A catalogue of defensive errors cost Bradford (Park Avenue) dearly as they were beaten 5-3 by Chester. 

The Blues hadn’t hosted anyone since early August due to stadium damage but marked their return to the Swansway Chester Stadium with an impressive win.

Bradford headed into the game as one of the league’s most in-form sides and made a dream start. Jake Beesley accelerated down the left flank before squaring to Ben McKenna, who steered past Chester goalkeeper Grant Shenton to fire the visitors ahead.

Chester, however, produced the perfect response when Anthony Dudley’s cross caused chaos in the box and allowed Dan Mooney to bundle home.

The momentum shifted in Chester’s favour after the equaliser and Craig Mahon forced Steven Drench to palm a thunderous volley wide of the post.

Dangerous forward Dudley, who had provided an assist for Chester’s leveller, etched his own name on to the scoresheet with a powerful header in the 11th minute after connecting with a superb delivery from Simon Grand.

Both sides looked nervy in defence and looked to capitalise on each other’s defensive fragilities.

Nicky Wroe darted forward before searching for Oli Johnson with a lofted pass but Steven Howson headed clear.

Blues wingers Mahon and Mooney caused endless problems for the visitors and the latter was unlucky to see his powerful drive saved by Drench.

Mahon then demonstrated some deft footwork to evade several challenges before finding Matty Hughes, who wriggled away from Nicky Wroe but struck into the clutches of Drench.

Hughes continued to make intelligent runs and find pockets of space in and around the Bradford box but headed wide after connecting with an in-swinging cross from Dudley.

Chester were eventually rewarded for their pressure when Mahon darted into the box before skipping past Nicky Clee and poking past Drench.

A golden opportunity to pull a goal back was then handed to OIi Johnson on a plate, but he blazed over after Jake Beesley had rounded Shenton and squared to him.

Beesley was the most lively of Bradford’s attacking contingent and spun past two Chester midfielders before threading through to Johnson once again. The forward’s cross, however, was diverted away from an on-rushing Ben McKenna by Jon Moran.

With half-time looming, Bradford clawed one back as Shenton saved a strike from Johnson and Beesley stabbed the rebound into a vacated net.

HALF-TIME: Chester 3-2 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Chester’s lead was very nearly extended just four minutes after the restart, but Mooney dragged wide after the ball was worked to him in a swift counter-attack.

Despite a spell of early pressure, it was Bradford that drew first blood in the second-half. A powerful header from Conor Branson was saved by Shenton but the goalkeeper pushed the ball into the path of Johnson, who tucked away.

Chester came close to producing yet another quick response but Hughes’ curling effort struck the woodwork.

Barely a minute later, the hearts of Chester supporters were in their mouths as Shenton was forced to pluck a Clee free-kick out of the top left-hand corner.

It was then Drench’s turn to produce an impressive stop, thwarting Mooney after he had wriggled away from Shane Killock and unleashed a powerful strike,

The entertainment levels didn’t dwindle as the half progressed and Danny Lowe was forced to make a crucial block to deny Dudley after the forward embarked on a mazy run and pulled the trigger.

Mahon then saw a drilled effort deflected wide and Grand’s looping header dropped over the crossbar as pressure mounted on Bradford.

Chester regained their lead with fifteen minutes left on the clock through Mooney, who found the bottom corner with a composed finish after Mark Ross gifted possession away in a dangerous area.

Debutant Luke Jordan was introduced in the 80th minute to stretch Bradford with his pace and delivered a cross with such venom that Drench lost grip on the ball. Fortunately, the goalkeeper recovered to pounce before Dudley could.

Jordan then tangled with Branson in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Dudley stepped up to convert the penalty and wrap up the three points for Chester.

FULL-TIME: Chester 5-3 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Chester: Shenton, Dominic Smalley, Grand, Burton (c), Moran, Howson, Mooney (Deane Smalley 80′), Stopforth, Dudley, Hughes (Pritchard), Mahon (Jordan 80′).

Unused substitutes: Thomson, Noble.

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Lowe, Wroe, Killock (c), Havern (Nowakowski 77′), McKenna (Knight 73′), Branson, Beesley, Johnson, Clee (Spencer 63′)

Unused substitutes: Boshell, Dawson.

Referee: Aaron Jackson

 

 

FC United of Manchester secured a late draw against Bradford (Park Avenue) at Broadhurst Park.

The Avenue took a two-goal lead thanks to Shane Killock and Jake Beesley but the home side fought back and after an equaliser from Brodie Litchfield, FC United of Manchester equalised from the spot with Kurt Willoughby converting in the final minute.

The away side started well and dominated the game. Despite chances from Beesley and Oli Johnson being missed, Bradford took a deserved lead. From a corner, captain Killock found the back of the net from close range to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Ten minutes after the break, Mark Bower’s men doubled their lead in fortuitous circumstances. Good pressure from Beesley on the hosts defence and goalkeeper forced a bit of confusion and eventually the ball bounced favourably and nestled in the bottom corner.

But, it was the home side who came back into the game. Immediately after a substitution for Bradford, Litchfield capitalised by slotting home a loose ball which hit the post to halve their deficit.

Then, in the final minute, the home side were given the opportunity to equalise after a foul from Luca Havern inside the penalty area. Striker Willoughby stepped up and struck a low right-footed effort into the bottom corner.

FC United of Manchester: Crellin, Senior (Tattum 68), Logan (Crawford 75), O’Halloran, Ashworth, Lynch, Kay, Baird (Banister 55), Willoughby, Litchfield, Donohue

Subs not used: Simoes, Affleck

Yellow: Lynch

Scorers: Litchfield (61), Willoughby (pen 90)

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Clee, Branson, Killock, Havern, McKenna (Knight 61), Wroe, Beesley, Johnson (Lowe 68), Spencer (Boshell 74)

Subs not used: Nowakowski, Dawson

Scorers: Killock (21), Beesley (55)

Bradford (Park Avenue) edged past Boston United to pick up their fifth win of the 2018/19 campaign. 

The opening stages provided little in the way of entertainment, and it seemed like the two sides were feeling each other out in the opening exchanges.

The game suddenly burst into life in the 14^th minute, when the hosts were awarded a penalty.

Oli Johnson slid the ball into the path of an on-rushing Conor Branson, who had made a late surge into the box. Former Bradford defender Ryan Qualter brought Branson down, allowing Oli Johnson to step up and convert from 12-yards.

The goal breathed new life into Bradford but also lit a spark in Boston, creating a much more entertaining affair.

Pilgrims stopper George Willis had to vacate the six-yard box in order to thwart Jake Beesley, who slipped in behind the Boston defence but couldn’t reach the ball ahead of the visitors’ goalkeeper.

After Nicky Wroe felled Brad Abbott on the edge of the box, Jack Marriott was given the opportunity to test Bradford with a free-kick. His deflected shot fell at the feet of Jonny Margetts, who after losing his footing, knocked the ball towards a grateful Steven Drench.

Wroe then split open the Boston defence with an exquisite through ball, but Beesley dragged his effort wide.

The on-loan marksman makes a habit of being in the right place at the right time, and he was alert to meet Wroe’s deflected free-kick. However, with bodies surrounding him, he poked wide.

Boston’s Margetts found himself in a similar position moments later, as Nicky Walker’s free-kick found its way to him after cannoning off the crossbar. Luca Havern did well to edge the winger wide, causing him to fire into the side-netting.

The Pilgrims found the side-netting again barely a minute later as Jack Marriott accelerated away from Mark Ross but couldn’t finish.

On the stroke of half-time, a delivery from Lewis Knight caused chaos and both Beesley and Wroe had shots blocked.

HALF-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Boston United

The visitors were quick out of the blocks after the interval and Drench was forced to beat away a close-range header from Spencer Harris.

Bradford, however, almost caught Boston out with a swift counter-attack that resulted in Jamie Spencer coming close to doubling the hosts’ lead. Knight delivered from the right, but Spencer could only watch as his header clipped the post on its way wide.

Another quick break-away almost provided Bradford supporters with the second goal they craved, but Beesley fired wide after combining well with Johnson.

Veteran striker Craig Westcarr, formerly of Portsmouth and Walsall, was introduced on the hour mark and almost made an immediate impact. He spun away from Nicky Clee and drilled across the face of goal, but fellow substitute Cieron Keane failed to meet it.

As the hunt for an equaliser intensified, Bradford stopper Drench found himself being peppered with shots. The goalkeeper, however, is in a rich vein of form and continued to impress with saves to deny Walker and Andi Thanoj.

Keane and Westcarr had made Boston a much more dangerous attacking force following their introductions. The former nodded into the path of the latter but Westcarr blasted wide under pressure from Havern.

The Pilgrims seemingly ran out of steam as the final whistle approached and Bradford were successful in pinning the visitors in their own half for prolonged spells.

They eventually broke out of their own half and won a free-kick when Thanoj was tripped, but the midfielder’s chipped effort flew wide.

FULL-TIME: Bradford (Park Avenue) 1-0 Boston United

Bradford (Park Avenue): Drench, Ross, Clee, Branson, Killock (c), Havern, Wroe, Knight (Nowakowski 74’), Beesley, Johnson (Toulson 82’), Spencer (Dawson 66’).

Unused substitutes: Atkinson, Boshell.

Boston United: Willis (c), Davies, Gough, Thanoj, Harris, Qualter, Wafula (Johnson 80’), Abbott, Marriott (Westcarr 61’), Margetts (Keane 61’), Walker.

Unused substitutes: Middleton, Lees.

Referee: Dean Hulme

Report: Tom Coates