Date: 10th August 2024
Venue: Horsfall Stadium
Attendance: 335
Bradford (Park Avenue) secured a vital 1-0 victory against North Ferriby on Saturday, in our opening fixture of the 2024/25 season at Horsfall Stadium.
This hard-earned win not only marks a positive start to the campaign but also our first opening day victory since 2018. Kareem Hassan-Smith’s goal in the second half proved decisive, as we handed out no fewer than twelve debuts in this tightly contested match.
First Half:
We began the match on the front foot, with Oli Norman making an early run into the opposition area, only to see the ball run just out of play. Craig Ellison, who was outstanding throughout, made a crucial save in the 3rd minute to deny Josh Whitley and keep us level.
We created several chances in the first half, with a notable opportunity coming in the 24th minute when Kareem Hassan-Smith struck the post following an impressive run into the area. Despite our best efforts, including a penalty shout after Paddy Sykes appeared to be brought down in the box, the referee waved away any appeals. The half ended with the scoreline still goalless, but with plenty of positives to take into the break.
Second Half:
We made a change at halftime, with Josh Askew replacing Kelan Swales to bring fresh energy into the side. The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Oli Norman demonstrated superb awareness to find Kareem Hassan-Smith, who finished expertly to give us the lead.
North Ferriby pushed for an equalizer, but our defense remained resolute. Craig Ellison continued to be a rock at the back, and our midfield worked tirelessly to disrupt Ferriby’s rhythm. Despite a couple of cautions for Luke Hogg and Paddy Sykes, we managed the game well and even created chances to extend our lead, with Ben Whelan heading over from a set piece late on.
The team showed great character and discipline to secure the win and maintain a clean sheet, something we hadn’t achieved on the opening day in six years.
Milestones:
This match marked our 897th in NPL football, and with three more games to go, we are approaching a significant milestone with our 900th match scheduled against Liversedge at home on 26th August.
Next Fixture:
We turn our focus to the next challenge as we travel to Belper Town on Tuesday, 13th August. Kick-off is at 7:45 PM at Raygar Stadium. We look forward to building on this positive start and continuing our momentum.
Final Thoughts:
First Team Head Coach, Danny Whitaker:
“I’m really proud of the team for their performance on Saturday. We knew it would be a tough match, and the boys delivered exactly what we asked of them. Defensively, we were solid, and Craig made some crucial saves to keep us in the game. Kareem took his goal brilliantly, and it was great to see the team work so hard for each other. There’s still plenty to improve on, but for a first outing, especially with so many debuts, it was a very encouraging performance. We’ll take the positives from this and keep pushing forward.”
Sporting Director, Thomas McStravick:
“We’re absolutely delighted with the result today and overall performance. It’s always important to start the season on a positive note, and the lads showed great determination and quality throughout the game. With so many new faces in the squad, it was encouraging to see them gel so quickly and perform as a unit. Kareem’s goal was a moment of real class and an example of how we want to play. Our defensive display was outstanding when needed. We’re excited to build on this foundation as we move forward.”