to find the target.
Horsforth had their first serious effort on goal in the 15th minute, when their forward dragged his shot wide.
With the wind behind them, it might have made sense to hit the ball from distance and test the goalkeeper, but Avenue preferred to try and play through the home midfield and defence, as the occasional long ball was either overhit or caught by the breeze. The best chance of the half for Avenue came when a set-piece from out wide, was met by the 6ft 9” Michael Hall, but his bullet header flew wide of the near post.
All the good work by the home side was coming down the right flank and although they created several good openings, Luke Morris was never severely tested.
Both sides traded corners as half time approached, in what was turning out to be an even contest, but a minute before the break Avenue squandered a great opportunity. They broke out from defence and found themselves three against two, in the opposition half. Unfortunately, possession was lost easily after a pass was mis-controlled, and, in a flash, the ball was in the Avenue box, Morris making a fine save. It was the last action of a scoreless first half.
Upon the resumption, it was Avenue who posed the greater threat but lacked the cutting edge. The best example being a free-kick from Connor Douglas that Hall headed wide.
Avenue finally took the lead in the 59th minute, when Jayden Cuffe gained a loose ball outside the Horsforth penalty area, and his accurate shot flew past the home goalkeeper and into the net.
Relief for the numerous Avenue fans turned to joy, a minute later, when Avenue doubled their lead with a wonderful individual strike from M. Douglas. Collecting the ball outside the area, he turned left, then right, and then left again, before firing home an unstoppable drive past a bamboozled defence.
Scenting blood, Avenue went close twice as the home defence were under pressure.
A third goal may have wrapped things up for Avenue, but they were rocked after the hour mark, when, after losing possession carelessly, a ball into the Avenue area ran in the way of a Horsforth forward who scored to make it 2-1.
Three minutes later, the home side scored again, only to have it ruled out for offside. The referee did blow up immediately, but it appeared to be tight.
Manager Owen Murphy made the decision that totally changed the outcome of the game in Avenue’s favour when he brought on substitute, Tidiane Diallo.
Two minutes after the offside goal, Horsforth were 3-1 down, and it was due to some wonderful footwork from T. Diallo. His mazy run past any number of opponents left him in space. He could have gone for goal himself, but unselfishly he passed to Walker who smashed an effort into the net.
Two minutes later, the substitute was at it again as he teed up Walker once more, this time the shot coming back off the Horsforth bar.
It was one way traffic as Avenue threatened to run riot, specifically when T. Diallo had the ball. He seemed to be taking great delight in torturing the home defence and it was wonderful to watch as they had no answer to him.
The goal that wrapped up the points came courtesy of the irrepressible M. Douglas. Seconds after hitting a shot wide, he fired another superb strike past the home goalkeeper, again after excellent work from T. Diallo.
More Avenue substitutes joined the action to replace tired legs and still they were trying to score another goal.
T. Diallo was the key to everything that Avenue were creating and, tried to set up a teammate for a chance when the best option was to take it himself.
With time almost up, the home side pulled a goal back, from.a corner. A thumping header from the set-piece hit the Avenue bar, bounced down and was met by a forward who reacted quickest.
With just a minute remaining, the man of the moment, T. Diallo performed his last piece of magic, but the home goalkeeper made a great save to deny Avenue a fifth goal.
It’s always difficult to pick out individuals given how this side play for one another. Again, everyone stuck to their task, but Mason Brewis and Hall organised the back line superbly. M.Douglas is surely destined for great things and Cuffe showed what a deadly finisher he is. However, special mention must be given to T. Diallo for his brilliant cameo appearance – a delight to watch.
Match report: Paul Waterhouse