Severely limited in their team selection, with four squad members unavailable, Avenue were still able to give in-form Leamington a run for their money before succumbing to a narrow defeat.

Despite an overall below-par performance in the opening half hour, Avenue came close to scoring twice before half-time. With the game still goalless, Eddie Church put in a near-post cross from the right and, in the blink of an eye, Will Longbottom’s poke towards goal from close in beat the goalkeeper only to be cleared away by a covering defender.

George-Sykes Kenworthy made one excellent low save from a close-range header, but had little chance to stop a fierce shot giving the lively home side the lead after twenty minutes.

Then, as the interval approached, Harrison Hopper’s chip over the keeper from Sam Fielding’s well-weighted ball over the defence saw a defender again in position to clear off the line.

Avenue began to get more of a foothold in the game in the second half when Leamington’s attacking threat diminished. Luca Havern had a goal disallowed for an alleged foul in the build-up and Jacob Blyth volleyed narrowly wide from 25 yards, but Avenue had to wait until the closing minutes to apply any pressure.

Then, throwing men forward, Jacob Blyth tested the keeper with a header and a shot by Sam Fielding from the edge of the box was fortuitously deflected wide of the post with the Avenue players appealing in vain that it had struck the defender’s arm.

Once Avenue start scoring on a regular basis, and this may only be a game away, they could well become a tricky opponent but, in the meantime, a lack of goals is naturally causing frustration for players and fans alike.

Manager Mark Bower had this to say about the game: ‘We need something to go for us. We don’t seem to get any kind of thing go our way’ – in particular referring to Luca Havern’s disallowed goal after Eddie Church had appeared to be clattered into in the box.

And, despite feeling Leamington should have had a further goal for their early dominance, their manager Paul Holleran followed a familiar theme by saying his side had to dig deep and that they just about edged it at the end.

Team: Sykes-Kenworthy; Odunston, Staunton; Lund, Havern, Fielding; Brooks (Johnson 76), Longbottom (Smith 65), Blyth, Church, Hopper. Unused subs: Hall, Eze.

Avenue Bookings: Havern, Staunton.

Att. 412

With Avenue depleted by the loss of Simon Richman and Jamie Spencer to injury and suspension respectively, the squad showed good strength in depth but just couldn’t find the finishing touch and fell to a 1 – 0 defeat against visitors Spennymoor.

An excellent opportunity to take the lead had come after only three minutes when hesitancy between the keeper and a defender on the edge of the penalty area enabled Sam Fielding to nip in and steal the ball but, in being forced wide, Avenue were unable to capitalise.

After a promising first quarter for the home side in which a tricky run from inside his own half by Shane Maroodza ended with Will Longbottom firing just over from 18 yards, Spennymoor then sounded a warning with George Sykes-Kenworthy appearing to get a touch on a fierce rising angled shot which hit the near post. The visitors then took the lead after forty minutes with a well-worked goal which seemed to take the wind out of Avenue’s sails for a while.

As Avenue tried to bounce back after half-time, Andre Brooks had a goal disallowed for offside and shortly afterwards Will Longbottom was put through on goal, but a defender did just enough to prevent him getting in a clean shot and the keeper made a comfortable save.

The visitors, however, were continuing to look dangerous and had one close-range shot which clipped the home crossbar.

In making attacking substitutions during the last half hour to try to get something out of the game, Eddie Church found space at the far post from a free kick but had his angled shot kept out by the keeper’s foot. Avenue then had to wait until the final minutes for another good chance to get an equaliser when, from ten yards out, Jacob Blyth blasted a loose ball towards goal following a corner only for a defender to somehow stick out a leg and divert the ball round the post.

The Spennymoor players’ reaction to this told that they knew without that important intervention they would have been heading back north with only one point.

When the referee then failed to spot a blatant push in the penalty area, it went to prove that it was just not Avenue’s day.

It may be of little consolation at the present time, but Avenue’s first three opponents of the season at Horsfall all currently sit in the top six. And, while the table does not lie over the course of a season, it could easily be argued from the overall form of the side so far, that Avenue deserve a higher placing in the League than the one they currently occupy.

Manager Mark Bower was to say afterwards: ‘Nothing’s going our way at the minute. It’s been a difficult start for us. We’re just coming out the wrong side of tight games.’

From a Spennymoor perspective, their stand-in skipper Joe Tait was relieved to get the win, stating: ‘It was a magnificent three points because they’re no mugs, they’ll take points off teams, particularly on this pitch. It was a tough game.’

Team: Sykes-Kenworthy; Odunston, Staunton; Lund, Havern, Maroodza (Church 61); Hopper, Fielding, Blyth, Brooks (Smith 85), Longbottom (Johnson 70). Unused subs: Hall, Nowakowski.

Avenue yellow cards: Maroodza (52), Staunton (90).

Att. 639

You can watch the highlights from Mondays game below.

Chorley  0 – 0  Bradford (Park Avenue)

A third-successive point on the road was achieved at Chorley, despite playing the entire second half with only ten men after Shane Maroodza was shown a red card in first-half time added on. Shane was the unlucky one to have to go, following an altercation, while his opponent only received a yellow card.

Losing a player on the stroke of half time at least gave Avenue a chance to reorganise back in the changing room and the players came out for the second half to continue to give a solid display.

The home side, who had won 4 – 1 at Boston the week before, were allowed few chances to score throughout a game in which Avenue also had trouble finding a clear opening.

Unfortunately, the match itself will probably be remembered most for further incidents later in the game. Harrison Hopper received a booking, then one of Chorley’s substitutes who had been booked a little earlier was sent off as the final whistle approached for some off-the-ball pushing and shoving with Jacob Blyth. Blyth, who played for Chorley last season, was shown a yellow card for his part in the affair.

Manager Mark Bower said afterwards: ‘I thought the lads were magnificent in terms of their effort, work rate and desire to keep a clean sheet. They’ve given absolutely everything for us.’ And on our attacking play: ‘We certainly got in some very good areas and just lacked that final pass.’

Team: Sykes-Kenworthy; Odunston, Staunton; Lund, Havern, Maroodza; Fielding, Richman (Hopper 45+3), Blyth, Brooks (Smith 82), Church (Longbottom 76). Unused subs: Hall, Nowakowski.

Att. 913

With this game past the ninety-minute mark and it looking inevitable that Avenue would have to settle for a draw against one of the teams expected to challenge for promotion, the home side were rocked by a Kidderminster winner in the third minute of time added on.

This cruel blow came after Avenue had held the Kidderminster attack well while managing to create only a limited number of chances at the other end.

The best of these was probably when Andre Brooks let fly with a strong, low shot from 25 yards just after half-time, which the visiting keeper dropped on to save.

Much of the game, however, had seen few chances created by either side in windy conditions, as both teams generally cancelled each other out.

In the end, a looping header gave George Sykes-Kenworthy little or no chance in goal and Avenue virtually no time to respond. To make it even more frustrating, this was the visitors only serious attempt on target throughout the whole match.

There can be no surprise if Avenue have already marked this one down as a result to be reversed when the two sides meet again at Aggborough Stadium later in the season.

Team: Sykes-Kenworthy; Odunston, Staunton; Lund, Havern, Maroodza; Spencer, Richman, Blyth (Nowakowski 83), Brooks (Church 62), Hopper (Longbottom HT). Unused subs: Smith, Fielding.

Attendance: 542